The Little Flowers of St. Francis [UNABRIDGED] (Paperback)

~ Raphael Brown (Author) "First it should be known that the glorious St. Francis was conformed to Christ in all the acts of his life..." (more)
Key Phrases: sick friar, certain friar, other friars, Brother Giles, Brother John, Brother Leo (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A book that captures the spirit of St. Francis like no other, this is a collection of the most charming tales of the Poor One of Assisi--his sermon to the birds, the story of the wolf of Gubbio, the exploits of Brother Giles and Brother Juniper, and more.

From the Publisher

A book that captures the spirit of St. Francis like no other, this is a collection of the most charming tales of the Poor One of Assisi--his sermon to the birds, the story of the wolf of Gubbio, the exploits of Brother Giles and Brother Juniper, and more.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 357 pages
• Publisher: Image (August 3, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385075448
• ISBN-13: 978-0385075442
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #239,573 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and Inspiring, April 27, 2000

By	Jonathan Bennett (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

Francis is one of the most famous Saints today, although most only know him through his famous prayer ("Lord make me an instrument of they peace..."). This is the book to read in order to find out more about his life. The Little Flowers could in many ways be called the "Acts of Francis and His Followers," as it chronicles their journeys and miracles, and records their wisdom. The stories are not historical accounts in the modern sense, but oral traditions that tend to be on the legendary side (e.g. he communicates with animals, talks to Saints in heaven). This particular translation by Raphael Brown is excellent for the it also has The Considerations of the Holy Stigmata, The Life of Brother Juniper, The Life of Brother Leo, and the Sayings of Brother Giles.

2) Brown has added sixteen additional chapters of material that have never before appeared in English.

3) It contains a lengthy introduction and an appendix to guide those who wish to learn more about the history of the book and the life of St. Francis. The appendix is particularly valuable because it has a biographical sketch of the characters and short annotations that illuminate difficult passages in the book.

4) The translation from Italian and Latin to English is very readable.

If you want entertaining, amusing, and inspiring stories in a quality package, then check out The Little Flowers of St. Francis as translated/edited by Raphael Brown.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Enjoyable Tales that Inspire, March 5, 2008

By	C. Stephans - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The Little Flowers of St. Francis eloquently tells that tales of St. Francis and his brothers and sisters in the Franciscan Orders. Brown offers a lengthy introduction that provides some biography of Francis and explanation about The Little Flowers and additional chapters.

Many of the stories of Little Flowers are based on the previous biography by Thomas Celano. As one reviewer noted, it might be good to read a traditional biography of St. Francis to better enjoy the Little Flower stories; however, Brown's biography in the introduction serves as the basic outline of Francis' life.

The stories are inspiring and eloquent. Francis' life cannot be discovered apart from the miraculous and mystical. His spiritual devotion and charisma defined him and his order. Depending on one's view of the miraculous, these stories might seem quite embellished, but that is not necessarily the case. The impact Francis' life had on the world is a testimony to its power and supernatualness.

The stories are not lengthy and make great light or short reading. There are five sections that fully address the Holy Stigmata of St. Francis. Additional sections include extra stories of St. Francis and the life and sayings of Brother Giles a friend and successor of St. Francis.

Most of these stories can be read to children or to the family. "How St. Francis tamed the very fierce wolf of Gubbio" is a classic story. All of the stories are inspiring and seem to have a touch of the Divine.

Craig Stephans, author of Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays

7 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Little Flowers of St. Francis, February 15, 2001

By	Sarah Ashley (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

Pleasant read however historically unreliable. If you compare this account of St. Francis, to the earlier biography by Thomas of Celano you will find several inconsistancies and embelishments which are unsupported by evidence. If you are looking for a more reliable historical account of the life of St. Francis I would recommend that you check out the biography by Thomas of Celano as it was written much closer to St. Francis' lifetime and likely more realistic.