Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest is a 1935 science fiction novel by the British author Olaf Stapledon.

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Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest is a 1935 science fiction novel by the British author Olaf Stapledon. The novel explores the theme of the Übermensch (superman) in the character of John Wainwright, whose super normal human mentality inevitably leads to conflict with normal human society and to the destruction of the Utopian colony founded by John and other superhuman.

Odd John (subtitled A Story Between Jest and Earnest) deals with one of the most pervasive questions of science fiction: How will humanity react when confronted with a being of superior intelligence? The narrator is writing a biography of John Wainwright, a mutant who represents the next step of evolution, Homo superior. The narrator begins by describing John's odd appearance, precocious intelligence, and early education. Too disruptive to attend school, "Odd" John masters specific subjects, such as mathematics and biology, as they interest him. When a neighborhood boy beats John, the young prodigy becomes obsessed with two ambitions: to become physically powerful and to "understand his fellow human beings." He attains the first ambition, using his strength to thrash the boy who hurt him.

"A collection of ten short stories that all take place in the same day about kids walking home from school"--

Father Brown, an ordinary priest whose unremarkable exterior conceals extraordinary crime-solving ability, is celebrated for his solutions to metaphysical mysteries, a genre perfected by his creator, G. K. Chesterton. More than lighthearted comedies built around puzzling crimes, these superbly written tales contain deeply perceptive philosophical reflections. The Innocence of Father Brown (1911) was the first collection of stories featuring the ecclesiastical sleuth and is widely considered the best. In this annotated edition of the collection, the Chesterton scholar Martin Gardner provides detailed notes and background information on various aspects of such stories as "The Blue Cross," "The Secret Garden," "The Invisible Man," "The Hammer of God," "The Eye of Apollo," and seven more, as well as an informative introduction and an extensive bibliography. Included also are eight illustrations reproduced from the first edition. The result is an indispensable companion for all Chesterton enthusiasts and a perfect introduction for anyone who has yet to meet the incomparable Father Brown.

"Genius--brilliant, polished and of considerable depth." --Ishmael Reed

Odd John: A Story Between Jest and Earnest is a 1935 science fiction novel by the British author Olaf Stapledon. The novel explores the theme of the Übermensch (superman) in the character of John Wainwright, whose supernormal human mentality inevitably leads to conflict with normal human society and to the destruction of the utopian colony founded by John and other superhumans. The novel resonates with the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche and the work of English writer J. D. Beresford, with an allusion to Beresford's superhuman child character of Victor Stott in The Hampdenshire Wonder (1911). As the devoted narrator remarks, John does not feel obliged to observe the restricted morality of Homo sapiens. Stapledon's recurrent vision of cosmic angst - that the universe may be indifferent to intelligence, no matter how spiritually refined - also gives the story added depth. Later explorations of the theme of the superhuman and of the incompatibility of the normal with the supernormal occur in the works of Stanislaw Lem, Frank Herbert, Wilmar Shiras, Robert Heinlein and Vernor Vinge, among others