Books › Saint Francis of Assisi
Saint Francis of Assisi
243 pages
A witty, paradoxical exploration of radical joy and the profound sanity of a holy life.
What it feels like
Reading this biography feels less like studying a historical timeline and more like sitting across from a brilliant, jovial philosopher in a firelit pub. The prose is dense with signature paradoxes, turning conventional wisdom upside down to reveal the profound sanity hidden within radical asceticism. It is an intellectually stimulating and deeply joyful experience, suffused with a warm reverence for its subject. The narrative moves at a steady, thoughtful pace, inviting you to pause and marvel at the romance of faith and the extraordinary nature of ordinary things. It will thoroughly delight readers who crave theological depth, literary flair, and a fresh, awe-struck perspective on what it means to live a truly liberated life.
- Mood
- illuminating
- contemplative
- joyful
- awe-struck
- Tone
- witty
- reverent
- paradoxical
- philosophical
- warm
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- the sanity of holiness · radical simplicity · the romance of faith · asceticism as joy · spiritual rebellion
- The writing
- Aphoristic and richly rhetorical, characterized by brilliant paradoxes and a warm, conversational wit.
- The arc
- Begins with intellectual curiosity and builds to a profound, joyful reverence for radical simplicity and spiritual freedom.
- Who it's for
- Thinkers and seekers who appreciate theological depth delivered with literary flair and a twinkle in the eye.
Content notes
- discussions of asceticism
- historical religious conflict
About the book
G.K. Chesterton lends his witty, astute and sardonic prose to the much loved figure of Saint Francis of Assis. Grounding the man behind the myth he states "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."Review: "his opinions shine from every page. The reader is rewarded with many fresh perspectives on Francis..." -- Franciscan, May 2002
Description from Open Library.
Books like Saint Francis of Assisi
See why they match
Saint Thomas AquinasG. K. ChestertonA fresh, animated journey into the mind and worldview of a monumental philosophical and theological figure.
OrthodoxyG. K. ChestertonA joyful, paradoxical romp through the landscape of modern philosophy that ends in the surprising discovery of ancient faith.
Clare of AssisiIngrid PetersonA reverent and historically grounded exploration of a saint's life and letters.
ConfessionsAugustineAn intimate, centuries-old prayer that wrestles with the deepest questions of memory, desire, and the search for the divine.
Ludwig WittgensteinRay MonkA deeply humanizing portrait of a tortured mind that makes complex philosophy feel like an urgent matter of the soul.
MiraclesC. S. LewisAn impeccable, logically driven exploration of the supernatural that bridges the gap between reason and divine intervention.