Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis

Growing up Catholic Saint Francis was the saint I felt a true desire to emulate. His deep convictions, humility, compassion toward lepers and the sick and poor and lowly of society always seemed more Christlike than many other saints. The Road To Assisi is a great account the qualities I mentioned, showing that Saint Francis was unafraid to follow when people first thought he was crazy, laughed at him, mocked him and his father disowned him, and from that lowest position Francis rose to become The Little Brother who is one of the most beloved Saints in the world.This book is a translation of Paul Sabatier’s great biography, edited by Jon M. Sweeney for clarity regarding language and verbiage, and with good annotations filling in much background material related to context of people, places and events that occurred that effected Francis and the formation of his Order. What is truly impressive is that Paul Sabatier was a Protestant who writes with deep affection for Saint Francis, Deeply concerned to give an accurate account of The Little Brother, consequently leaving out or not going into great detail on some of the stories and legends. For instance, he does mention the miracle of Saint Francis stepping into the fire before the Sultan and God protected him from being burned and thereby winning over the Sultan, along with the miracle of the Stigmata, and others, but stays more scholarly regarding historical facts about Francis’s life overall. He also tells the divisions that developed between the Order, the Church and even Francis’s own followers and the sad lack of conviction that deeply tore at his soul as he fought to keep the Order true to what God had told him to do.There are many great biographies on Saint Francis, some which give more details of his miracles, but this book gives you a scholarly look at Francis and his times and the obstacles he had to overcome, and shows the pure humility and devotion and love of Saint Francis for God, The Gospel, the poor and sick, and his deep lifelong love of nature, something which inspired his faith right up until his last breath.

Just as described, Perfect! Thank you!!

Slow-reading -- perhaps due to the translation. Not a smooth, fast read, but nevertheless interesting.

Excellent! A definitive biography.

Very boring. Author does not make interesting to read the book. There are no special learnings from St Francis life. Better watch a movie. Pitty I spend money on this bad written book.

beautiful. It helped me on my way.