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Saint Francis of Assisi | 
| Author: G.k. Chesterton
Publisher: Image
Category: Book
List Price: $12.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  27 reviews
Sales Rank: 146386
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 160
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 8 x 5.4 x 0.5
ISBN: 0385029004
Dewey Decimal Number: 271.3024
EAN: 9780385029001
ASIN: 0385029004
Publication Date: December 17, 1987
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Cover, binding very good, no marks in book.
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
There are certainly many studies of Saint Francis of Assisi that an interested reader might find and many of them immensely praiseworthy. But in reading G.K. Chesterton on Francis, you get two glories for one: first is an enlightening study of this most beloved of Christian saints and second is Chesterton himself, one of the great Christian writers of the 20th century, who converted to Roman Catholicism in 1922 because, it has been said, "only the Roman Church could produce a St. Francis of Assisi." Published shortly after his conversion, Chesterton wrote this book in part to reclaim Francis for the church. There are always those who want to claim Francis for their cause, Chesterton recognized, who also fail to understand the spiritual and intellectual ground upon which he stands. Chesterton would return Francis to Christ. As he summarizes, "however wild and romantic his gyrations might appear to many, [Francis] always hung on to reason by one invisible and indestructible hair.... The great saint was sane.... He was not a mere eccentric because he was always turning towards the center and heart of the maze; he took the queerest and most zigzag shortcuts through the wood, but he was always going home." As one editor of Chesterton's puts it, "of St. Francis he might have said what he said about Blake: 'We always feel that he is saying something very plain and emphatic even when we have not the wildest notion of what it is.'" --Doug Thorpe
Product Description
Francis of Assisi is, after Mary of Nazareth, the greatest saint in the Christian calendar, and one of the most influential men in the whole of human history. By universal acclaim, this biography by G. K. Chesterton is considered the best appreciation of Francis's life--the one that gets to the heart of the matter.
For Chesterton, Francis is a great paradoxical figure, a man who loved women but vowed himself to chastity; an artist who loved the pleasures of the natural world as few have loved them, but vowed himself to the most austere poverty, stripping himself naked in the public square so all could see that he had renounced his worldly goods; a clown who stood on his head in order to see the world aright. Chesterton gives us Francis in his world-the riotously colorful world of the High Middle Ages, a world with more pageantry and romance than we have seen before or since. Here is the Francis who tried to end the Crusades by talking to the Saracens, and who interceded with the emperor on behalf of the birds. Here is the Francis who inspired a revolution in art that began with Giotto and a revolution in poetry that began with Dante. Here is the Francis who prayed and danced with pagan abandon, who talked to animals, who invented the creche.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 22 more reviews...
 Saint Francis of Assisi: A life to follow June 7, 2008
Chesterton surprise us again with this formidable short essay about the life of Saint Francis of Assisi. This is not the typical hagiography, but an inside look to the vivid facts that made us understand the true meaning of charity, fraternity and solidarity through love.
 Metaphysics blown across from Asia March 2, 2008
13 out of 16 found this review helpful
Approaching this little book about a pillar of Catholicism with a sceptical interest in the historical aspects of the man St.F., one gets properly looked down upon by recent convert GKC. Orwell called Chesterton, his contemporary, a 'Catholic nationalist', i.e. not an English nationalist who was also Catholic. 'Chesterton was a writer of considerable talent who chose to suppress both his sensibilities and his intellectual honesty in the cause of Roman Catholic propaganda.' That seems to be about it, sorry Jim Egolf, here for once I disagree with your assessment of 'a gentleman who writes about a gentleman'.
GKC wrote this in the 20s of the 20th, shortly after converting. The book is neither 'scientific' history, nor does it make an attempt at telling me what I would like to know about St.F. In that sense it is a disappointment.
In other regards, it is worth reading. Like for his style, even if it gets annoying once in a while. He did love his pirouettes and his mannerisms. Watch this one, in the opening para:
'A sketch of St.F. ... may be written in one of three ways. ... the third way, which is adopted here, is in some respects the most difficult of all. At least, it would be the most difficult if the other two were not impossible.'
Well, we all need our little vanities.
Worse are the arrogant asides against members of other 'nations' than his newly found Catholic tribe.
Paraphrases:
The worst moment for an atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank.
In mediaevel times, nobody would have tolerated a Schopenhauer scorning life or a Nietzsche living only for scorn.
A heresy had developed around a prophet named Mahomet.
Mad metaphysics blown across out of Asia.
Or a rough summary of his theory about the spread of Christianity: it was needed because the ancient people, the pagans, were subverted by sexual perversity, specifically homosexuality in the case of the Greeks. (He did not even spell this out, but resorted to allusions, because the subject might be too offensive, I assume...)
Enough, I think.
A Gentleman Writing About Another Compassionate Gentleman November 24, 2007
12 out of 15 found this review helpful
G.K. Chesterton's titled ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI demonstrated once again Chesterton's charm, polite criticism, wit, and logic. Chesterton also showed that he had actual insight to St. Francis'mission and thinking. Chesterton also realized that modern misinterpretations had to be corrected to give readers a clearer understanding of a man who was complex, apparently mad, and had a passion for creation and the Creator.
