The Road To Assisi: The Essential Biography Of St. Francis

This is a modern biography of Francis of Assisi, the Italian religious figure whose life began in comfort in the town of Assisi and turned toward poverty, prayer and service to the poor. The author works from the surviving sources about the saint, setting out his early years, his break with his family and his founding of a religious movement that spread across Europe. The book pays attention to the context of medieval Italy, including its cities, its church and the social tensions of the age, to show how Francis came to hold such lasting influence. Originally written in French in the nineteenth century, it is a long-standing introduction for readers interested in his life and the world around him.