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metal_nyankos 's review for:
St. Francis of Assisi
by G.K. Chesterton
I picked up and read this book (or rather, downloaded and listened to it on audio) out of a desire to know more about the life of St. Francis - a true 'character' of history that was spoken of at length in Thomas Cahill's [b:Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe|27199|Mysteries of the Middle Ages The Rise of Feminism, Science and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe|Thomas Cahill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1385095236l/27199._SX50_.jpg|27846]. I wasn't disappointed by Chesterton's book, but I was surprised by it. It was not a biography in the usual or traditional sense; it didn't start at the beginning and work it's way, date by date or fact by fact, to St. Francis' end. Rather, it acted as a kind of psychological and moral biography of a saint; discussing some of the key points of his life, the 'logic' of St. Francis, as well as how he was treated and viewed by his contemporaries. Chesterton also spent time reflecting on and acting as a rebuttal (in a way) to recent histories (as of 1923, at least) written about the saint; what historians have chosen to include or exclude in their respective works, how they wrote about St. Francis, and what they chose to believe as truth and what they chose to believe as falsehood (read: the stigmata and his various miracles). In essence, this book was a historiography and a biography at the same time. I am sure Chesterton would have something to say about this, but I think it worth saying that, in addition to those mentioned above, he almost penned a kind of rational hagiography of 'the little poor man.' He wrote, I think, for a secular and lay audience, but his Catholic interests and fervor come through time-and-time again. This, while at times slightly overbearing, does, if anything, add a certain flavor to the book. It's hard not to see this life of St. Francis as both a life of the saint and as a work of spiritual (read: Catholic) philosophy by Chesterton himself. Even if one walks away from the book not necessarily knowing more of the 'hard-boiled' facts of the life of St. Francis they will inevitably leave this work knowing more about the human being that was Francesco Bernardone. Chesterton was a marvelous writer and there hasn't been anyone who has written quite like him since June 14, 1936.