Francis of Assisi: The Life of a Restless Saint

Many works have been written about Francis of Assisi. Most tend to dwell upon the unusual myths associated with him, including his writings on the sun and the planets, or his speaking with birds and other animals. In this book, Leppin (historical theology, Yale Divinity Sch.; Martin Luther: A Late Medieval Life) takes a deeply scholarly approach. Utilizing many centuries of research and placing it into the historical perspective of the time, his book examines both the recognized and the lesser-known events of Francis’s life and gives a scholarly perspective of what realistically did—or didn’t—occur and why. What results is a fascinating, personal narrative of this unusual yet highly influential saint. It will help readers better understand his continual contributions to the Church and the order he created. While written with researchers in mind, the logical flow of the narrative will appeal to general readers too. At the end, there is a detailed thesaurus, which will significantly help readers, along with a list of sources.