Customer Reviews

Saint Augustine's Childhood: CONFESSIONES BOOK ONE (Testimony, Bk 1)

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The absurdities produced by Wills' eccentric treatment of Augustine multiply like rabbits. One example: Wills insists on calling Augustine's son Adeodatus "Godsend" rather than Adeodatus. It is true that the etymology of the name roughly corresponds to "Godsend," but given the fact that almost every name in antiquity "meant something," this tick is supremely annoying. His translations are clunky to the extreme. He translates the classic line, "Our hearts are restless until they rest in you" (inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te) as "Our heart is unstable until stabilized in you."

If you have to read the Confessions in English, by all means stick with Henry Chadwick.

Garry Wills translation of Augustine's Confessions came highly recommended to my husband. It was previously published as one book. A second edition was published and separated into 4 hardback books instead of 1 smaller type paperback by Penguin Books. Specifically, it was the second edition that was recommended to him because it was updated with some revisions. My husband began reading this first book of the series and immediately found it engaging and easy to read. I don't mean that it is watered down though. My husband's favorite authors are Wendell Berry, John Piper, and Eugene Peterson (spiritual theology series), all of which are not easy reads. I also read the first page and found it encouraging and easy to read. I do not read light fiction either, but I tend to prefer Jerry Bridges books to Piper's. I have always been intimidated by Augustine's Confessions, but I know I'd be able to read this translation and understand it.

There is only one other review of this book and I noticed that it criticized two specific examples from the translation. I'm afraid that I can't refute them because I am not a translator, but the friend that recommended this edition to my husband is very knowledgeable since he has taught a foreign language. It was explained to me that there are many nuances to translation that are not easily explained to people who are not translators. I trust this man's opinion since he has been a translator. And as far as looking for a readable translation, this is a great choice!

The other books in the series are:
Saint Augustine's Memory
Saint Augustine's Sin (Augustine, Confessiones. Bk. 3.)
Saint Augustine's Conversion