I borrowed the book from the local library and after reading the first few pages, I knew I was going throught the same stuff as the main charactor. I proceeded to bye the book from Amazon.com's Marketplace and am very happy with their service. But through that transaction, I realised that the book is still being printed in London by the publisher Faber and Faber. So you can still get a new copy...Good Luck!

I picked up this book from a Greek Store in Astoria, NY since it was not avilable here at Amazon. This is not a book which can be red by all us materialistic humans of today. I spent many sleepless nights thinking on how to approach " ftoxia" or poorness and how to hamble myself without humilition.

An incredible book; do not read it if you do not fasten your seatbelt. It will move you.

I have to agree with previous reviewers it is a shame that this wonderful book is out of print. I first read this book about 6 years ago. I picked it up on impulse at a library, having already had a slight interest in St. Francis. I don't consider myself terribly religious but this book touched me like no other. I found myself crying throughout the book, not from sadness, but with the total unconditional love/agape that Francis felt for all beings. It left me feeling this way for a whole month afterwards. All of this aside this is a great book. Told from a very human viewpoint: 'Brother Leo' a wandering beggar who befriends Francis before his transformation from rich young man to saint.

"One must live in a state of permanent dissatisfaction with the Church." Wow! (a quote Rohr uses in the book by Italian Monsignor, Richard Guardini, early 20th century) "And one cannot separate Christ from His cross. And one cannot separate Christ from His bloody painful Church." Rohr teaches (to me at least) that we should live Christlike behavior instead of our pompous duality, always joining hands to be against some other "thing/persons/religion/denominations/etc. He set fire to my weakened human condition that I seem to whine about all time to myself. We must suffer to get to the light at the end of the tunnel, but we "must" go through the darkness of the tunnel to get to the light. I loved the book.

I have recently begun exploring Christianity after many years away from the church. Christianity is laden with language that is misunderstood and dog tired. I've been really seeking what all of that language and symbolism is pointing toward. And does any of it dovetail with my own spiritual experience. There were points reading this book where I was truly elated because aspects of the deep heart of Christianity just glowed at me with the lustre of something true.

Rohr's exploration of victimhood and scapegoating seemed so deeply appropriate in the post September 11th world. The notion of transferring our pain, vanquishing it and making ourselves mighty as we assign it to someone else. The challenge is, of course, to be aware of and hold your pain, allowing it to transform you. I'm no Richard Rohr so suffice it that my paraphrase is profoundly anemic.

The book is dense and I'm sure I didn't really "get it" all because truthfully I have no idea how any of the contents relate to the title of the book or the chapter titles for that matter. None of that detracts from the truly profound insights he shares.

Rohr strikes me as someone who has a certain clarity and a desire to convey it, share it, spread it about. I had a moment of suspicion at one point, thinking he was telling me "it's like this". But it passed. While I wouldn't say the book is chock full of humility it leaves plenty of room for a reader to think it through. I really appreciated all of the biblical references and looked them all up. He uses the New Jerusalem Bible. Mine is the New American Standard Bible. It was interesting how far apart some of the translations were.

It amazes me that a person who writes as much as Father Rohr can be as fresh and insightful as he is in each new book. Hope Against Darkness is nothing short of brilliant. As I understand him, Rohr argues that the spiritual searcher of today is caught between the modern and the post-modern worldviews. Both are no longer acceptable, but both contain strengths we ought to retain as best we can. The anxiety that arises from this ambiguous state of homelessness is the dis-ease he treats in this book, and his remedy is a richly creative appeal to Franciscan spirituality. Simply wonderful! A book to read, re-read, and give to others.

This is a wonderful book. Also, check out the movie "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" and the book "Francis: the Journey and the Dream".

I love this book for a million reasons but probably the simplest reason is the mystery that is as old as the world and the separateness and unity of the sexes themselves. It paints Clare the human woman and Clare the divine woman and seeks not to compromise either but makes St. Clare real flesh and bone and brings her radiant awe into a new era when mankind is floundering for as sense of identity. Friar Bodo writes like no other and from the point of view of a contemplative,the inner way and written by a man who himself seems to be madly in love with the Lady Clare - and who himself has the touch and the gift of a medieval poet.

this book is written with all the tender poignancy of a lover and with all the insight and wisdom of a man who has followed in the footsteps of the Franciscan Way. For all who are interested in a more intimate knowledge of Clare and Francis or anyone simply interested in a love story at it's zenith and it's purest - this book is purely a real fairy tale and pure treasure.

Clare - A Light in the Garden is a book to be cherished, endeared, words to be read over and over. Murray Bodo paints a picture like no other person. He definitely has a sense of the holyness and purpose of St. Clare. Enjoy and share with others!

Leonardo Boff's biography, 'Saint Francis: A Model for Human Liberation', examines Francis of Assisi's selfless and complete devotion to the love of humanity expressed through the love of God. He further develops this into an examination of Franciscan spirituality as it was expressed by Francis, and how it can be incorporated into today's society.

Boff begins his biography with an analysis of the theoretical aspects of making a response to the call of God. Contrasting it to more modern pursuits of a scientific, economic, political or even artistic and socially responsible variety, Boff argues for an unreservedly simple approach to looking at Francis' pattern of life and response to the divine call.

