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  • Published: 30 September 2003
  • ISBN: 9780142196250
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $36.00
Categories:

Reluctant Saint

The Life of Francis of Assisi



Acclaimed biographer Donald Spoto strips away the legends from the life of Francis of Assisi to reveal the true story of a man who has too often been obscured by pious iconography. Drawing on unprecedented access to unexplored archives, plus Francis's own letters, Spoto places Francis within the context of the multifaceted ecclesiastical, political, and social forces of medieval Italy, casting new light on Francis and showing how his emphasis on charity as the heart of the Gospel's message helped him pioneer a new social movement. This nuanced portrait reveals the multifaceted character of a man who can genuinely be said to have changed the course of history.

  • Published: 30 September 2003
  • ISBN: 9780142196250
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 288
  • RRP: $36.00
Categories:

About the author

Donald Spoto

Donald Spoto was born near New York City in 1941 and received his PhD degree from Fordham University in 1970. He is the author of 27 books, including internationally bestselling biographies of Alfred Hitchcock, Tennessee Williams, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe and Ingrid Bergman. He is married to the Danish school administrator and artist Ole Flemming Larsen. They live in a quiet village an hour's drive from Copenhagen.

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Praise for Reluctant Saint

"An engaging and revealing portrait of a remarkable man." (The Hartford Courant) "As with The Hidden Jesus, [Spoto again] produces a serious, thought-provoking book." (Booklist)