Among the most beloved saints in the Catholic tradition, Francis of Assisi (c. 1181-1226) is popularly remembered for his dedication to poverty, his love of animals and nature, and his desire to follow perfectly the teachings and example of Christ. During his lifetime and after his death, followers collected, for their own purposes, numerous stories, anecdotes, and reports about Francis. As a result, the man himself and his own concerns became lost in legend. In this authoritative and engaging new biography, Augustine Thompson, O.P., sifts through the surviving evidence for the life of Francis using modern historical methods. The result is a complex yet sympathetic portrait of the man and the saint. Francis emerges from this account as very much a typical thirteenth-century Italian layman, but one who, when faced with unexpected crises in his personal life, made decisions so radical that they challenge his own society-and ours. Unlike the saint of legend, this Francis never had a unique divine inspiration to provide him with rules for following the teachings of Jesus. Rather, he spent his life reacting to unexpected challenges, before which he often found himself unprepared and uncertain. The Francis who emerges here is both more complex and more conflicted than that of older biographies. His famed devotion to poverty is found to be more nuanced than expected, perhaps not even his principal spiritual concern. Thompson revisits events small and large in Francis's life, including his troubled relations with his father, his contacts with Clare of Assisi, his encounter with the Muslim sultan, and his receiving the Stigmata, to uncover the man behind the legends and popular images. A tour de force of historical research and biographical writing, Francis of Assisi: A New Biography is divided into two complementary parts-a stand alone biographical narrative and a close, annotated examination of the historical sources about Francis. Taken together, the narrative and the survey of the sources provide a much-needed fresh perspective on this iconic figure. "As I have worked on this biography," Thompson writes, "my respect for Francis and his vision has increased, and I hope that this book will speak to modern people, believers and unbelievers alike, and that the Francis I have come to know will have something to say to them today."

This elegant and accessible biography of one of Catholicism's most beloved saints was originally published as Part 1 of Francis of Assisi: A New Biography by Augustine Thompson, O.P. It stands alone as a richly informed portrait of a man whose complex faith and commitment continue to inspire today. An introduction by Thompson places his biography in the context of continuing discussions about Francis's legacy, particularly the new Pope's decision to adopt the saint's name.

This book is a biographical account that delves into the life of the renowned English poet, Francis Thompson. The book follows Thompson's childhood, his struggles with addiction and poverty, literary achievements, and spiritual journey. With the use of letters, memories, and research, Meynell provides a detailed account of Thompson's life and the people who influenced him.

When Jesus told his followers how much we all need God's love, it was not a theological treatise. Instead, he told a story: There once was a man who had two sons... The simplicity of this famous parable belies some richly profound truths. The story Francis Thompson tells in his classic poem The Hound of Heaven works in exactly this way--stirring our hearts with a yearning we may not fully understand. Something comes through the poem that we cannot quite put our finger on... This book actually contains two versions of the poem, the original and a modern adaptation. Despite the depth and beauty of the poem, it is written in a vernacular difficult to understand. Our rationale for the adaptation of this masterpiece is to reveal its timeless beauty and insights for a broad, modern audience.

Frank Thompson vividly recalls his experiences in gold-rush era Montana, where sought his fortune, served in the first territorial legislature, and met some of the territory's most notorious road agents.

Corrected page proofs for Thompson, Francis. Sister songs : an offering of two sisters. London : John Lane, 1895. Includes the complete book, lacking only the inserted Housman title-page and frontispiece [leaves 1-2.3] and terminal advertisements. With Thompson's ms. corrections on p. 1, 24-27, and 34. A double presentation (dedication) copy, inscribed "Alice Meynell from Francis Thompson" and with further inscription from Alice Meynell to her daughter, Monica. This is a double dedication copy: "Inscription," the final poem in the book, is addressed to Wilfrid and Alice Meynell; Monica Meynell was one of the two "Sisters" referred to in the book's title ((the other was Madeline Meynell), called "Sylvia" in the poem).