Chesterton began this book with a brief explanation of the political situation in Italy whereby small politics vied for power and land. St. Francis was part of this environment and began his younger days as a soldier. In one encounter, St. Francis was captured involving Assisi and another city-state in which St. Francis was captured. This was not what St. Francis expected or wanted. This event led to dispair and depression which Chesterton said changed St. Francis from an Italian citizen and soldier to a saint. Chesterton wrote that the man who emerged from such depression and dispair emerged from this experience as a far different man. Chesterton gives a good analysis of Medieval war in Italy. Men fought for their homes, loved ones, their shrines, and their rulers with whom they were much more familiar than modern mass and mindless democracy. Chesterton accurately contrasts Medieval Italian wars with modern war which is based on false media lying, government propaganda,and vague useless slogans for war in remote areas far from family and homes. Chesterton wrote that St. Francis could be a soldier and still love people. Chesterton explains this paradox by commenting that men could do so because they knew what they were fighting for and could accept an enemy as a friend as long as the fight was fair.
Readers should know that St. Francis was a frair rather than a cloistered monk. Modern men do not understand the cloistered life unless they understand that pagans worshipped nature to the point that such worship became perverted and unnatural. The cloistered life was a reaction to such unreasonable nature worship. One could argue that St. Francis appreciated nature, but St. Francis worshipped whom he considered the Creator of nature. St. Francis was not a pantheist. Chesterton explained that the cloistered monks prior to the active frairs such as the Franciscans and Dominicans made invaluable contributions to Western Civilization. They hand copied books. The cloistered monks and nuns were Europe's first teachers during the so-called dark ages and saved learning. These people taught men how to effectively breed livestock and cultivate land. Chesterton stated that the cloistered monks and nuns were severely practical. They were severe with themselves and were practical and compassionate with everyone else.
Another aspect of St. Francis' life was that he was a poet. Chesterton made the comment that poets write about romance and love. St. Francis' poetry was devoted to Divine Love and God. St. Francis may have influenced Medieval poets such as Dante (1265-1321) whose DIVINE COMEDY had obvious religious overtones.
In spite of St. Franics poverty and asceticism, he was not a gloomy man. St. Francis was cheerful, optimistic, and free. Chesterton wrote that the Franciscans were more free than others because they took an honest vow of poverty. Anyone who is attached to his possessions could not be completly free. No one could contain St. Francis and his follwers by economic and social neccessity. Chesterton commented that he expects nothing will not be disappointed. Chesterton also commented that the Franciscans expected nothing but enjoyed everthing because they believed that creation emerged from nothing.
Chesterton related a charming story of St. Francis and his followers who were poor and had nothing unceremoniously approaching great rulers and Popes for audiences without fanfare and pomp. Yet, more secular men who had wealth and power usually received St. Francis with politeness and respect. Another charming story is that of St. Francis and his followers approaching powerful Islam rulers during the Crusades. These rulers would have executed most Catholic if approached by other Catholics. Yet, the Islamic rulers showed respect to St. Francis. These rulers did not accept Catholcism, but St. Francis' kindness and manners made the Islamic rulers respect him in spite of severe religious differences. Many crusades want to kill Moslems in battle. St. Francis went to the Middle East not to kill Moslems but to create Catholics.
Chesterton wrote this book to present a brief history and commentary of St. Francis and the Franciscans. Chesterton presented a more authenic of the Medieval era to give an authenic view of St. Francis and the Franciscans. Chestertoned showed what modern men in a crass materialistic world could learn from the Middle Ages which was intensely more religious as opposed to what has become of modern religion or what Bonhoffer called "cheap grace."
This reviewer believes that G.K. Chesterton admired both St. Franics and St. Thomas Aquinas. Chesterton's nonfiction work shows the logic and reason of St. Thomas Aquinas and the compassion of St. Francis. As an aside, readers should read Chesterton's book re St. Thomas Aquinas which is a good companion volume to this book.
 Discusses St. Francis and Things Related October 25, 2007
Chesterton's book offers significant insights into St. Francis that make this book worth reading and owning. Chesterton eloquently identifies and expounds some of the paradoxes from Francis' life. He also highlights the truths of Francis' ministry and radical faith. There are many lines in this book that readers will want to review and appreciate.
However, this is not as Chesterton claims an introductory book to the saint. I think that for this book to be read without frustration readers should have at least a cursory knowledge of the timeline of events in St. Francis' life and why he is considered the most perfect image of Christ that ever lived. If you approach this book expecting, as I initially was, an easy to grasp overview of Francis' life you will probably be left wondering what Chesterton is writing about and when he is going to tell you about Francis.
Chesterton approaches Francis from dozens of different perspectives and eventually zeros in on the heart of Francis and the supernatural events that guided his life. Chesterton hits the highlights but does not go through Francis life in a simple manner.
Before reading this book, I would suggest reading a simpler biography on Francis. Many of his biographers cull from St. Bonaventures "Major Life of Francis" or Thomas Celano's biography of Francis. These are ealy traditional biographies of Francis and would prepare readers for Chesterton's discussion that does offer value to any picture of Francis.
 Not the best as far as Francis biographies go March 22, 2007
I love reading about St. Francis, but I could easily have passed up this volume. Chesterton's style is very, very wordy; he takes pages and pages to say something that could have been summed up in a sentence. And he seems to think the crusades were good, or at least necessary, and hold other beleifs that I find distasteful. No, if one wants to read an interesting book about St. Francis, pick a different one.
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