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Francis of Assisi: A Revolutionary Life
This book is written for readers of any faith or none. Although the whole of Francis's life was based on his belief in God, he was the least dogmatic of saints, seeing himself as God's troubadour or fool. It is unnecessary to share his faith in order to appreciate his soaring achievements. His life (1182-1226) was rich in its succession of dramas. After his debauchery as a young playboy, merchant and soldier-he fought at the Battle of Collestrada―he stripped naked in court, abandoned everything he owned and devoted his life to the poorest and sick. The all-embracing relationship between him and Clare enriched each as man and woman. On his missions he walked over the Pyrenees barefoot, was shipwrecked and crossed the lines during the Fifth Crusade to parley with the sultan in Egypt. In 1224 marks similar to Christ's wounds appeared on his hands, feet and side, the first recorded case of the stigmata. His feelings for creation, epitomized in his sermon to the birds, stimulated the realism of the Italian Renaissance artists; his vernacular poems inclined Dante to write The Divine Comedy in Italian, not Latin. The first religious order he founded, for men, had a radical effect on social justice and the developing universities in Europe; his second order, the Poor Clares, soon numbered hundreds, including royalty and half a dozen saints; his third, for laity sworn to peace, helped destroy the military power of feudalism. Men like Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Cervantes and Galileo allegedly joined the Third Order. But, above all, it is through his universal love that he has influenced the world for nearly eight centuries, drawing more than three million people every year to his tomb in Assisi.
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352 pages, Paperback
First published June 27, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
January 15, 2022
This wasn't my favorite, but I'm glad I read it. It was about 75 pages too long ;)
It contained some interesting insights into Francis's life and medieval life in general.
It contained some interesting insights into Francis's life and medieval life in general.
August 15, 2008
This book is awesome, whether you are a Christian or not on the transformation of a spoiled brat in to one of the most kind and generous people in history.
December 19, 2025
I am indulging some curiosities about faith and people of faith and have kept my eye on Francis recently as a mystic that I might jive with. His life was CRAZY, but even crazier was the Christianity that he was born into. Even though he was pretty antiestablishment in the secular sense, he was alllll about the Catholic Church. I think what struck me the most about his story was the gentleness he treated his sister St. Clare in the founding of his second order.
I’m stumbling along, collecting stories of spiritual people and their beliefs and just reveling in the discovery of it all.
I’m stumbling along, collecting stories of spiritual people and their beliefs and just reveling in the discovery of it all.
November 9, 2019
A great story ruined.
February 13, 2019
It must be difficult to go about writing a biography of a saint. It’s hard to imagine the biographer being motivated by anything but unmitigated reverence for their holy subject, in which the case is just fawning hagiography. Adrian House even goes out of his way to declare that this is not a book one needs to be a Catholic, or even a believer in God, in order to appreciate. I needed no reassurance, since even as an atheist I had a vague idea of how fascinating a life St. Francis had led and wanted to learn more about it completely divorced from any supernatural or metaphysical accretions. But however much you happen to admire St. Francis for the choices that he made in life (I happen to see him as a largely selfless human being, nothing more and nothing less), some of the stories that Adrian House relays in the book range from the overly reverential (the quite possibly post hoc stories that members of his fellow brothers wrote about him emphasizing his holiness and sanctity) to the downright cringeworthy (his stigmata, almost certainly self-inflicted or arranged by close friends). One of the book’s few redeeming features is that it hashes out the social, political, economic, and religious environment of the time in such a way that assists the reader not only in understanding Francis’ religious contributions, but also his life as an ordinary man.
St. Francis was born in 1182 as Giovanni de Bernardone, in the heart of central Italy, the son of a prosperous cloth merchant. After a completely average childhood, at age twenty Giovanni volunteered to join a military expedition against Perugia (a rival neighboring Italian state), but was taken prisoner for a year before returning home. Two years after returning, he went to enlist in another army (this time, for Walter III, Count of Brienne), but returned home because of a strange religious vision. After these events, Giovanni began to withdraw from some of the worldly activities that he formerly enjoyed.
