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paperrhino's review against another edition
3.0
Saint Augustine's Confessions is one of the most influential writings in the western canon. It is unique in that is is one of the only autobiographies that survives from the ancient world and the theology of Augustine has infused western Christianity. However, it is a difficult book to read.
The first part of the book consists of a retelling of key points in Augustine's life from birth through his eventual conversion. The decision as to which parts of his life to present I believe were driven primarily by Augustine's desire to make theological points. In particular the episodes of infancy, the stealing of the pears, and the baptism and death of his very close friend. His experiences with Manicheism also provides some hint as to some of his more strict points of theology presented in his other works, particularly in regards to sex.
The second part of the book is a philosophical and theological treatise on the origins of the universe as revealed by Genesis. This section reveals what expertise in rhetoric and argumentation Augustine possessed and I believe he was a formidable debater, intellectual, and philosopher. However, he does make some logical leaps in his arguments which I found to be less than satisfying. For example, he spends several pages discussing how he found sections in the writings of Mani which do not correspond with reality and his quest to have this error resolved ultimately lead him to conversion. However, when it comes time for him to really discuss the weaknesses in Manicheism he only focuses on the fact that it does not include Jesus. While this is understandable in a work which is primarily a confession of faith in Christianity, it does not adequately explain what it was about Manicheism that made him dissatisfied with it before he became a Christian. I can only surmise from the focus of the bulk of the book that Mani's explanations for the origins of the universe is the cause but Augustine never makes this clear.
Over all, I don't know if I would recommend this book to any but the most die hard readers of the western canon. I did not find it to be the most enjoyable read though I did find it interesting and enlightening for Augustine the man and an example of ancient rhetoric at work.
The first part of the book consists of a retelling of key points in Augustine's life from birth through his eventual conversion. The decision as to which parts of his life to present I believe were driven primarily by Augustine's desire to make theological points. In particular the episodes of infancy, the stealing of the pears, and the baptism and death of his very close friend. His experiences with Manicheism also provides some hint as to some of his more strict points of theology presented in his other works, particularly in regards to sex.
The second part of the book is a philosophical and theological treatise on the origins of the universe as revealed by Genesis. This section reveals what expertise in rhetoric and argumentation Augustine possessed and I believe he was a formidable debater, intellectual, and philosopher. However, he does make some logical leaps in his arguments which I found to be less than satisfying. For example, he spends several pages discussing how he found sections in the writings of Mani which do not correspond with reality and his quest to have this error resolved ultimately lead him to conversion. However, when it comes time for him to really discuss the weaknesses in Manicheism he only focuses on the fact that it does not include Jesus. While this is understandable in a work which is primarily a confession of faith in Christianity, it does not adequately explain what it was about Manicheism that made him dissatisfied with it before he became a Christian. I can only surmise from the focus of the bulk of the book that Mani's explanations for the origins of the universe is the cause but Augustine never makes this clear.
Over all, I don't know if I would recommend this book to any but the most die hard readers of the western canon. I did not find it to be the most enjoyable read though I did find it interesting and enlightening for Augustine the man and an example of ancient rhetoric at work.
davidcalhoun's review against another edition
3.0
Not what I expected I think? My confession: I couldn't wait for this book to be over.
It's a classic, but Augustine seems to ramble aimlessly and keep reiterating stuff he talked about previously (such as the creation event). If there was any outline and progression, I didn't really grok it. It may entire be my fault.
Yet despite it being painful to get through, there are some nuggets scattered around it. Some interesting philosophical discussion about:
-the nature of time (e.g. A theory and B theory)
-weakness of the will (why do we do things even when we know it will harm us? we do we resist doing things that we know will be good for us?)
-elanguescence (things fading from being)
-finding it ok, and actually even intended, that Bibical texts can be interpreted in a variety of ways. This is a pretty controversial opinion but an interesting one. Which is stronger, a text with one clear meaning that could be received more of less by a bunch of readers, or a text with multiple meanings which could be of help in various ways to all sorts of people?
Augustine goes overboard with Bibical references throughout the book, but I think that's just his way of confessing, and also showing what he understands. Lots of references might be distracting to readers - there's a ton of footnotes in my edition with all the Biblical references. Nevertheless handy for anything that folks might want to do further reading on.
It's a classic, but Augustine seems to ramble aimlessly and keep reiterating stuff he talked about previously (such as the creation event). If there was any outline and progression, I didn't really grok it. It may entire be my fault.
Yet despite it being painful to get through, there are some nuggets scattered around it. Some interesting philosophical discussion about:
-the nature of time (e.g. A theory and B theory)
-weakness of the will (why do we do things even when we know it will harm us? we do we resist doing things that we know will be good for us?)
-elanguescence (things fading from being)
-finding it ok, and actually even intended, that Bibical texts can be interpreted in a variety of ways. This is a pretty controversial opinion but an interesting one. Which is stronger, a text with one clear meaning that could be received more of less by a bunch of readers, or a text with multiple meanings which could be of help in various ways to all sorts of people?
