Popular young adult books such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, as well as literary classics such as Walker Percy's Love in the Ruins and Cormac McCarthy's The Road, have created a growing interest in dystopian novels. In one of the first such novels of the twentieth century, Benson imagines a world where belief in God has been replaced by secular humanism. In this harrowing novel, apocalyptic conflict looms as Julian Falsenburg arises as leader of the world, promising peace in exchange for blind obedience. Those who resist are subject to torture and execution. As the Catholic Church in England rapidly disintegrates, Rev. Percy Franklin is left to provide hope and stability.

In Confessions of a Convert, Robert Hugh Benson shares his spiritual journey from being an Anglican and son of the archbishop of Canterbury to becoming a Roman Catholic priest. Through his humble, honest, and memorable story, Benson invites us -- in this republished classic -- to think about what it means to wrestle with the deep questions of our Catholic faith while rejoicing in the power of their universal truths. Benson weaves the challenges of his conversion into the narrative as he examines his own life for the signs and wonders that illuminated his way. He was astonished at how the remote God of his Anglican upbringing drew close to him, igniting a fire in his to heart and a desire to know God on a deeper level. This transformation led him to the doorstep of the Catholic Church. Reluctant to venture further because he was known as an important figure in the Anglican world, Benson grappled with the sacrifices he would make, including the loss of his vocation, family, and friends. After the death of his father, Benson finally embraced the nearness of God found in the Eucharist.

This visionary dystopian and apocalyptic novel of 1907 presents a future in which secular humanism has triumphed, with religion suppressed and almost non-existent. It follows the fortunes of an M.P. and his wife, who come under the sway of the antichrist figure, the titular Lord of the World, who appears to promise a heaven on earth, and a catholic priest, who is fighting to keep the Church alive through its many tribulations. It is highly readable and seems prescient on many counts - the rise of communist states, the advent of air travel and the dominating power of a forceful leader - but its strong Catholic bias has tended to limit its readership. This handsome new edition has been completely re-typeset to be clear and complete.