The Confessions of Saint Augustine (Image Book) (Paperback)

~ (Author), (Translator) "(1) You are great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised: great is your power and to your wisdom there is no limit..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"In plain words--if you can accept them as plain--Christianity is the life and death and resurrection of Christ going on day after day in the souls of individual men and in the heart of society. It is this Christ-life, this incorporation into the Body of Christ, this union with His death and resurrection as a matter of conscious experience, that  St. Augustine wrote of in his Confessions."
--Thomas Merton


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Description

The Confessions of St. Augustine has been translated into more languages than any Latin writings except Virgil's. Now this great classic appears in a distinguished new translation for the modern reader by celebrated translator, John K.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Image; Image Books ed edition (August 23, 1960)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385029551
• ISBN-13: 978-0385029551
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #237,556 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

98 of 121 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a fabulous prayer, March 12, 2000

By	George Schaefer (Croydon, PA USA) - See all my reviews

I will begin by stating that I am an estranged ex-catholic. But as a philosopher and writer, I always wanted to read The Confessions of St. Augustine. The famed quote of Give me chastity and continence but not yet is one that I have often used out of context with a wicked smile. It was great to read these lines within the intended framework of Augustines writing. This is a beautiful book. Augustines gradual turn toward God is glorious. This book beautifully illustrates the human ability for transformation and transcendence. Along with Meister Eckhart and Thomas Aquinas it gives one a good grasp of the early Christian and Catholic theory. As a cynic I must question what went wrong but my sarcasm should not detract from the sheer beauty and power of St Augustine. It brought me closer to God if not back to my original faith. Like the Bible itself, this is a book that many Christians in general and Catholics in specific really ought to read.

23 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Biography and philosophy, August 17, 2000

By	Patrick Koucheravy (Fairfax, VA United States) - See all my reviews

I was asked to read this book as a freshmen in college and I loved it. It is not an easy read, but once you read over a part once more, Augustine's logic makes perfect sense. If you've read any other Augustine, such as "Freedom of the will", this book fits right in there and explains it perfectly. In fact, this book explains most of Augustine's tenants perfectly. If anyone wants to know why Christianity took such a harsh stand against sexual sins...it's Augustine lashing out at his past. He was really tormented. Worship God or worship sex. He chose God and I'm sure he thought about going back. Augustine also developed the full Christian idea of free will, which is manifested in this book as well. Augustine is an incredible figure and a role model for modern Christians. His trials are not much different from ours, seeing as we live in a society so obsessed with sex. Augustine's Confessions is one of my favorite books. A must-read for any theologian and philosopher.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book (other than the Bible) that I have read so far, July 30, 2005

By	Jesse Rouse (Kenosha, WI) - See all my reviews

Let me just begin by saying that this book is brilliant. Augustine is one of the greatest thinkers that the world has ever known, and it shines through in this book. In this book, Augustine manages to cover an amazing number of topics, and does so in a beautiful way, filled with prayers to God.

I am not sure what the reviewer from June 10, 2005 is talking about. I think that they were reviewing the wrong book. This book is 400 some pages, not 90, and it is the complete version, not an introduction or abridgement.

Normally when I read books I underline quotes or passages that I think are especially good, or that I think I will be able to use in papers in the future. I then write the page numbers of the pages that have underlining on the back page. In this book, however, I ended up writing the pages numbers of pages I DIDN'T underline in on the back, since I underlined something on nearly every page. This book is absolutely filled with wisdom and knowledge of God and how He and the world He created works. This book inspired me to find a copy of The City of God, which I am now just beginning. If it is one-tenth as good as the Confessions, it will be well worth the money.