St. Francis de Sales' book of spiritual direction is a very practical book for the lay person who wishes to lead a devout life without becoming a religious, and still attend to the necessary business that a lay person's life requires. Wendy quotes each of St. Francis de Sales' sections and then provides her commentary on that section. Her commentary is based on her extensive research on each of the sections; the spirituality of the times concerning the subject, its sources, and how that particular spirituality has changed as of today. She has done her homework and provides invaluable insight into her subject, including, in some cases, her own personal experience with it.

I found & read this book in a Church library and immediately decided to buy it. What impressed me most was St. Francis timeless teachings on how we can lead a devout life in whatever state where are in, whether we are rich or poor. He teaches how we can transform the disadvantages of material riches into spiritual blessings and likewise how to transform poverty into spiritual wealth. The teachings gave me a new perspective on how to lead a devout life in this modern world. The book is very contemplative and full of wisdom. You can read it over many times and still be able to learn new things.

Joan Mueller has written a historical novel true to history and alive with Francis' love of the Gospel life. She has Francis describing the Franciscan charism in a simple and accurate statement: "We are Troubadours of God who strive to move people's hearts in order to lead them to the joys of the spirit." This is a book that everyone who loves Francis and the Franciscan way of living should read.

"Francis" is a remarkable book, combining accurate historical research, with the flavor of the times in which he lived. For those who think they are familiar with the story of St. Francis of Assisi there is enough that is familiar to feel at home, but at the same time there is a wealth of new information to allow the reader to learn so much more. The book is interesting, insightful, and dynamically written. I felt as though I was in Assisi watching every turn in the life of Francis. It helps the reader to get historical insight and also to understand the Church better. I recommend it highly to anyone who is interested in Francis or the Franciscans.

If we could summarize the meaning of life in one poem it would be St. Francis' The Hymn of The Sun. Tony Wright has added a visual dimension that is both captivating and peaceful. His illustrations are well described by St. Francis' salutation: Pax et bonum; Peace and all things good."

It is difficult to believe that this book could be out of print any more than its message could not be eternal. The illustrations are absolutely captivating. A perfect gift for any age.

This book describes the life of Francis of Assisi, his humanness and his deep spirituality, told through the eyes of Francis in modern times. You truly come to know Francis, and are inspired by his actions to lead a more simple and spiritual existance and to draw yourself completely into the arms of a loving God. This is one of the best short books that I've read in a long time. I'd read it again in a heartbeat and refer to it whenever I need to be rejeuvenated in my faith.

This book is simply wonderful, written by a man who knew very well and loved the places where Francis lived his life, and knew so much of His spiritualty. This book is a way to discover the life and beliefs of the man of Assisi, to make it nearer to us, to refer his culture to the culture of our days. After having read this Carretto's book you couldn't love Francesco D'Assisi, no matter what your faith or belief is.

For serious Jungian types this book is a remarkable study of individuation. For the rest of us it is absolutely entertaining and engaging. Thank you Susan for this book.

Susan McMichaels has created a very moving and very readable Jungian view of St. Francis. I felt like I know the man and his struggle as I have known few biographical characters. For anyone who wants a really relevant twentieth century view of a great saint, this is the book to read.

Praying With Francis De Sales is a must read for spirtual filfillment. The author gives solid themes of meditation to enrich anyone's life. The author touches some topics that everyone needs help in such as Heart to Heart, where the author reconizes the affairs of the heart and how it may lead you.The bond of friendship , where the author reconizes the important of a friend. If you are a person with the weight of the world on you shoulders and need some inspiring words and methods of spirtual healing to help you through life(as we all do)this is the book for you.

This selection from the Companions for the Journey Series allows you to relate to Francis de Sales in a way that is easy to understand and gives you a feeling of oneness with God. Once you start reading you will not put the book down until you reach the last Meditation. The reflections themselves allow one to increase the power of your thoughts and imagination and help guide you throughout your entire life.

I found this book very interesting, but I thought it was a little adult. Some parts are very good, but I takes a while to get to the climax, or the turning point of the story.My favorite part of the story was when Ricca goes to Egypt with Francis Benardone, or known as Saint Francis of Assisi. I think this book should be recommended for children 12 years of age.I learned about Saint Francis of Assisi.
Thanks for reading my review.

Excellent book!!! Through the book, I searched for a plot but realized there really wasn't one. But this still was a great book--with or without a plot.