One day in February, 1208, upon hearing about the Commissioning of the Twelve (as told in the Gospel of Matthew), Francis decided to devote himself to a life of poverty. From then on, he dawned a simple, coarse woolen tunic, roaming the countryside of Assisi and exhorting those he encountered to engage in peace, love, and making penance. Within a year, he had drawn almost a dozen followers. In the following year, 1209 wrote out a simple guidebook, based on New Testament teaching, which was to give instruction for his followers. Eventually, he asked Innocent III for permission to form his own order. It was granted, and the order was tonsured as the Friars Minor (better known today as the Franciscan Order). They were first centered in Umbria, but quickly spread all over Italy.
In 1211, a seventeen-year old girl named Chiara Offreduccio heard Francis speak and was deeply touched with the message – so touched, in fact, that she would become one of Francis’ most fervent admirers, leave her fabulously wealthy family’s palace and found an order much like the Friars Minor, except for women. She did so, giving it the name the Order of St. Clair (better known today as the Poor Clares). Having taken place in the thirteenth century, almost any meaningful relationship between an unrelated man and woman would quickly be turned into something romantic (and later cultural accretions, like Franco Zeffirelli’s “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” (1972) about the supposed romantic entanglements of Francis and Chiara don’t help in diffusing the matter), House contends that this aspect of their relationship almost certainly never existed.
Later in his life, Francis would found still another order still associated with him, the Third Order of Brothers and Sisters of Penance, for those members of the laity who, for whatever reason, could not join a religious order, but still were drawn to Francis’ life of charity, compassion, and strict poverty.
I would like to think that I can divorce my own lack of belief from my rating of this book. I can honestly say I took the time to consider it and its merits. It’s certainly the case that not all biographies of saints should come across as inspiring – let alone inspired – but this one reads much more like merely a dutiful chronology of the major events in St. Francis’ life. As a source of pure information, it only suffers in its rather flat, underwhelming delivery – but only that. I didn’t approach it expecting an uncritical paean to Francis’ spiritual greatness, which would have rendered it virtually unreadable. I can’t say that I recommend it, but there are thankfully many other biographies from which to draw. I would be interested to know what religious readers thought about the book itself, above and beyond their mere regard for a fellow co-religionist.
St. Francis was born in 1182 as Giovanni de Bernardone, in the heart of central Italy, the son of a prosperous cloth merchant. After a completely average childhood, at age twenty Giovanni volunteered to join a military expedition against Perugia (a rival neighboring Italian state), but was taken prisoner for a year before returning home. Two years after returning, he went to enlist in another army (this time, for Walter III, Count of Brienne), but returned home because of a strange religious vision. After these events, Giovanni began to withdraw from some of the worldly activities that he formerly enjoyed.
One day in February, 1208, upon hearing about the Commissioning of the Twelve (as told in the Gospel of Matthew), Francis decided to devote himself to a life of poverty. From then on, he dawned a simple, coarse woolen tunic, roaming the countryside of Assisi and exhorting those he encountered to engage in peace, love, and making penance. Within a year, he had drawn almost a dozen followers. In the following year, 1209 wrote out a simple guidebook, based on New Testament teaching, which was to give instruction for his followers. Eventually, he asked Innocent III for permission to form his own order. It was granted, and the order was tonsured as the Friars Minor (better known today as the Franciscan Order). They were first centered in Umbria, but quickly spread all over Italy.
In 1211, a seventeen-year old girl named Chiara Offreduccio heard Francis speak and was deeply touched with the message – so touched, in fact, that she would become one of Francis’ most fervent admirers, leave her fabulously wealthy family’s palace and found an order much like the Friars Minor, except for women. She did so, giving it the name the Order of St. Clair (better known today as the Poor Clares). Having taken place in the thirteenth century, almost any meaningful relationship between an unrelated man and woman would quickly be turned into something romantic (and later cultural accretions, like Franco Zeffirelli’s “Brother Sun, Sister Moon” (1972) about the supposed romantic entanglements of Francis and Chiara don’t help in diffusing the matter), House contends that this aspect of their relationship almost certainly never existed.
