While weaving together Clare’s story and Francis’s story, Sr. Margaret Carney draws special attention to Clare’s significant contribution to the Franciscan world in the many years following Francis’s death. Far from merely reflecting Francis’s light, Clare had her own charism, “a gift bestowed by the Spirit of the Lord and given to her in a fullness and forcefulness that was hers alone." This book will introduce St. Clare to those who do not know her and those who wish to know her better. Grounded in the best modern scholarship, Carney tells the story of Clare's life for the non-academic reader.