This book is an amazing scholarly analysis of many aspects of church history focused around (before and after) Francis of Assisi's ministry and its far-reaching impacts. The context of his ministry is clearly described; helpful to all students of church history. The author also describes the impact of institutionalization on the Friars Minor ministry... as an unavoidable effect when a ministry based on relationships, humility, and poverty, rejecting all forms of "power and status" grows in number. This organizational impact as a result of growth is an important concept to consider today for all groups.Another topic of interest today is the concept of "Lady Poverty" and the associated "privilege" given to those that requested embracing poverty as a lifestyle from the Pope. This core belief was a major difference from other Christian religious organizations where there was a requirement of resources to join. The idea of having alms viewed as “a gift to give” to the religious was forgotten.Another interesting point was the impact of having a scholarly option available for Friars to learn to read the Scriptures (for those unschooled). This change resulted in lifestyle divisions and classifications within the brotherhood that Francis had wanted to avoid. His focus was on living “among the poor”, working, and when necessary receiving gifts (alms), preaching the good news of repentance and peace rather than a sequestered, cloistered lifestyle.Growth of female religious life was also covered by the author; noting the effort to standardize St. Claire and other female religious to a contained closure rather than allowing them to live among and serve the poor and sick. As one can understand, the supervision and administration of female religious organizations were more of an effort if they were all allowed to live out their own perceived ministry and lifestyle. The push for women to become focused on contemplative living and on personal piety resulted in cloistered living and a separation from “the world” [Reminds me of Thomas Merton’s epiphany regarding separation from the world as a Trappist Monk on March 18, 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky].Another interesting topic was the idea that the clergy could be described as providing nourishment. There were the dream images of the black hen needing help from the church and of Francis providing milk to Clare from a golden breast as a mother. The general context provided by the author that in this era the church leaders were viewed by some as having a motherly protective role (St. Bernard of Clairvaux). Later the image of Jesus as our mother was part of Julian of Norwich’s “Revelations of Divine Love” in the 14th century.Finally, the images from artists were also included as important texts for recording the various legends regarding Francis of Assisi’s original ministry as well as the institutional ministry that followed.I would welcome a condensed summary of this amazing book for those that do not have a scholarly interest as the facts would be useful to all the different types of people who have an interest in this amazing saint. Not only did Francis reach out to the Islamic Sultan offering friendship and fellowship at the risk of losing his life in the 5th Crusade and is thus a champion of interreligious dialogue but his message relates to many other groups as well.The core message was simple: Francis exhorted all to seek "peace" as a result of each person's penitence... experiential peace from turning towards God... with living interior peace rather than an administrative peace imposed from an organization (church, civil) where individuals are admonished to change and agree intellectually to treat others in peace. Interestingly, this simple straightforward core message of peace could be preached by all men and women, even those who could not read Scripture; working with God's Spirit to bring peace to those who requested it.Thank you! Claudia Hill Duffee, MA. [a grateful student with a Masters in Spirituality from Bellarmine University, Louisville, Kentucky, USA. P.S. Thank you for the many scholarly references in both French and Italian provided by the author.