Later in his life, Francis would found still another order still associated with him, the Third Order of Brothers and Sisters of Penance, for those members of the laity who, for whatever reason, could not join a religious order, but still were drawn to Francis’ life of charity, compassion, and strict poverty.
I would like to think that I can divorce my own lack of belief from my rating of this book. I can honestly say I took the time to consider it and its merits. It’s certainly the case that not all biographies of saints should come across as inspiring – let alone inspired – but this one reads much more like merely a dutiful chronology of the major events in St. Francis’ life. As a source of pure information, it only suffers in its rather flat, underwhelming delivery – but only that. I didn’t approach it expecting an uncritical paean to Francis’ spiritual greatness, which would have rendered it virtually unreadable. I can’t say that I recommend it, but there are thankfully many other biographies from which to draw. I would be interested to know what religious readers thought about the book itself, above and beyond their mere regard for a fellow co-religionist.
April 11, 2024
It helped my assignment
January 21, 2019
Adrian House gives a thorough and detailed account of both the life of St. Francis and the surrounding influences that created the ideological milieu of his time. Though the details seemed to have gotten carried away at times, spending many pages on the intricacies of the landscape and what have you, I nonetheless believe that his summation of the variety of documents behind St. Francis' life was brilliantly executed. Having read G.K. Chesterton's biography on St. Francis prior, a wonderful, but more metaphysical accounting of his life, I found that to be a prefect preface for House's more in depth look. Finishing this trout through the world of Francesco Bernardone with Richard Rohr's book Eager to Love, I am sure that this symbiotic sequence of literature will bring me personal life change from a life that has changed the world.
May 19, 2020
For the most part it's really good. Gives really in-depth analyses of the time period and all the cultural changes going on around Francis, which is the book's strength. The book is weakest intellectually, but the most entertaining, when it tries using outdated psychological theories to psycho-analyze Francis, his relationship with Clare, his mystical visions, and some of his gender-bending experiences. The author tries too hard to make Francis conform to cis-heteronormativity, while also trying to be edgy and critical of the catholic church. Many passages read as imperfect attempts how hypocritical the Church Francis loved and served was , and how controversial and revolutionary Francis was, but not in any way that would make contemporary readers uncomfortable.
February 16, 2025
Not far from where I live in southeast Michigan, the Capuchins, a Franciscan order of the Catholic Church, operate a soup kitchen and other service ministries in Detroit. They are following Saint Francis’s footsteps 800 years after his death.
This speaks to the life-affirming significance of Francesco di Pietro, one of the great figures of the Middle Ages, whose life had a widespread influence during his lifetime, and whose reach across the ages and around the world continues to both influence and inspire today.
Adrian House has written a biography of Francis that is both informative and engaging (not always an easy combination to achieve). He achieves this by grounding the reader firmly in both the times and the places in which Francis lived.
The late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries saw dynamic social, political, economic and religious change. It’s a lot to keep up with, and House handles it well by framing the people and events of the times around their impact on Francis - and around Francis’s reciprocal impact.
Francis’s life and the Order he founded were shaped by a bewildering array of forces: the tensions between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire of Frederick II; the far-reaching impact of the Fourth Lateran Council on the institutions of Christendom; the intricacies of alliances and feuds between contemporary Italian city-states; even the military and diplomatic efforts of the Fifth Crusade.
Somehow, House helps the reader to make sense of all this by helping us to see it through the eyes of Francis. And all of it is important, because of how it shaped Francis’s life and ministry. (And partly because of the personal connections Francis had to the relevant popes and cardinals involved - the papacy was, after all, one common thread running throughout all of the forces listed above.)
In addition to grounding the reader in the context of history, as it relates to Francis’s life, House also does an outstanding job of grounding the reader in the places where Francis lived and pursued his vocation.
