Defiant Joy: The Remarkable Life and Impact of G.K. Chesterton

Defiant Joy is a powerful narrative of Chesterton’s life through his literary accomplishments.

Amid currents of modernity that sought to displace the Christian faith, Chesterton challenged thought leaders of his day with civility, erudition, and wit, contending that faith is the central piece of our humanity. C. S. Lewis credits The Everlasting Man for his Christian vision, while Heretics and Orthodoxy are still considered pillars of Christian thought.

But Chesterton wasn’t just an apologist. He wrote literary criticisms of Dickens and Chaucer still revered as seminal works. He wrote long-form epic poetry, widely-published articles, and lectured on art, politics, and history. Defiant Joy reveals a larger-than-life thinker and cultural giant—showing his utmost relevance for us today, and how a vibrant Christian witness can display the merits, joy, and sanity of a faith many wish to discredit.

Kevin Belmonte holds a BA in English Literature from Gordon College, an MA in Church History from Gordon–Conwell Seminary, and a second master's degree in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine. He has twice been a finalist for the John Pollock Award for Christian Biography, and in 2003, he won that award for his biography of William Wilberforce. With his wife Kelly and son Sam, he lives by the sea in New England.