The first essay in this collection begins by declaring that seriousness is not a virtue, setting the tone for the light and playful pieces that follow. Drawn from G. K. Chesterton’s weekly columns in The Illustrated London News and the New Witness, the essays here cover a range of topics, not necessarily connected, but which remain charming even when discussing weighty subjects. Topics include, “On Seriousness,” “Lamp-Posts,” and “On Pigs as Pets.”