Francis of Assisi

An award-winning historian reconstructs the life of Francis of Assisi, uncovering the man behind the myths One of the most famous figures in Christian history, Francis of Assisi (1181/821226) was revered as a miracle worker during his life and quickly canonized after his death. He has inspired generations of Christians and other spiritual seekers, from medieval ascetics to 1960s hippies and modern environmentalists. The poverello wrote poems praising the sun, moon, and stars, spoke to the birds, andso the story goeseven tamed a wolf. But what do we know for sure about who he was, and what is simply legend? Drawing on centuries of scholarship, Volker Leppin pieces together fragments of Franciss life story to find a seeker who never reached his destination, a man whose extraordinary charisma drew others in yet who was uncomfortable in the spotlight. Amazingly, Francis stayed within the fold of the church while offering a new and radical vision of Christianity that proved wildly popular. Leppins Francis of Assisi sets Franciss inner emotional and spiritual world against a broader historical background to show how the message of this inspiring and often vexing medieval saint continues to resonate in our contemporary world.