Having traveled in Francis’s footsteps during his research for this book, House describes the landscapes and cities with such detail that readers can easily picture them in their minds. (It also compelled this reader to use Google maps to look at present-day views of the cities, churches, mountains, and more that House described with such care.) His attention to detail regarding the dustiness of the roads, the heat of the midday sun, the cool leafiness of mountain retreats, the songs of specific bird species, is important because of Francis’s love of the natural world and his reverence for all of its creatures.
Throughout, Francis is treated in equal parts as man and saint. His devotion and spiritual depth make him seem more than ordinary, and yet he is placed so firmly in his time and place that he comes to life as a real human being. One almost suffers with him at the end of his life, when he was plagued by so many physical ailments.
Whether one thinks of Francis as Francesco di Pietro, the man, or as Saint Francis of Assisi, one cannot deny the significance of his life, both in the early thirteenth century and today. Adrian House brings this significance to life in this biography that is, in equal parts, both informative and engaging. Not an easy combination to achieve, and yet in House’s hands it seems effortless.
This speaks to the life-affirming significance of Francesco di Pietro, one of the great figures of the Middle Ages, whose life had a widespread influence during his lifetime, and whose reach across the ages and around the world continues to both influence and inspire today.
Adrian House has written a biography of Francis that is both informative and engaging (not always an easy combination to achieve). He achieves this by grounding the reader firmly in both the times and the places in which Francis lived.
The late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries saw dynamic social, political, economic and religious change. It’s a lot to keep up with, and House handles it well by framing the people and events of the times around their impact on Francis - and around Francis’s reciprocal impact.
Francis’s life and the Order he founded were shaped by a bewildering array of forces: the tensions between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire of Frederick II; the far-reaching impact of the Fourth Lateran Council on the institutions of Christendom; the intricacies of alliances and feuds between contemporary Italian city-states; even the military and diplomatic efforts of the Fifth Crusade.
Somehow, House helps the reader to make sense of all this by helping us to see it through the eyes of Francis. And all of it is important, because of how it shaped Francis’s life and ministry. (And partly because of the personal connections Francis had to the relevant popes and cardinals involved - the papacy was, after all, one common thread running throughout all of the forces listed above.)
In addition to grounding the reader in the context of history, as it relates to Francis’s life, House also does an outstanding job of grounding the reader in the places where Francis lived and pursued his vocation.
Having traveled in Francis’s footsteps during his research for this book, House describes the landscapes and cities with such detail that readers can easily picture them in their minds. (It also compelled this reader to use Google maps to look at present-day views of the cities, churches, mountains, and more that House described with such care.) His attention to detail regarding the dustiness of the roads, the heat of the midday sun, the cool leafiness of mountain retreats, the songs of specific bird species, is important because of Francis’s love of the natural world and his reverence for all of its creatures.
Throughout, Francis is treated in equal parts as man and saint. His devotion and spiritual depth make him seem more than ordinary, and yet he is placed so firmly in his time and place that he comes to life as a real human being. One almost suffers with him at the end of his life, when he was plagued by so many physical ailments.
Whether one thinks of Francis as Francesco di Pietro, the man, or as Saint Francis of Assisi, one cannot deny the significance of his life, both in the early thirteenth century and today. Adrian House brings this significance to life in this biography that is, in equal parts, both informative and engaging. Not an easy combination to achieve, and yet in House’s hands it seems effortless.
April 14, 2018
If you want historical rigor I suggest Vauchez's biography, but Mr. House does a far better job bring Francis and his times to life. Very absorbing--- in perilous times he was a force, an inflection point, that redirected Christianity and Europe and continues to inspire today. As a side benefit, I gained insight on the current Pope's decision to take the name Francis.
September 9, 2019
I knew little of Francis, not being Roman Catholic. The change in his life from playboy to celibate, impoverished ascetic was remarkable. That he sustained this lifestyle for the rest of his life and founded 3 orders that have spread worldwide and was sainted was per the title “revolutionary”.
