The Wisdom of Father Brown


Read by Martin Clifton

(4.6 stars; 496 reviews)

This is the second of five books of short stories about G. K. Chesterton’s fictional detective, first published in 1914. Father Brown is a short, nondescript Catholic Priest with shapeless clothes and a large umbrella who has an uncanny insight into human evil. His methods, unlike those of his near contemporary Sherlock Holmes, although based on observation of details often unnoticed by others, tended to be intuitive rather than deductive. Although clearly devout, he always emphasizes rationality: despite his religiousness and his belief in God and miracles, he manages to see the perfectly ordinary, natural explanation of the problem. He is a devout, educated and "civilized" clergyman, who is totally familiar with contemporary and secular thought and behavior. His character was thought to be based on Father John O'Connor (1870 - 1952), a parish priest in Bradford, Yorkshire. (Summary by Martin) (7 hr 17 min)

Chapters

Chapter 01 33:54 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 02 41:13 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 03 35:38 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 04 39:57 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 05 36:15 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 06 37:38 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 07 32:37 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 08 45:05 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 09 34:48 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 10 31:42 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 11 36:41 Read by Martin Clifton
Chapter 12 31:48 Read by Martin Clifton

Reviews

Better than TV


(4 stars)

This is what the author was saying, not what the TV show turned them into—which are completely different.


(5 stars)

the reader is fantastic and enjoy to listen to. the stories are interesting it's not Sherlock Holmes but it's amusing than the less. it's quite a different style

Contents


(5 stars)

Chapter 1: The Absence of Mr Glass Chapter 2: The Paradise of Thieves Chapter 3: The Duel of Dr Hirsch Chapter 4: The Man in the Passage Chapter 5: The Mistake of the Machine Chapter 6: The Head of Caesar Chapter 7: The Purple Wig Chapter 8: The Perishing of the Pendragons Chapter 9: The God of the Gongs Chapter 10: The Salad of Colonel Cray Chapter 11: The Strange Crime of John Boulnois Chapter 12: The Fairy Tale of Father Brown

second listen


(5 stars)

Father Brown is one of my favorite characters. I enjoy listening to the stories and watching the series on BBC. Chesterton is unique in his insights and his plots reflect it. The reader is excellent.


(4 stars)

very competently read, and nice to hear a British accent. Reading is occasionally slightly wooden and sometimes could use longer pauses between interlocutors or concepts, but great work, thanks Martin!

Interesting But Different Than The First Book


(4 stars)

Good reader! Stories not as in-the-moment and peopled as first book. But stories are interesting and solvable. Good readers.

Very Enjoyable


(5 stars)

Some of these are repeats from another Father Brown book. The listening was very enjoyable anyway


(4 stars)

Entertaining stories, very well read. Only the blatant racism in the gong story darkens the book.