A Saintly Friend for Teens

Leslea Wahl reviews To the Heights, a novel about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, by Brian Kennelly.

To the Heights: A Novel Based on the Life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati 

by Brian Kennelly 

Review: 

What an incredible look into the life of an incredible man. Pier Giorgio Frassati is a somewhat newer saint, having lived in the early part of the 20th century. Because of this, there is a lot known and documented about this particular saint. I thought the author did a wonderful job of keeping to the facts but making the book feel more like a story than a dry biography. The reader gets a wonderful sense of Pier Giorgio through this book, which at times almost felt like a collection of inspiring short stories. 

Frassati was an Italian man born into a wealthy family. He was well-educated and is now the patron saint of Catholic teens. And I can see why. This young man loved his faith and spent his short life caring for others. I especially enjoyed learning about the special relationship he had with his sister. 

My favorite lesson from this book is how Frassati touched so many people in very powerful yet simple ways. We all have this ability to help those in need, pray for others, and be kind to everyone we meet. Often, saints seem to be people who did really incredible things, but this book is a great example of how everyone can truly make a difference. This book is a treasure for Catholic families.  

Summary: 

Enter the heart of a passionate young man, who in his brief life reached the heights of adventure, friendship—and sanctity. 
  
Born to a wealthy family in Turin at the dawn of the 20th century, Pier Giorgio Frassati was good-looking, popular and athletic.  
He spent much of his youth climbing the rugged Italian Alps, disappearing into the clouds for days at a time. 
He was quick with a joke or a prank and enjoyed a good time.  It seemed he was blessed with everything a young man could ask for.  
  
But he hungered for more. 
  
Despite coming from a family of such prestige, Pier Giorgio spent most days in the slums of Turin, visiting the poor and serving the sick.  
His love for Christ burned within him and brushed off on everyone he came into contact with—from lepers and orphans to college friends and political diplomats. 
He shared his Faith with kindness and charity, and defended it passionately against the evils of Fascism, even coming to blows with Mussolini’s thugs on numerous occasions.  
  
Pier Giorgio touched the lives of thousands, yet his high-society parents remained unmoved by the life he led as they frowned upon his religious practices and charitable work.  Reaching them would be his last challenge, his final mountain to climb. 
  
To the Heights  is an unforgettable novel about Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.  Dig deeper than the biographical facts and discover the heart of a charismatic young man whose soul blazes brightly and uniquely among the host of heaven. 

Copyright 2023 Leslea Wahl
Images: (top) courtesy of Brian Kennelly, all rights reserved; (bottom) Canva