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Reluctant Saint

The Life of Francis of Assisi

Part of Compass

Author Donald Spoto

Paperback

$16.00 US

Penguin Adult HC/TR | Penguin Books

5.51"W x 8.21"H x 0.65"D | 9 oz | 40 per carton

On sale Sep 30, 2003 | 288 Pages | 9780142196250

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Acclaimed biographer Donald Spoto strips away the legends from the life of Francis of Assisi to reveal the true story of a man who has too often been obscured by pious iconography. Drawing on unprecedented access to unexplored archives, plus Francis's own letters, Spoto places Francis within the context of the multifaceted ecclesiastical, political, and social forces of medieval Italy, casting new light on Francis and showing how his emphasis on charity as the heart of the Gospel's message helped him pioneer a new social movement. This nuanced portrait reveals the multifaceted character of a man who can genuinely be said to have changed the course of history.

Donald Spoto is the author of 25 books, including bestselling biographies of Alfred Hitchcock, Tennessee Williams, Laurence Olivier, Marlene Dietrich, Ingrid Bergman, and Audrey Hepburn. He earned his PhD degree from Fordham University. Spoto is married to the Danish school administrator Ole Flemming Larsen; they live in a quiet village, an hour's drive from Copenhagen. View titles by Donald Spoto

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Reluctant SaintAcknowledgments
Introduction
One: 1181-1187
Two: 1187-1196
Three: 1196-1205
Four: 1205
Five: 1206-1208
Six: 1208-1209
Seven: 1209
Eight: 1209-1210
Nine: 1211-1212
Ten: 1212-1213
Eleven: 1213-1218
Twelve: 1219-1220
Thirteen: 1220-1222
Fourteen: 1223-1224
Fifteen: 1225-1226
Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the Author

"An engaging and revealing portrait of a remarkable man." (The Hartford Courant)

"As with The Hidden Jesus, [Spoto again] produces a serious, thought-provoking book." (Booklist)

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