The Ballad of the White Horse

by G.K. Chesterton and Gilbert Keith Chesterton

Book Overview

More than a thousand years ago, the ruler of a beleaguered kingdom saw a vision of the Virgin Mary that moved him to rally his chiefs and make a last stand. Alfred the Great freed his realm from Danish invaders in the year 878 with an against-all-odds triumph at the Battle of Ethandune. In this ballad, G. K. Chesterton equates Alfred's struggles with Christianity's fight against nihilism and heathenism--a battle that continues to this day. One of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486475638
• ISBN13: 9780486475639
• Release Date: July 2010
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

A great rollicking poem

Thank God there is an free-standing edition of this poem in print. I was afraid it would only be available in a large collection. It would be better still if it was pocket sized, paper-back, and had a figure of a white horse on the front!

The Ballad of the White Horse by G. K. Chesterton

A stirring epic poem with a message important for the future of western civilization...to act on hope when there is no longer any hope... The outcome is always, finally, in God's Providence. "The Ballad of the White Horse" should have great appeal for young men who can dream impossibilities because they are firmly grounded in the eternal verities. The battles scenes will fire the blood!

A great, good read

One of the great poems in the English language--and certainly a top contender for the greatest narrative poem. A retelling of the Alfred the Great's defeat of Guthrum and the Danes at the Battle of Ethandune (or the victory of the true power of Christianity over the inherent weakness of paganism), written to be read aloud or to oneself (but please do read it aloud). A ranking of ten stars would be more accurate. [This review refers to the first edition.]

The greatest poem of the century

The greatest poem of the century. The100-page saga of King Alfred the Great's apparently hopeless war against the Vikings is all one dreams poetry might be - stirring the heart and soul, filled with beauty, wisdom and excitement. A timeless message of hope and wonder. A few passages stumble, as is inevitable in a work of this length, but these can be overlooked. Read this wonderful poem and it will lighten and change the world for you. The greatest antidote to depression and despair that I know!

Awesome ballad with powerful lessons for the new "dark ages"

G.K. Chesterton died in 1936 and The Ballad was written years before that, yet he could already foresee the bitter harvest that would come as a result of the growth of utilitarian humanism. The Ballad is the powerful retelling of the story of King Alfred's ultimate triumph over the invading Danes, despite repeated losses, decimated forces and overwhelming adversity. It's a great story of a significant moment in history, but in it Chesterton also teaches us much we can apply in our own cultural wars against the forces of the "New Dark Ages". He brings his prodigious intellect and wit to the task and in so doing offers hope to the "men signed of the cross of Christ (going) gaily in the dark". The book is filled with memorable quotations and insights that will leave readers inspired to perservere in the face of their own adversities. It is abook worth owning and cherishing for the ages!