The Natural World of Saint Francis of Assisi

The Natural World of Saint Francis of AssisiLandscapes, Plants, & Animals that Saint Francis Knew & Loved by Susan Lamb & Tom BeanFor over twenty years, Saint Francis wandered on foot through the exquisite landscape of central Italy. Accounts of his epiphanies -- a radiant full moon, a fish playing near the surface of a lake, the harrowing sound of a leper's rattle -- still resonate after eight centuries. His companions later recalled that Saint Francis met every creature and plant, river and stone with reverence and courtesy, enabling him to live in harmony with an untamed natural world and with other people in a time of conflict. This beautifully illustrated book is an introduction to the natural world beloved by this extraordinary saint.This book provides a valuable service, for it helps us to perceive the Earth not as a jumble of objects, but rather a communion of subjects participating in the life of Creation as holy gift of God. May Sister Mother Earth, depicted in these pages, inspire you as she did Francis. -- from the Foreword by Keith Douglass Warner OFM, Environmental Studies Institute, Santa Clara University.The beauty of Umbria that inspired Francis is still there today, as you will see in the evocative words of Susan Lamb and the remarkable photographs of Tom Bean. The rocks and landscapes, the winds and climate, the rivers, lakes and marshes, the plants and animals of Umbria and the neighboring parts of Italy are all brought to life in this book. -- Dr. Walter Alvarez, Earth & Planetary Science Department, UC Berkeley. Author of The Mountains of Saint Francis.The Natural World of Saint Francis of Assisi. 80 pages, 9" x 9" softcover, beautifully illustrated with over 100 color photographs.… (more)