G. K. Chesterton, the "Prince of Paradox," is at his witty best in this collection of 20 essays and articles from the turn of the 20th century. Focusing on "heretics" -- those who pride themselves in their superiority to conservative views -- Chesterton appraises prominent figures from the literary and art worlds who fall into that category. Luminaries such as Kipling, Shaw, Wells, and Whistler come under the author's scrutiny, where they meet with equal measures of his characteristic wisdom and good humor. Observations on the wider world -- including "On Sandals and Simplicity," "Science and the Savages," and "Slum Novelists and the Slums" -- reflect the main themes of Chesterton's work.