The Joyful Beggar: A Novel of St. Francis of Assisi

by Louis de Wohl

Book Overview

In this magnificent and stirring novel, Louis de Wohl turns his famed narrative skill to the story of the soldier and merchant's son who might have been right-hand man to a king ... and who became instead the most beloved of all saints. Set against the tempestuous background of 13th Century Italy and Egypt, here is the magnificent and inspiring story of Francis Bernardone, the brash, pleasure-loving young officer who was to become immortalized...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898708141
• ISBN13: 9780898708141
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Ignatius Press
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

excellent reading!

This book gives a beautiful insight to St. Francis's life. To either catholic or non-catholic, it will take you to a time when faith and love was really needed. Reading will be a perfect boost for today's life, when such passion and love for God and this world is needed.

Another De Wohl Classic!

I'm so happy that De Wohl's classic, historical fictions are back in print. In this adventure, De Wohl fleshes out the life of the Povarello (the "Poor Little Man"), St. Francis of Assissi.As an admirer of St. Francis, I must comment that most media about the saint portrays him as quite sappy. While St. Francis' love of nature and mankind in general may easily lead to such treatment, De Wohl thankfully does not attend to that path. Furthermore, the detail we have on the historical Francis is such that De Wohl didn't really have to "add" a lot of detail to make this story compelling. Rather, the Saint speaks for himself.If you have read other De Wohl novels, this effort is much the same. You can count on De Wohl to bring a consistent level of excellence and high quality historical fiction. This book is no disappointment.If there is one criticism that I may levy against this particular book is that it was not enough of Francis. De Wohl expends at least 40% of the book on the intrigue involving the election of the Holy Roman Emperor and other such political intrigues. While certainly necessary to get an understanding for the times in which Francis lived, I would have liked Francis' struggles with his new found Order to be brought to life a bit more expansively.Nonetheless, De Wohl hits the main points and expresses them quite well. I believe he has done justice to the story, to the man, and to Christianity as a whole by bringing this compelling story into print in a very accessible and readable way.If you love St. Francis or have wondered what is all the fuss about this man in the first place, take this novel on as a first look.

St. Francis isn't just crazy, he's in love with Jesus!

Most stories and movies about St. Francis were unconvincing. I thought they made him seem kind of doltish or unstable. But this one really put flesh on the man and made me see him differently. The historical details of the times in which he lived helped to round out the story although it is hard to tell what is fiction and what is truth. St. Francis didn't steal from his father but he did give what he thought was his away in order to earn money to "rebuild" God's Church. It was quite simple, to him, "do what God tells you to do." There are very few of us who answer the call of God in quite the way St. Francis did, but that is why he's a saint and we are still working at it! It's a good book to find a reference point for your own journey - aim to be like St. Francis and don't worry what people think.