Quoting Bonaventure, he says:

'Franciscan spirituality is Saint Francis. And who is Saint Francis? It is enough to utter his name and everyone knows who he is. Saint Francis was a man of God. And because he was a man of God, he always lived what is essential. And so he was simple, courteous, and gentle with everyone, like God in His mercy.'

Boff distinguishes this kind of gentleness from sentimentality that is often associated with the image of Francis. This was no weak man. This was someone who would be unswervingly gentle, more akin to Gandhi who refused both to submit to evil and to give in to evil in response to evil.

One of Francis' achievements was the creation of a rule of spirituality that could exist in society that included opposition both from within and without the church. However, a rule of spirituality is not supposed to be set of chains, but rather a liberating force. 'Rule is not meant to substitute for life, but rather to give it strength and form.'

There is enormous freedom in making a radical commitment to compassion and gentleness, for it liberates one from other cares. Few of us admittedly can make the complete approach from worldly cares that Francis seemed able to achieve, but learning from various aspects of his life and witness can lead us to a more full spirituality in our own lives.

'He seems to us to be something new and something of the future we are all searching for.... But this feeling does not cause bitterness, because his message contains so much sweetness that the mediocre feel pushed to be good, the good to be perfect, and the perfect to be holy.'

To work to be at one with nature, with the universe in all its diversity, in all its humanity, is the ideal of Franciscan spirituality. Boff captures both a theoretical and a practical aspect in this biography.

I can not believe this book is out of print. If you can find a copy, do so and read it. Boff takes as his subject St. Francis and uses him as a starting point for an exploration of Christianity which will defy much of what you have been taught about the religion. In this book, you can see the tenets of liberation theology in such episodes as the one in which Francis exorts the monks to feed the starving men who have been forced into thievery THEN attempt to save their souls. The chapter about Francis's death, called Integration of the Negative, is a beautiful discussion of a topic dear to the hearts of members of 12 Step Programs--how do you live joyfully in a world in which you have no control and in which death is inevitable? St. Francis's death bed words, "Welcome, Sister Death" will ring true as one man's affirmation of life and all it entails.

Leonardo describe con su habitual genialidad las causas de la crisis actual y expone cómo el pensamiento de Francisco de Asis puede servirnos de base para dar una respuesta a la crisis que vivimos como humanidad. La ternura y el vigor con que Francisco asumió su cristianismo, le permitió dar una respuesta original en un contexto de fuertes cambios como los que hoy vivimos. Este libro está recomendado para todos aquellos que aun siguen creyendo en la santa locura del Evangelio.

This book changed my life 10 years ago and through the narrative life of the little man of Assisi. A must for anyone wanting to learn about the spirtuality and human aspects of Francis' character.

Fr. Bodo has been so interested in St. Francis for so many years that his depth of understanding is thought-provoking and often startling. Every chapter has some dimension of Francis, the contemplative life, and the lessons of Francescan living that are informative to me personally and important to me Spiritually. This is a book that I will re-read a number of times to try to absorb as many of the ideas as my mind will permit. I am most thankful to have discovered this gem written about one of the most important mystics of all history.

Fr Bodo has created a piece of work that makes St Francis comes alive for us today. The writing is direct and easy to follow. St Francis would be proud of this modern day Franciscan and his views.

I saw the movie "Brother Sun and Sister Moon" when it came out, so of course the title of this book rang a bell with me. Margaret Mayo tells the story of St. Francis of Assisi, which briefly mentions Lady Clare who became the first of "the Poor Ladies" and who is considered "Sister Moon" in the poem "The Canticle of Brother Sun" written by Francis during his final illness. This volume briefly tells the story of St. Francis and then presents some of the legends told about him and some of the verses he wrote praising all things created by God. Artist Peter Malone based his illustrations on images of life in medieval Italy and of the birds and beasts that flocked to St. Francis. Mayo relates these stories not as parables or legends, but rather as folk tales such as "How Francis Tamed a Ferocious Wolf" and "Francis Talks to the Bird." "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" makes for an enchanting introduction to the gentle figure who knew how to talk to the bird and animals, and who became one of the most beloved of the Christian Saints. I actually like this book better than the movie.

This is a really fine illustrated life of St. Francis for youth. It is in large print suitable for children age 8 and up, and is likely to appeal to parents as well. I really enjoyed the art work and the well written text.

It is a delightful story of the saints of Assisi intented for the young people, written by Helen Walker Homan and illustratd by John Lawn. The oft-written story of these saints becomes alive in 12 short chapters in simple language, readable for young adults. I am sure that a lot of research and exploration have gone into this work. The early 12th century Assisi becomes alive with the castles, market places, taverns and churches. The saints become normal and real, like the everyday people we meet. At the same time their sanctity and uniqueness in history are well brought out. Indeed it is a well-written book for beginners.

The reading level of this book is challenging enough for my 10 year old son, and enjoyable for us to read aloud together. This book brings to life the story about St. Francis, and made us feel like we knew him personally. It showed my son that saints had real lives, they were children who played just like kids do now, and they chose to serve God. My son and I both enjoyed reading this book.

