Book excerpt: The author of this book describes it as not a biography, nor a work of literary criticism. He says it is an attempt to get at the 'essence' of the larger than life figure, Hilaire Belloc. Hilaire Belloc was a Franco-English writer and historian of the early twentieth century. Belloc was also an orator, poet, sailor, satirist, writer of letters, soldier, and political activist. His Catholic faith had a strong effect on his works.