The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation

Grosso, an independent scholar and member of the board of directors of the American Philosophical Practitioners Association, canvasses the spiritual awakenings of St. Joseph of Copertino, the 17th-century Italian friar who was purportedly able to levitate. After an introduction that grounds St. Joseph's miraculous feats in contemporary arguments against strict scientific, materialist views on reality%E2%80%94particularly the work of philosopher Paul Feyerabend%E2%80%94Grosso guides readers through St. Joseph's private and public life, dedicating ample space to the saint's troubled childhood. He details the many primary accounts of supernatural events that seemingly encircled St. Joseph: levitation, psychokinesis, poltergeists, inedia (being able to live without food), and materialization of objects. He asks whether, how, and why these events could have actually happened. Readers who are interested in the mystery surrounding historical figures who have been shunned by the church will discover tidbits of fascinating information regarding this oft-suffering soul. Grosso's work is thorough but tedious at times, with excessive discourse about other individuals that, in the end, detracts from the bizarre story of St. Joseph's life. (Jan.)