The Little Flowers of St. Francis: An Entirely New Version, with 20 Additional Chapters, of the Christian Classic of the Ages

One could easily fill a bookshelf with the number of volumes that have been written about the "Little Poor Man of Assisi" over the past seven hundred years, but none has been more widely read or more influential than the Fioretti, better known to English readers as The Little Flowers of St. Francis. This spiritual classic was not written by Francis himself, but by Brother Ugolino, an Italian Franciscan who lived a full century after the death of St. Francis in 1226. It is not so much a biography, but a collection of stories and sayings passed on by the first and second generations of Francis' early followers, in a manner similar to The Sayings of the Desert Fathers. As such, the author is not concerned so much with providing an historical record of the birth of Franciscan spirituality, but with painting a personal profile of this fascinating friar and the most formative experiences that helped to shape the lives of those who followed in his footsteps. This may help to explain why much of the material found in The Little Flowers has become "legendary," and it is left to the reader to decide how many of the events described are fact and how many are fiction. But it is not the spectacular and/or legendary aspects of St. Francis' life that grab the headlines in this spiritual classic. It is the genuinely humble, Christ-like character of this "little poor man" that stands out most of all. More than anything, and more than most, Francis loved Jesus. So much so, according to those who knew him best, that he was given a special mark of his intimate identification with Christ - the "stigmata" (five wounds of Christ on the cross). Regardless of how closely his outward appearance resembled that of Christ, it is clear that his heart was one with the Savior, as illustrated in the following message which Francis delivered at St. Mary of the Angels in 1215 in the presence of five thousand friars, including St. Dominic and Cardinal Hugolin, who would later become better known as Pope Gregory IX: "My little sons, we have promised great things, but far greater things have been promised to us by God. Let us keep those promises which we have made, and let us aspire with confidence to those things which have been promised to us. Brief is the world's pleasure, but the punishment that follows it lasts forever. Small is the suffering of this life, but the glory of the next life is infinite." May the life and testimony of this "Little Poor Man" of Assisi inspire each of us to follow his imperfect yet faithful example, even as he has sought to follow the perfect example of Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1).

"Among the greatest of Christian mystics and saints, Francis of Assisi has been venerated for generations by those seeking to attain the transcendence over worldly strife that he achieved through acts of humility, kindness, and spiritual devotion. Written in the fifteenth century, The Little Flowers is a collection of stories chronicling the journeys, activities, and miracles of Saint Francis and his brethren. It is among the world's most popular and most read of the religious classics. Unabridged republication of the Thomas Okey translation."

I like to read this one like a novel. To me it's kind of like Cannery Row, only instead of drinking you got self-flagellation. Fun stuff!

Francis is one of the most famous Saints today, although most only know him through his famous prayer ("Lord make me an instrument of they peace..."). This is the book to read in order to find out more about his life. The Little Flowers could in many ways be called the "Acts of Francis and His Followers," as it chronicles their journeys and miracles, and records their wisdom. The stories are not historical accounts in the modern sense, but oral traditions that tend to be on the legendary side (e.g. he communicates with animals, talks to Saints in heaven). This particular translation by Raphael Brown is excellent for the it also has The Considerations of the Holy Stigmata, The Life of Brother Juniper, The Life of Brother Leo, and the Sayings of Brother Giles. 2) Brown has added sixteen additional chapters of material that have never before appeared in English. 3) It contains a lengthy introduction and an appendix to guide those who wish to learn more about the history of the book and the life of St. Francis. The appendix is particularly valuable because it has a biographical sketch of the characters and short annotations that illuminate difficult passages in the book. 4) The translation from Italian and Latin to English is very readable. If you want entertaining, amusing, and inspiring stories in a quality package, then check out The Little Flowers of St. Francis as translated/edited by Raphael Brown.

One doesn't have to be Catholic to enjoy these amusing tales about the life of St. Francis, collected by a slightly later church writer. It's no wonder this gentle soul is among the most beloved figures in Christianity.