July 21, 2017
Well written book about a fascinating man. Sometimes difficult to keep up with all the Italian names and places, but well worth the effort. See my full review at http://www.katherinejscott.net/saint-...
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January 5, 2022As others have commented, this biography can be rather academic in parts. The bibliography and source notes are extensive. A knowledge of the time period and other key historical players helps to move the narration along. Photos of contemporary Assisi make the reader want more of the entire area.
September 23, 2017
Truly inspirational - both life and biography. If you ever doubted whether strength and humility could co-exist this you should read this and know what true strength is
June 10, 2018
The author examined St. Francis extensively. I knew was eccentric, however Francis was extreme. His faith was undeniable. Because of his faith we can benchmark ours.
January 20, 2019
Found this interesting - Francis of Assisi didn't find his true calling until his mid 20's. He was pretty wild as a young man.
January 19, 2025
Fascinating history of the historical figure that is Saint Francis. Well written and concise.
December 14, 2008
It's a miracle! I finished this book!
A Revolutionary Life reads like a term paper of House's research of other biographies and papers. It's very factual and sites it sources perfectly. House talks a lot of what is happening in Europe during St. Francis' pilgrimages, which is tedious, but beneficial. People had short life spans back then, so if you didn't like the current Pope or Government, just wait a couple of years and they'd be dead.
I wanted to read more about St. Francis because Hermann Hesse mentions him and of course there's the big correlation with Sidhartha. I'm intrigued by the idea of living with extreme poverty and humility. I can't see the use, though, of able bodied men deciding that the best way to help the poor and sick becoming one of them. After awhile the extremity of the how poor and sick can you get yourself would border on pride, and then what good would that be? And expecting a community to support your decision to dedicate yourself to prayer through donations seems pretty selfish.
St. Francis has an interesting story, and I'm glad I stuck through it. He's a big fan of the environment and really loves birds (as do I). He's a pretty interesting guy.
A Revolutionary Life reads like a term paper of House's research of other biographies and papers. It's very factual and sites it sources perfectly. House talks a lot of what is happening in Europe during St. Francis' pilgrimages, which is tedious, but beneficial. People had short life spans back then, so if you didn't like the current Pope or Government, just wait a couple of years and they'd be dead.
I wanted to read more about St. Francis because Hermann Hesse mentions him and of course there's the big correlation with Sidhartha. I'm intrigued by the idea of living with extreme poverty and humility. I can't see the use, though, of able bodied men deciding that the best way to help the poor and sick becoming one of them. After awhile the extremity of the how poor and sick can you get yourself would border on pride, and then what good would that be? And expecting a community to support your decision to dedicate yourself to prayer through donations seems pretty selfish.
St. Francis has an interesting story, and I'm glad I stuck through it. He's a big fan of the environment and really loves birds (as do I). He's a pretty interesting guy.
August 1, 2016
A REVOLUTIONARY LIFE We hear a lot about revolution these days in this 21st Century and here is a man who lived a radically revolutionary life centuries ago. Can you be a revolutionary? It is certainly a tough road to walk, especially barefoot or in sandals as St. Francis literally did. The author and the Foreword by Karen Armstrong emphasize that this biography is for everyone and anyone regardless of their faith tradition, religion or agnosticism or atheism. I have spent a lot of time reading, digesting and contemplating this book. It is not a book to be read quickly, but to be absorbed. Millions of people from around the world still make pilgrimages visiting the burial place of Saint Francis of Assisi and in the United States, we can frequently observe statues of him in gardens of homes. Did you ever wonder why? This book will answer those questions and much more about St. Francis who lived in the 13th century. He came from a wealthy family, his father was a rich merchant in Italy and France. Francis enjoyed using his father's wealth as a young prodigal. He then gave up all of that to live in abject poverty, literally begging for stones in a piazza in town to rebuild a church of stone with his own hands.
July 8, 2024
I read this about 15 years ago and I still remember it. I used to be a Born Again Christian, then I was a witch, now I'm an atheist. I think I read this when I was still in my witchy phase.
