Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was a renowned English author, philosopher, Christian apologist, journalist, and magazine editor. He was also a literary and art critic.

Chesterton is perhaps best known for creating the fictional priest-detective Father Brown and for his works on apologetics, such as Orthodoxy and The Everlasting Man. He often referred to himself as an orthodox Christian and eventually converted from high church Anglicanism to Catholicism.

Regarded as the "prince of paradox," Chesterton was noted for his unique writing style, which frequently employed popular sayings, proverbs, and allegories—often turning them inside out. His work influenced many, including Jorge Luis Borges, who compared Chesterton to Edgar Allan Poe.

Chesterton's prolific output included over 100 books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems (including the epic Ballad of the White Horse), five plays, five novels, and approximately 200 short stories. Despite these literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist, having penned over 4,000 newspaper essays, including 30 years' worth of weekly columns.