Saint Francis of Assisi

This is a truly amazing and beautiful "sketch" of St. Francis of Assisi - not so much a story (though a number of stories are included) as an appreciation and elucidation of who Saint Francis was and, quite simply, the impact he had on the world.

The book is substantial and very rich. I found that I had to put it aside at the end of each chapter to "digest" it for awhile rather than read it too quickly straight through. In addition to providing deep insights into the life of St. Francis, Chesterton provides wonderful tools for the study of history and explanations of some of his own philosophy about life (which was significantly inspired by St. Francis). Chesterton keenly explains St. Francis' heartfelt courtesy towards everyone he met, his devotion to poverty (and even to the freedom of poverty - what a remarkable concept!) and other aspects of his life, all illuminated by his desire to imitate Christ.

I really like how Chesterton helps us to understand Francis by examining a few particular stories - paradigms that exemplify his life and his philosophy - in depth, rather than a typical biography which attempts to tell the entire story brought to life through many details. It is certainly worthwhile to read detailed biographies (and it would be helpful to read one of these - even if it's a children's version - before studying Chesterton's book), but this detailed exposition will add a great deal to your understanding of Saint Francis. It seems a very wise way to study a subject - or at least to begin to study a subject - because we are often so overwhelmed with numerous details that we are unable to grasp a sense of the whole.