The Passionate Troubadour: A Medieval Novel About Francis of Assisi

by Edward Hays

Most lives of the saints are written backward, beginning with the saint's achieved holiness. This lively story begins at the beginning, with Francis as a very human and, therefore, flawed man, a hopeless romantic who is slowly and painfully drawn by grace toward a destiny he does not desire.
More than simply picturing the patron saint of poverty, peace, ecology and animals, this book depicts Francis as a holy model for becoming fully oneself as a unique individual. From the age of fourteen until his death, this passionate man is forced to wrestle with his opposing personalities. On the one hand he is an ascetic influenced by the negative theology of his day. On the other hand he is a poet, troubadour, and joyful lover of life.
If you are a fan of Ed Hays, you won't want to miss The Passionate Troubadour . Of his thirty books of contemporary spirituality, Hays says this is his favorite. If you're new to Hays, this is a good place to start.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Religion

635 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2004

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister was captivated by this book and read me a passage from the beginning that caught my attention. Hays's style is detailed, emotional, sometimes poetic. He makes history come alive with his descriptions of specific places and people. (Hays seems very knowledgeable about the culture of the twelfth century, as well as the intricasies of interpersonal relationships, politics, and the Church.)
At first I loved the story of "Francesco's" disillusionment with the Church's decadence, intrigue, and hypocrisy, and I was inspired by the devotion of Francesco and his band of followers - abandoning everything in order to devote their lives to loving the Lord passionately, helping the poor, and living lives of "joyful poverty." I loved the way they lived out the true Spirit of Christ in spite of all the worldly nonsense around them, but gradually as the story went on the truth of the gospel began to be watered down with the notion that good people are going to be OK, with or without the Gospel. Francesco meets and befriends non-believersin his travels, and shows them the love of Christ in a way that is admirable, but the idea that everyone was on their own journey to God began to permeate the story. I'm sure a lot of modern-minded readers found this delightful, but based on my understanding of Scripture, I will have to agree to disagree.
Nevertheless, The Passionate Troubadour is a captivating and thought-provoking story of a historical period I had not known much about, and for that I am glad I read it.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn't even make it past chapter two. Don't read this book, it's boring and nasty.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story of Francis of Assissi. It begins as Francesco is at a turning point in his young life - he is not sure which path to follow. He is called by God and from then on devotes his life to poverty and love. An interesting scene at the end when Francesco is dying - what is really going through his mind. Though the writing style is rigid at times, it was a good read.