The Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis [Bargain Price] [Hardcover]

Paul Sabatier (Author), Jon M. Sweeney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 2003

This volume presents a modern edition of Paul Sabatier’s classic biography on St. Francis of Assisi. Quotes, comparisons, illustrations, and explanations show the relationship between Sabatier’s foundational biography and other great works on Francis, from Dante to G.K. Chesterton. It will serve not only as an informational and engaging introduction to the life of St. Francis, but also as a vehicle for readers to engage personally with Francis, the human being.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Over a century after its 1894 release, this excellent biography of Francis of Assisi has been re-released with some delicate editing by Jon Sweeny. In his Introduction, Sweeney pays tribute to author Paul Sabitier, making it clear that this biography remains timeless due to the French biographer's extensive research as well as his ability to capture the true humanity of St. Francis. Sweeney, who is editor-in-chief of Skylight Paths Publishing and the author of The St. Francis Prayer Book, believes that the story of Francis presents an opportunity for personal transformation, and this opportunity is more accessible if readers relate to him as a human being rather than a distant icon. This is why Sweeney so admires Sabitier, who emphasized St. Francis as a flesh-and-blood character. At the same time Sabitier embraced the many mystical legends surrounding Francis as ways to understand the depths and mystical possibilities of Christian faith. When Sabitier reports the story of Francis seeing a winged seraph and then perceiving on his body "the stigmata of the Chosen One," he explains that this is not a story that should be subject to literal scrutiny. "Before these soul mysteries, materialists and devotees often demand precision in the things that can least endure it." Instead he asks readers to use this legend as an opportunity to ponder the possibilities of Christian devotion, much as one would ponder the moment when Jesus took a loaf of bread and asked the disciples to eat of his body. One of the highlights of this new edition is Jon Sweeney's sidebar commentary, which adds a satisfying layer of depth and richness to Sabitier's text. Sweeney also includes an index, glossary of terms and list of recommended reading. --Gail Hudson --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Publishers Weekly

First published in France in 1894 and out of print for several decades, Paul Sabatier's biography of Francis of Assisi was considered the first modern account of the saint, sifting through layers of myth and legend to discover the flawed but extraordinary man who inspired so many people. Now, Sabatier's text is dusted off for a contemporary audience. Jon Sweeney's The Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of Saint Francis, by Paul Sabatier, offers an excellent introduction to the text, helpful sidebars and notes and fascinating illustrations, not only to introduce readers to the saint but to aid them in engaging "personally with Francis, the human being."
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Paraclete Press (MA) (April 30, 2003)
• ISBN-10: 1557253285
• ASIN: B000B86FPU
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,733,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Road to Assisi, September 18, 2003

By 

Janet Turner (Nashville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis (Hardcover)

I found this book to be the best overall introduction to the life of the saint I've ever read. The editor has taken the best of all of the other books on Francis and incorporated quotes, historical tidbits, literary allusions (i.e. Umberto Eco), maps, and helpful information for anyone headed to Assisi in with Sabatier's classic (and somewhat tragic) story of Francis. A gem.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Essential Biography, September 8, 2003

By 

Tony Theil (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis (Hardcover)

The Road to Assisi is a factual, well-researched, unsentimental biography of St. Francis. Written in 1894 by Paul Sabatier, the book became a bestseller throughout Europe and made the Vatican's infamous "index" of forbidden books. Sabatier, a French Protestant wrote a very objective biography that portrays Francis favorably, but tells how his order of spiritual brothers was challenged by ecclesiastical authorities. I was surprised to learn that meek and gentle Francis could also be bold, stern, and assertive in many situations. He did not go gently when he reprimanded his brothers and there were several occassions when he did so.

It's a good translation and finely edited by John Sweeney, who has added sidebar annotations that contribute to understanding the people and places in Francis's time.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The first attempt at a modern biography of St. Francis, April 7, 2005

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis (Paperback)

Now in a new edition edited and with an introduction and annotation Jon Sweeny, The Road To Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis was first published in French in 1894, as the first attempt at a modern biography of St. Francis, one of the most beloved figures of Christian history. Author Paul Sabatier struggled to answer the question: who was Francis the man? Groundbreaking research reveals the a fully human portrayal of a man who was nonetheless gentle, passionate, joyful, and who desired to live as Jesus once taught his disciples. An extraordinary work that covers Francis' weaknesses as surely as his strengths, enhanced by the annotation and sidebars that place events of Francis' life in historical context. Highly recommended for individual reading as well as biography shelves, and a must-have for library collections.