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An aim to see perhaps the gretest Christian saint as he was Jan 23, 2008
Green's account grows out of lifelong admiration for Francis, but for him no tribute can be better than bare truth. This life and times paints the whole social scene in which St. Francis moved. It gives Francis's quirks of personality equal treatment with his breathtaking heights of spirit. We see how the saint formed his network of supporters or patrons, and the deals he had to make along the way. When he, but not most of his followers received permission to preach, we see Francis admonishing his followers, "You don't know God's will. ... You say the bishops won't let you preach. Then convert those prelates by your obedience ... and they themselves will ask you to convert the people". (p. 197-98)
In Green's account we see the choices Francis made, his estimates of what was possible or not, and his tactics which formed one of the most revealing social experiments in Christian history.
Symbolism in God's Fool Oct 17, 2007
This book is full of symbolism. For example Francis's struggle with his father, his disrobing in front of the Bishop and the Bishop covering him with his own cloak indicates that Francis had a new home, he was accepted by the Church. When his biological father chained him his earthly mother Pica set him free. This leads us to the thought that Mary can set us free from the sins that are our earthly chains. This is a book that is both an easy read yet a thoughful read. I recommend it highly.
tiny print Aug 10, 2006
I just recieved this book and have looked forward to reading it. To my dismay, the print is much smaller than usual and difficult to read without eye strain. I find I can only read a couple of pages at a time.
Believable and beautifully written Mar 12, 2004
I'd like to add my five-star vote for this wonderful little work. After reading it I'm convinced St Francis had a difficult life but despite the difficulty (maybe because of it) he persevered and kept obstinately optimistic and decent. He was cheerful because he gave himself to God, not because God gave him so much to be cheerful about. I could understand why he is so beloved, even though he gave us a tough example to follow. The prose is beautiful and the optimism is encouraging.
An Almost Perfect Biography of St. Francis Jan 21, 2002
This book is sometimes a bit too reverent for its own good. Julien Green is a Catholic and his attitude is understandable, but a more impartial approach would have made God's Fool, a great book as it is, even better. In spite of that, this is a heartfelt and beautifully written accound of Francis of Assisi's life and times. The writer is clearly in awe of Francis, but his analysis of the Saint's attitudes, motivations and contradictions help you understand this fascinating figure and make him more human and accessible to the contemporary reader. Special note must be made of the beautifully poetic prose and of the way the author deals with the uglier aspects of Francis's life, which are sometimes glossed over in other biographies. Despite its flaws, this is a wonderful book on an extraordinary individual.