Augustine goes overboard with Bibical references throughout the book, but I think that's just his way of confessing, and also showing what he understands. Lots of references might be distracting to readers - there's a ton of footnotes in my edition with all the Biblical references. Nevertheless handy for anything that folks might want to do further reading on.
noahtato's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
1.75
Confessions was a difficult book to read; it's clear the influence of this book on the tyrannical oppression of Christianity throughout the following millennia. It is well written and his chapters on memory and time are ingenious and worth revisiting. His influence on humanist work shines through, as does his influence on the dark ages.
carterjj's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
4.0
smithological_stories's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
wwatts1734's review against another edition
5.0
You can learn a lot about an author by the type of autobiography that he writes. Many authors write odes to themselves that serve the purpose of exalting the author's achievements. And then there are those autobiographies that treat the author like any other man, with failures and faults and lessons to be learned about his life. The "Confessions" of St. Augustine is perhaps the very best of the second type of autobiography.
Although Augustine was one of the very brightest thinkers in the history of Western civilization, in this book he lays out his faults and failings for the reader. He gives plenty of credit for his virtues to the many friends and relatives who prayed endlessly for him; his friend Alypius, his mother Monica and Ambrose, the bishop of Milan who suffered through Augustine's criticism in the final years before his conversion. Augustine analyzes his own failings and selfishness, from the moment of his birth until the time of his writing his memoirs. This book was actually written while Augustine was a monk in a religious community in Africa where this kind of confession was expected of new postulants as a sign of their repentance. Augustine's confession was so good that the community allowed him to publish it. Here it is, 1700 years later, and the confessions still speak to us.
My only caveat here is to be careful about what translations you read. I just finished reading the free version of the "Confessions" on Kindle, and boy did I get what I paid for. This had to be the worst translation of any classic text I have ever encountered. The translator took the text phrase by phrase and translated without regard as to whether the resulting English sentences made any sense at all. Some of the sentences in this translation were pages in length, and he went back and forth in Elizabethan English to the point where you could not make sense of who the subject and who the object of the sentence is. Honestly, it is precisely this kind of translation that turns people off of the classics, and that is a shame. So if you read "The Confessions", DO NOT read the free version on Kindle. Spend a couple of bucks and buy a decent translation.
I would recommend this book for everyone, and especially for Christians who want to grow in the spiritual life.
Although Augustine was one of the very brightest thinkers in the history of Western civilization, in this book he lays out his faults and failings for the reader. He gives plenty of credit for his virtues to the many friends and relatives who prayed endlessly for him; his friend Alypius, his mother Monica and Ambrose, the bishop of Milan who suffered through Augustine's criticism in the final years before his conversion. Augustine analyzes his own failings and selfishness, from the moment of his birth until the time of his writing his memoirs. This book was actually written while Augustine was a monk in a religious community in Africa where this kind of confession was expected of new postulants as a sign of their repentance. Augustine's confession was so good that the community allowed him to publish it. Here it is, 1700 years later, and the confessions still speak to us.
My only caveat here is to be careful about what translations you read. I just finished reading the free version of the "Confessions" on Kindle, and boy did I get what I paid for. This had to be the worst translation of any classic text I have ever encountered. The translator took the text phrase by phrase and translated without regard as to whether the resulting English sentences made any sense at all. Some of the sentences in this translation were pages in length, and he went back and forth in Elizabethan English to the point where you could not make sense of who the subject and who the object of the sentence is. Honestly, it is precisely this kind of translation that turns people off of the classics, and that is a shame. So if you read "The Confessions", DO NOT read the free version on Kindle. Spend a couple of bucks and buy a decent translation.
I would recommend this book for everyone, and especially for Christians who want to grow in the spiritual life.
gray_ghost's review against another edition
Tremendous. Augustine lived in an age where the elites were pagans and did not even pay lip service to Christianity- an age that can speak to the present in a way that other older Christian texts can not.
He outlines the power of the presence of God in our lives and shows that he is all we need, though we are too broken to understand.
He outlines the power of the presence of God in our lives and shows that he is all we need, though we are too broken to understand.
johns_library's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
I had this on my TBR ever since I finished Gonzalez’ first volume on the history of Christianity. The first 10 chapters covers Augustine's personal biography at the time of writing. The prose in these sections were absolutely beautifully. The translator, Garry Wills, had done an excellent job in keeping the passion, reverence, and poetic prose of Augustine's writing. I even found myself weeping over Augustine’s prose when describing and lamenting the nature of death due his friend's passing.
The remaining chapters was when it became difficult to understand, Augustine’s train of thought, shown in his exposition of Genesis was very foreign from a modern perspective. I had wished I didn’t rush through reading those sections, but actually slowing down since his thoughts had moved so quickly, I lost myself quite easily when jumping from one topic to the next.
Nonetheless, I’m finding myself returning to the last section again and again, really slowing down on my second read through. Maybe in the future having a reading guide. Overall, this was one of my most favourite reads of the year. It’s one that’s spurred on a passion for reading more of the church father’s, more of Augustine's work, and returning again and again to Confessions.