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by Louis de Wohl

In this magnificent and stirring novel, Louis de Wohl turns his famed narrative skill to the story of the soldier and merchant’s son who might have been the right-hand man to a king… and who became instead the most beloved of all saints. The story teems with action, pageantry and intrigue with finely conceived characters – the beautiful, saintly Clare, Frederick, the hawk-faced King of Sicily and the Holy Roman Emperor, the Sultan Al Kamil, Pope Innocent III… The scene shifts from Assisi, Rome and Sicily to the deadly sands of Egypt.

This book was made into a feature film entitled Francis of Assisi by 20th Century Fox, and is now available on video from Ignatius Press.

“A sweeping, evocative historical novel that vividly recreates the thirteenth century as de Wohl stirringly chronicales the journey of Francis from soldier to mystic, a spiritual quest fraught with signficance for the modern reader.”

- Robert Waldron, author of Hound of Heaven at My Heels

Recommendation: This novel is suitably recommended for those looking for an enjoyable and intimate rendering of the life of St Francis. Louis de Wohl balances the demands of an imaginative narrative with a disciplined regard for historical accuracy in order to recreate the celebrated life of St Francis. Being a hagiographical account, this novel is not recommended for those seeking a more serious study of the saint and his life. Suitable for adults and youth alike.

The Joyful Beggar: A Novel about St Francis of Assisi

Available at Wellsprings for S$33.90

by Ivan Gobry, Ph.D.

He has inspired countless films, paintings, poems and novels. But who was Francesco Bernadone, now known as Saint Francis of Assisi? Despite the wealth of writing on the life of this great saint, many still don’t know the man. They know the legend: a Francis made palatable to modern sensibilities—the happy friar who carols to the birds and writes poems to the sun and moon. This is the image of the saint that is usually presented, even though it fails to encompass the true personality of Francis.

Ivan Gobry, Ph.D., takes on the task of revealing the real man, the man who abandoned wealth and chose to live a beggar’s life. Saint Francis lived a life that was full of danger and adventure, ministering to lepers and even traveling to Egypt in an attempt to convert the Muslims. Disciples flocked to him, drawn by the radical challenge of living the Gospel in a world that had become attracted to decadence. Francis rejoiced in nature and animals, but also fought spiritual battles against temptation and vice. Dr. Gobry restores a profoundly human dimension to the Little Poor Man of Assisi: a far cry from the image that has become conventional.

Ivan Gobry, Ph.D., a specialist in the medieval period and professor emeritus at the University of Rheims, is the author of a great number of studies on the Middle Ages and philosophy. He is considered to be one of the foremost experts on Saint Francis.

Recommendation: This book is a must-have for those searching for a solid and detailed account of the Saint’s life. In separating the man from the legend, Professor Gobry pieces together the real life of Saint Francis from the past 500 years of scholarship, and presents it to today’s reader in a continuous and easy-to-read chronological narrative. Especially recommended for adults interested in discovering the real life of Saint Francis.

Saint Francis of Assisi

Available at Wellsprings for S$30.90

by Helen Walker Homan

In this book, Helen Walker Homan captures all the excitement and beauty of the lives of Fransis and Clare of Assisi, and their centuries-long influence on the whole world through their radical living of the Gospel and founding of two great religious orders.

Recommendation:

Helen Walker Homan’s book draws upon established biographical accounts of the two great saints of Assisi in order to present their lives in a way suitable for children between the ages of 11-13. As told in twelve easy-to-read chapters, the lives of Saint Francis and Clare are brought to life in colourful reimaginings of true events. Recommended to parents keen on introducing their children to the inspiring lives of these two great saints.

Francis and Clare, Saints of Assisi

Available at Wellsprings for S$19.90

by Hugh Noonan, Roy Gasnick

This beautifully illustrated, colorful booklet tells the story of Francis. It reveals a simple man who responded profoundly to the problems and crises of his day.

The Franciscan spirit begins with the story of Francis Bernardone, now known to the world as St. Francis of Assisi. This simple retelling of Francis’ story explores the secret of his love affair with God through his loving relationship with all things living—a secret that is worth probing today more than ever.

Francis of Assisi: The Song Goes On

Available at Wellsprings for S$9.90

by John Michael Talbot

Well-known Christian musician Talbot founded the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, a Franciscan lay order. Here he discusses their way of life, which is based on the ideals of simplicity, service, and love for creation that St. Francis of Assisi inpired. Drawing on insights from the saint’s enigmatic life, Talbot encourages readers to pare down the overwhelming demands of modern existence and to distinguish between the needs of interior life and the pull of worldly desires.

Readable and filled with concrete suggestions, this is sure to appeal to seekers of a more simple and authentic life.

Recommendation: This book goes one step further than the other books recommended here; John Michael Talbot, in this book on spirituality, draws upon lessons from the life of Saint Francis and shows us how the life of this thirteenth century saint can offer guidance in our own paths to holiness. Recommended especially for those inspired by the life of this great saint.

The Lessons of St Francis: How to Bring Simplicity and Spirituality Into Your Daily Life

Available at Wellsprings for S$25.90

Organized round the Rule of St. Francis, this book is a wonderful resource for private devotion or group study as it shows readers what it means to live out the Christian life with a Franciscan accent.

In a little town in Italy, nearly eight hundred years ago, Francis of Assisi renounced everything he owned to follow Christ with passionate and single-minded abandon. Even today, centuries later, this simple saint draws people around the world to his story of living in humility, love, and joy. Here in Following Francis, Susan Pitchford tells her own story of the Franciscan life, as a member of the Third Order, founded by Francis himself so that people from all walks of life can follow the saint’s ideal, without leaving their homes or occupations.

Pitchford learned that the Franciscan tradition isn’t the exclusive possession of monks cloistered in a monastery, but a spiritual path for ordinary people living in the twenty-first century.

Following Francis: The Franciscan Way for Everybody

Available for ordering at Wellsprings at S$31.90