St. Francis of Assisi: A Biography

by Omer Englebert

Reviewers have judged St. Francis of A Biography to be that rarity among books about a popular work of inspiring spiritual reading that is also an acclaimed work of modern scholarship. With spiritual insight and careful historical judgment, Omer Englebert blends the many facets of St. Francis' personality into a portrait of a saint who can inspire men and women today. A Servant Book.

Genres: Biography, Catholic, Religion, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Faith, Christianity

282 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1979

Reviews

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read reviews that said this book was dry. Can't agree with that. I am in general very leery about saint biographies because the saint always comes off being born with a halo and never having a struggle unless it was from others persecuting them. I found this book very factual without getting syrupy or sentimental.

[R. Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awsome, well written book. If you are interested in his life, or monasticism in general, you will love this book.

[Peter Cram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Bill T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it, some dull sections but it read almost like a novel to me. I would recommend anyone read it no matter what your religious beliefs, might get something worthwhile from it.

[Joseph Byrnes]

I enjoyed reading this but I have nonidea how I would rate it

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in preparation for a class I'm teaching this fall. It is a biography of St. Francis that was new to me, but a good 50 years old. It includes details from early documents and the limited writings of St. Francis. I found it fascinating. While I like to believe that saints are just ordinary people who do extraordinary things, this book showed Francis to be far more than ordinary...in fact, pretty off the charts in a variety of ways. I will be interested to get feedback from students on how they perceive the Poverello.

[JoséMaría BlancoWhite · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una biografía a la altura de una figura histórica como San Francisco de Asís.

[Jillian · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be fair to this St. Francis biography, I did not fully read it word for word. Why would I when I have a Franciscan Values professor (because these are the kind of required classes you must take at a Catholic college) who basically recaps each chapter and reads it aloud for us? Also, it's just terribly boring. I'm sure St. Francis is very interesting (maybe? I've yet to see any evidence of that), but Omar Englebert has written a dull, admiration-laced narrative of the Little Poor Man. I'm glad I now have the best hits of St. Francis's life, but I wish it had been more engaging. Not recommended unless you're very religious, into St. Francis, or taking a class dedicated to him.

[Jake Maguire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been told this biography is the least accessible of the ones currently in print. I believe it, this one was a bit archaic with a dry fact by fact style which disappointed me because I had been encouraged to purchase a book on St. Francis by several different people. It just so happened that when I was at the bookstore, they were out of the other versions, and not wanting to come back another time, rationalized that this one should be fine. It was readable, but I wanted it to be worthy of the Saint, which it was not.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hagiography. Every time Fr. Englebert strays into something you'd like to know something about, he rushes back to the hagiography. It does set out the dates and places of St. Francis' life, but not the historical context, his fights with the moderates, particularly Br. Elias, his relationship with Cardinal Ugolino (later Pope Gregory IX) or previous popes, other reform movements both Catholic and heretical (those poor Cathars). Not really worth reading. I wish I'd researched a more scholarly book on St. Francis. Impulse buy at a Franciscan retreat center. At least it was only $13.

[Cara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is it equitable to say that this biography, loquacious and inspiring as it may be, is nevertheless maladroitly written? Is the most frustrating aspect Englebert's use of rhetorical questions or his exalted language? Could simply it be that the English translation was ill-done? Anyone? Anyone?

[Amy]

Got for a course on St Francis I took at St Louis University in 1979.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seemed like a lot of other biographies on him.

[Scott Cedotal · Rating 4 out of 5]

St Francis' trust in God and in Jesus' teachings was absolutely complete.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE MOST OUTSTANDING BIOGRAPHY OF ST. FRANCIS

Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was, of course, an Italian Catholic friar who founded the Franciscan Order. This masterful biography by Omer Englebert was first published in France in 1947, and translated into English for this edition in 1964.

Englebert notes that Francis "wasted his life up to his twenty-fifth year, surpassing his comrades in foolishness, and drawing them with him into vanity and evil. He was fond of jests and songs and jokes, liked to dress in fine and flowing garments, and was lavish with his money..." (Pg. 17) After Francis took his leave of his family, Englebert notes sadly, "One would like to think that he saw his mother again, and from time to time showed some mark of tenderness toward this woman who admired him and had had an intuition of his sublime destiny. But the biographers make no further mention of her." (Pg. 37)

As Francis' order began to grow, Englebert says, "The people of Assisi did not take kindly to this increase in the brotherhood. They forgave Francis, so long as he was one of a kind; but when they saw that he was gathering recruits, they anxiously asked themselves where it would all end..." (Pg. 48)

When some of the brothers took their penance to an extreme, he "commanded those using such instruments of penance to take them off at once and put them in a pile. And no fewer than five hundred of these instruments were counted---a great heap which the Saint ordered to be left there." (Pg. 157)

In his instructions on his death bed, Francis said, "The head of the Order ought to be a very austere and pious man, sympathetic and discerning, loving all his friars without acceptation of persons, a man of prayer... And let him not be a collector of books, lest study make him neglect the duties of his office." (Pg. 262)

This book is essential reading (more than Chesterton's celebrated St. Francis of Assisi) for anyone at all interested in Francis.

[FatherBenjamin Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read! I'm only familiar with the saint and wanted to learn more. I was glad for the approach the author took at reporting largely primary sources with supplemental secondary sources, and allowing the reader to decide how much they believe the legendary accounts. It seemed to hold the balanced position between pious cultic stories and skeptical or doubtful interpretation. I also greatly appreciated the frankness with which he recounted the human tendencies (i.e. comfort, prestige, power) of the multitude of followers after Francis and his first small band of brothers; how difficult it is to regulate and codify the way of life they lived, but it doesn't diminish the ideal nor the honor with which the Franciscan order still tries to follow their serafic father. It was a great and easy read, like a novel since it told many stories in sequence.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who has an interest in St. Francis will find this a good read. It outlines his conversion, his life of poverty, his Order’s philosophy, and his relationship with Clare of the Poor Ladies. The last few chapters follow his last steps and his extraordinary death. Francis had a special relationship with animals and birds and loved nature. Teaches we should find joy in the midst of hardships and suffering.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

It wasn't bad...it just wasn't what I expected.
The first few chapters were about St. Francis, but then the focus shifted to the order he began and its members. The book turned into more of a history of the Franciscians. But then the last three chapters came back to St. Francis. It just didn't feel like a biography. More of the book was about the order rather than the saint.

[William R · Rating 5 out of 5]

A historical, and of course Catholic recounting of beloved St Francis' life. His upbringing, detachment from his well-to-do family, and then "love of poverty" are the central themes, but it is the treatment of the latter that brings the reader the true essence of his spiritual life.

[Sandra Sparkler · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative biography of the great saint and founder of the Franciscan order. St. Francis of Assisi renounced worldly goods and family ties to embrace a life of poverty. St. Francis of Assisi pray for us!

[Roderic Hewlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and compelling insights into a most unique Saint.

[Doug Schreiber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the definitive biography of this great saint who changed the world

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird things tend to happen around me when I read this book.

[Matthew Heidenreich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. Striking portrayal of a beautiful life. This is what Gospel poverty looks like.