St. Francis de Sales is one of the greatest of spiritual writers and writers, period. It is easy to be charmed by this guide to the spiritual life. He inspires the reader with a gentle, loving touch which I found delightful. He was also a very learned and experienced adviser when it came to things of the spirit. He seemed to have known about every difficulty that one has in the spiritual life and offers practical and wise solutions that anyone can carry out. If you are interested in reading the great spiritual classics, be certain not to miss this one. It will be well worth your time. I cannot imagine anyone finishing this volume without obtaining some excellent advice from it and also without making progress just from reading it. The only drawback is that it IS several hundreds years old and some of the theology is dated and will seem strange to modern, post Vatican 2 Christians. Do not let that keep you from this book, just keep it in mind when reading it. Highly recommended.

This book will help any one get through hard times, good times, loving times, bad relationships, and will basically help you through every day life. It is so deep and so well written by St. Francis de Sales. In the beggining it might be a little hard to read but after going through it, you feel better as a human being. When I first heard about this book I didn't think it would be great, and I thought it would be St. Francis de Sales lecturing me on how I can become more like Jesus Christ. But as I went through the book page by page I started to realize how much I needed this book in my life. The best part about it is that you dont have to read it cover to cover. You just think about some troubles in your life and then you look them up in the table of contents. You only have to read things you would like to read at that particular moment in your life. As I said before, I love the book and anyone who doesn't own it does not know how much closer you become to God after reading it. So next time you have a chance, do yourself a favor, pick up a copy.

By Jordan Aumann, O.P., Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition (1985)

The doctrine taught by St. Francis de Sales was not new, but he did present spiritual teaching in an original manner and he deserves credit for removing Christian spirituality from the monastic framework in which it had been confined for many centuries....

The Introduction to the Devout Life...was written precisely for the laity and perhaps St. Francis de Sales is the first spiritual writer to compose a treatise of lay spirituality. As he states in his preface, those who have written previously on the spiritual life have done so for the instruction of persons who have given up association with the world or they have taught a spirituality that would lead persons to do so. The intention of St. Francis, however, is to give spiritual instruction to those who remain in the world, in their professions and in their families, and falsely believe that it is impossible for them to strive for the devout life.

What does St. Francis understand by the devout life or true devotion?...

True devotion, which for St. Francis de Sales is the same as Christian perfection, is the fulfillment of the twofold precept of charity enunciated by Christ (Mt. 22:34-40)....

Although he mentions the good works that flow from true devotion, St. Francis is insistent that the devout life is essentially an interior life....

Immediately after stressing the universal call of all Christians to perfection, St. Francis de Sales insists on the need for a spiritual director....

The first task facing the soul is purgation from sin, and here St. Francis follows the teaching of St. Ignatius Loyola, proposing meditation on the last ends and a general confession. Then, there must be a complete renunciation of all attachment to sin, without which there can be no lasting conversion and no progress in perfection....

In the second part of the Introduction St. Francis proposes a daily schedule of spiritual exercises in which the practice of mental prayer holds a central position....

In the third part of the Introduction St. Francis considers the practice of virtue, selecting those which are particularly necessary for the Christian layman. Of all the virtues treated we could say that, after charity, the predominantly Salesian virtue is meekness....Finally, in the last two parts of the Introduction St. Francis treats of temptations, sadness, consolations, and aridity and concludes the work with a series of self-examinations and considerations whereby the soul can judge its progress in true devotion. Thus, in its totality the Introduction to the Devout Life provides a complete program for the spiritual advancement of the laity.

Do not hesitate to purchase this book! A wonderful reflection on the lessons left to us by the life of St. Francis and how to apply them in our daily lives. One need not enter a monastery to enjoy the applications in this book. As a suggestion, this book is especially wonderful when read with one of the author's CDs playing in the background. Some good ones available from Amazon.com.

John Michael Talbot's little book goes with me everywhere I go. I am nowhere NEAR being a Catholic and never will be, but I have to say that in just a few short chapters, I've learned where mainstream Christianity goes horribly wrong. Most important are the chapters on Service, Prayer, and Humility. If we get just these three right, we will have come a long way. I'm sorry Francis is considered a Catholic; it's not a good time to be one this day and age, but if there were more like him there wouldn't be much problem. That having been said, there is the interesting section on his friend and disciple Clare, whom he didn't even want to look at, yet considered an equal? I'm off to look for a similar book on her life and teachings; in the meantime, I'll keep this unanimous and give it five stars, because I recommend this book to anyone, Catholic or not. I believe it'll give the reader plenty of food for thought.

Talbot offers us a nicely packaged little book on the essentials of Fransiscan faith. He interprets the way of St. Francis for 21st century man, gleaning nuggets of truth that apply to most all of our daily lives. What I liked about the book was its straight forwardness. It's a book that can be read again and again, helping us to strip away the complicated baggage that we clutter our lives with. Someone once said, "To live simply is to simply live" and that sums up this book. Talbot offers chapters on creativity, community, service, peace, prayer, solitude, simplicity, joy, and more. We are richer for the life of St. Francis, and this book brings that to light.