Old Thunder: A Life of Hilaire Belloc

Hilaire Belloc is one of the most important, revered and reviled writers of the twentieth century. A social commentator, a master of finely crafted prose and a poet of great wit, he continues to fascinate. Joseph Pearce examines the lasting impact of this prolific writer and social commentator on British intellectual life.

As President of the Oxford Union, he immersed himself in historical studies and championed Catholicism. Later, as a Liberal MP, he became disillusioned with party politics, expressing his sentiments about both socialism and capitalism in his novels and pamphlets. Considered one of the most important Christian writers of the twentieth century, admired for his understanding of modern England and in the company of men like Sassoon, G.K. Chesterton and Waugh, Belloc's fascinating character is wonderfully brought to light in all his whimsicality. Opening up the personality for the reader is the story of his long courtship of Elodie Hogan from Napa, California that overcame all sorts of hurdles, including her brief stint in a convent, and his desolation after her death.

With access to previously unpublished material in the form of Belloc's letters and photographs, Joseph Pearce's major new biography uncovers a romantic, complex, and solitary character. Illustrated.