Tremendous Trifles is a collection of short essays by G. K. Chesterton, originally written for the Daily News. In a playful, digressive style, Chesterton meditates on ordinary things—trains, chalk, toys, streets—and finds wonder, paradox and moral reflection in them. It is worth listening to for its warm humor and imaginative view of daily life.
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Text source: gutenberg.org · The work is in the public domain.
Opening of the book
TREMENDOUS TRIFLES By G. K. Chesterton CONTENTS PREFACE I. Tremendous Trifles II. A Piece of Chalk III. The Secret of a Train IV. The Perfect Game V. The Extraordinary Cabman VI. An Accident VII. The Advantages of Having One Leg VIII. The End of the World IX. In the Place de La Bastille X. On Lying in Bed XI. The Twelve Men XII. The Wind and the Trees
XIII. The Dickensian XIV. In Topsy-Turvy Land XV. What I Found in My Pocket XVI. The Dragon’s Grandmother XVII. The Red Angel XVIII. The Tower XIX. How I Met the President XX. The Giant XXI. A Great Man XXII. The Orthodox Barber XXIII. The Toy Theatre XXIV. A Tragedy of Twopence XXV. A Cab Ride Across Country XXVI. The Two Noises XXVII. Some Policemen and a Moral XXVIII. The Lion XXIX. Humanity: an Interlude XXX. The Little Birds Who Won’t Sing XXXI. The Riddle of the Ivy XXXII. The Travellers in State XXXIII. The Prehistoric Railway Station XXXIV. The Diabolist XXXV. A Glimpse of My Country XXXVI. A Somewhat Improbable Story XXXVII. The Shop Of Ghosts XXXVIII. The Ballade of a Strange Town XXXIX. The Mystery of a Pageant