I read this book a year ago while on Spring break with my husband and two little daughters. It completely took me away and put me on a higher spiritual level that lasted a long time. Kazantzakis somehow captured the essence of what St. Francis was all about...St. Francis was a man who truly tried to do what Jesus said to do, sell everything you have, give it to the poor, pick up His cross daily and follow Him. The feeling I get when I read the book was one of actually being with St. Francis and understanding why so many followed him and liked him. I am in the middle of reading it again (another Spring break!), and I see why I loved it so much the first time. It's a great novel, even if you aren't a Christian, because the characters and the writing are so good, but being a Christian adds a spiritual level that makes me want to read this book over and over, even though I think I am so far from where St. Francis was! It makes one think about what Jesus really said and what it would be like to TRULY do what He said! I highly recommend it.

Saint Francis is a passionate and highly personal vision of the life of Francis of Assisi, the poor man of God, by the late Nikos Kazantzakis, author of The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel (1958), The Last Temptation of Christ (1960), Zorba the Greek (1953), The Greek Passion (1954) and Freedom or Death (1956). (Note: dates are those of the first American editions.)

Nikos Kazantzakis' books transcend the usual limitations of the novel: they go beyond the mere telling of an exciting story and enter the sublime world of the spirit. Their themes are powerful and heroic, for above all they are concerned with the struggle between good and evil in man's soul, and with the ability of ordinary men, at all times in history, to leave behind their daily occupations and their pleasures and to dedicate themselves to a noble ideal, often at the cost of their lives.

In Freedom or Death, Kazantzakis wrote of the mortal combat between Greek and Turk on his native island of Crete; in the The Last Temptation of Christ, he wrote of the Saviour's spiritual passion and agony as He prepares His own martyrdom. In Saint Francis, Kazantzakis has re-created the story of Christianity's best-known, most human, and most beloved saint -- Francis of Assisi.

It is a historical novel, and the reader will grasp in it all the miseries and glory of medieval Italy. But Kazantzakis has not limited himself to the retelling of this well-known story. He has tried to show us Saint Francis as a person, tempted by the life that is offered to him and the comforts of his home, but driven by his own restless spirit to rise above the level of his fellow men and to assert his belief in goodness and submission. Kazantzakis' Francis is not the calm and undisturbed saint of legend, preaching to the animals. His is a man, tempted, weary, but searching for spiritual peace in a world of evil and war.

Kazantzakis has made his narrator, Saint Francis' companion, a cheerful monk, happy with wine and good food, weak in the ways of the flesh, but faithful to the master he cannot fully understand. Through his eyes we see the endless strife between the flesh and the spirit, the bitter wanderings over Europe and the Holy Land, the struggle against complacent and entrenched men in the Church that finally led to the founding of the Franciscan order.

This is the story of Saint Francis as only Nikos Kazantzakis could tell it.

It is a book that cannot fail to move everyone who reads it.

I bought this last year for my grandson. He loved it. He turned it over and looked for a gold sticker. He thought surely it had won an award. It has beautiful pictures of Assisi, and combines the story of creation with the Christmas story. I am now buying a copy for our church.

I was immediately drawn to this book since my sister gave me my middle name after her favorite saint, Saint Francis. The illustrations are beautiful, an important factor for those of us with young children since they will be more apt to enjoy a book with detailed pictures. The story is told by Saint Francis to the donkey to help him understand his place in the world. It provides parents a perfect opportunity to discuss how harmful pride can be and how God has given each of us a reason for living. The tale includes an explanation of the creation of the animals and why the donkey was chosen to carry Mary to Bethlehem. In the afterword, the author has also included a mini-biography of St. Francis and an annotated bibliography. A selection you must have to add to your Christmas reading traditions.

I finally bought it, and I'm more than glad I did. This book is not at all what I thought it would be about --- it is so much more. Initially, I thought it would be another book about the life of St. Francis which, of late, I've been quite taken with. This book, though, has more to do with how we can make our faith real --- how we can really respond --- in light of a needy world around us. This is just what the doctor ordered. I say this reluctantly, but reading a chapter is almost better than going to church. I close this book at night with the understanding that I've got to get out there and DO something; I feel like I CAN make some small difference in this world, and that means so much to me. I'm at that point where I WANT to change, WANT to make sacrifices, WANT to be conformed to what God wants me to be. I want desperately not to be an 'average' Christian who longs for the same dusty, lifeless, rusting things the world does. This book reminds me that Francis, in his life, was not afraid to give up personal comfort and familiarity. When he finally overcame the greatest personal obstacle for him --- learning to love the leper -- he was freed from within, freed from that nasty monster that can entangle so many of us. Reflecting on his unique experience, I am compelled to look at my own prejudices, those things about people that keep me from loving them completely. I can't remember the last time a church sermon so compelled me. I highly recommend this book, and encourage you to grow in ways far outside the box.

St. Francis and the Foolishness of God is not just about St. Francis, but about themes that touch all of our lives. There are reflection questions at the end of each section and an invitation to share stories. I recommend this book for personal and group reflection.