My mother is a Catholic. St. Francis of Assisi is one of her favorite saints. I get really annoyed with all of the Christian junk Mom has about the house, but don't mind her little figurine of St. Francis. Anyone who genuinely liked animals and wasn't a mass murderer is okay with me. I'm funny that way.
I really have no idea how accurate this book is. I haven't read extensively about the time period Franny lived in. I also do not know how reliable a biography Adrian House is. If it is accurate, it shows how a Christian is supposed to live -- serving others and not keeping many possessions or riches. This flies in the face of how most Christians live today, no matter what their denomination. Joel Osteen would hate Franny.
I know how pleasurable this book was to read. A long biography that is a joy to read is a hard feat to pull off.
My mother is a Catholic. St. Francis of Assisi is one of her favorite saints. I get really annoyed with all of the Christian junk Mom has about the house, but don't mind her little figurine of St. Francis. Anyone who genuinely liked animals and wasn't a mass murderer is okay with me. I'm funny that way.
I really have no idea how accurate this book is. I haven't read extensively about the time period Franny lived in. I also do not know how reliable a biography Adrian House is. If it is accurate, it shows how a Christian is supposed to live -- serving others and not keeping many possessions or riches. This flies in the face of how most Christians live today, no matter what their denomination. Joel Osteen would hate Franny.
I know how pleasurable this book was to read. A long biography that is a joy to read is a hard feat to pull off.
January 2, 2016
This book took me a while to finish. It is fairly long and quite academic, with some esoteric vocabulary relating to religions and specifically to Catholicism. But it's not all hard dry. It's written very thoughtfully with tender care, and it had me stop now and then to really, and I mean really, reflect on what I had just read. It is ultimately a very uplifting book.
t appreciated the author's approach and style, particularly after reading Linda Bird Francke's version of Francis's biography, which was a *very* light reading albeit being enjoyable.
What an amazing life Francis led. We use the word "awesome" very carelessly these days, but here is a truly awesome, inspiring individual.
t appreciated the author's approach and style, particularly after reading Linda Bird Francke's version of Francis's biography, which was a *very* light reading albeit being enjoyable.
What an amazing life Francis led. We use the word "awesome" very carelessly these days, but here is a truly awesome, inspiring individual.
April 14, 2013
I was only familiar with St. Francis from the film "Brother Son and Sister Moon" and and stories about his ministering to animals. This is an excellent biography that brings this remarkable man to life, details his contributions to his faith and more importantly to the world. What is remarkable is how well known he was during his own time and how much influence he had even though he had no position in church hierarchy. This book is well researched and detailed while being an absorbing and rewarding read.
June 30, 2014
I loved the first half of this book and devoured it quickly! The second half got a little... academic. I was hoping that the author would maintain the first person story-style biography a bit longer. But overall a good book. It's obvious, by the way, that the author is not Catholic. So if you're looking for a spiritual read, consider another biography of St. Francis.
October 24, 2007
Gets a little academic at times. When you're not neck deep in dates and names it's a pretty readable and inspiring account of St Francic's life. This was a man who truly believed in practicing unconditional love towards all people.
July 8, 2009
I really enjoyed the first part of the book with its vivid descriptions of Medieval life and Francis' conversion. I was less satisfied with the second half of the book, which sometimes goes off on long tangents or gets bogged down in psychology.
January 12, 2013
Concise and informative; a good introduction to such a unique, influential person. If you're interested in the more notable church figures throughout history, worth the read. Even if you're just curious, as I was, still worth the read.
March 8, 2010
Lovely and wished it was longer. WIll probably reread in years to come.
June 9, 2011
Well-written biography I read in anticipation of a trip to Unbria. House captures the personality of Francis beautifully, and does so with excellent historical perspective.
January 13, 2012
As informatige as it was I sometimes felt like it wandered a little too often and I had a hard time really getting into it as much as I would have wanted.
Want to read
October 26, 2014Recommended by Sister Mary Jane as a readable but not overly academic look at Francis and Franciscans. 4 January 2012
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews