Confessions (Penguin Classics)

I was very reluctant to read anything from Augustine for quite a while, because for whatever reason I found his good reputation to be off-putting. I confess that I was rather foolish. This book has been one of the most encouraging, edifying, relatable, and moving things I have ever read, and Augustine has very quickly become one of my favorite writers and theologians. The vast majority of Confessions is a long, heartfelt prayer to God, recounting important events throughout Augustine's life, confessing very honestly and diving deeply into his sins and shortcomings, his thought process and desires, as well as the impact and significance of the people in his life who loved him. Augustine takes a very honest yet philosophical approach to examining his past and asking God to teach him and show him how He worked throughout his life in these deeply contemplative prayers. So often I could perfectly empathize with the things Augustine spoke of, and if not myself then I knew of someone else who I felt would be moved by his passionate confessions. The book finishes off with an extremely deep philosophical dive into a number of different topics, which isn't nearly as emotionally moving as the rest of the book, but is deeply enriching and thought provoking in its own way. I've found it to be a very inspiring look into just how deeply we can explore theology, as well as an edifying example of how beneficial prayer is in deep study. I could go on for days about how wonderful this book is, and how much it has helped me to develop and mature just over the course of reading it, but ultimately I'd recommend just reading it for yourself. The translation is very enjoyable, the footnotes are helpful without being distracting (though the insistence on using two numbering systems for the Psalms gets a bit old), and I enjoy Penguin books for being good enough quality to feel nice to read without feeling too nice to mark up (and I've gone through quite a few highlighters on this book!). Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone, and I already have recommended it to quite a few people.

Augustine was an early Christian writer and theologian who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries. This book is probably his most well known written work which primarily covers his long path to converting to Christianity. Augustine was the son of a Christian mother and a pagan father. While a young man, he was not particularly interested in religion, especially Christianity, but would eventually come to follow a movement known as Manichaeism. He lived a degenerate lifestyle as a young man, but would eventually come to accept the truth of the Scriptures and convert. The book tells this long story of his life from his young age until his conversion and the twists along the way. It is an interesting story of a man's long path to God and the many distractions along the way. It contains some famous stories such as Augustine's experience, as a teenager, of stealing fruit for essentially the thrill of it, an act that as an adult he realizes was sinful. I also found his stories of essentially debunking alternate ideas, like astrology, to be well crafted. The final few chapters are less autobiographical but rather more musings on various theological issues as Augustine attempts to interpret excerpts from Scripture to find some meaning or answer that he wants to derive from them. What is fascinating about this book is that it is the story of a well-educated man who lived more than 1,600 years ago but often struggled with some of the same questions that a person might struggle with today such as the nature of God and how to follow his law. At the same time, as an early Church father, Augustine has had an immense influence on Christian thought for many centuries even to today. Thus, it is worth examining this work to better understand his often tortured path to Jesus and the lessons he learned and questions he considered along the way. I enjoyed this book. I would recommend it to those interested in a Christian biography or even those interested in early Christianity in general.

As a Catholic, I’ve heard Confessions quoted throughout my life. It was one of those books that I’ve heard so much about that I felt like I had already read it. I’m glad I didn’t let that feeling deter me from picking it up and reading it for myself. St. Augustine writes about his impious past leading up to his conversion. Scattered throughout are tidbits from his life with an emphasis on his mother, St. Monica’s, role as she fervently prayed for his soul and conversion. He discusses his struggle with sin and vices as well as his search for God and his meaning through different philosophies. All roads led him back to Christianity. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn’t expect to given I found City of God to be tedious, repetitive, and intense at times. There is an intensity in Confessions, but it’s a more relatable intensity. The end of the book gets more philosophical, however, the beginning stays in the area of memoir and theology.

Simple, humble soul searching yet so profound. Paper quality could be better.

St. Augustine's Confessions is a timeless masterpiece that transcends eras, offering profound insights into the human condition, spirituality, and the transformative power of faith. This Penguin Classics edition is particularly commendable for its clear and eloquent translation, which preserves the depth and nuance of Augustine's original Latin text. The book is structured as a deeply personal and philosophical journey, blending Augustine's autobiographical reflections with theological meditations. His introspective exploration of sin, grace, and redemption feels as relevant today as it was in the 4th century. Readers are drawn into Augustine's struggles with temptation, his search for truth, and his ultimate surrender to divine love, making the work both relatable and inspiring. Penguin's thoughtful introduction and notes provide valuable context for understanding Augustine's life, historical background, and the significance of his ideas. This makes the book accessible to both first-time readers and those familiar with Christian philosophy. Confessions is more than a spiritual autobiography—it is a profound literary and philosophical work that invites readers to reflect on their own lives and beliefs. Whether you're a seeker, a scholar, or simply a lover of great literature, this edition is a must-have for your collection.

It goes on and ooooonnnnnn, too much soul searching for me!

Saint Augustine is hailed as the most important theologian after Apostle Paul. More than a millennium after him, Martin Luther was an Augustinian monk and John Calvin cited Augustine most in his work. In other words, there may be greater theologians after him, but they enjoyed the advantage of having Augustine before them, an advantage that clearly Augustine could not have had. He was born in 354 and died in 430. Therefore this book was written about 1600 years ago! This is a translation for Augustine did not write in English. There are many versions of translation of this work - I do not know why or the general shortcomings of the translations, but this version reads nicely and, I believe, authentically. Saint Augustine was a professor in Rhetoric before he was a monk. He was a highly learned person. That is to say, when you pick up this book, be mindful that you are reading one of the greatest minds of his time and writing was his strength. What I would say about this translation is that it does not pose a barrier between us and the great mind. Furthermore, its prose is sophisticated and poetic. I believe therefore this is a faithful reflection of the original work. It is a great piece of literature in its own right. This is my first point. As a subject matter, how many of us would be as candid as he in writing up our deepest confessions for posterity? In today's narcissistic culture greatly enhanced and enabled by the social media, we see human nature is to show off our best to the public. Confessions are something we do behind closed doors and in our private prayer to God. And yet Augustine is demonstrating the right approach to God. No one can come to God like a saint in our own merits. Heart wrenching confessions that cry out to God and His mercy are the only path that all genuine believers must tread. In other words, every genuine believer must have made the journey through like Augustine and have his own personal confessions to make to God. We are put down in order that we can be lifted up. We can't be lifted up if we are not down on our knees first. Melodrama they are not. Augustine's confessions are the results of deep soul-searching. If we think we don't have confessions of our own to make, Augustine shows us how as he lays out the kind of questions to ask ourselves and how God's Word search and examine our souls. Augustine tells us how he argues at each turn, the critical moments he knew it was the Truth, and the struggle to break away from the bondage of his carnality. His is what every Christian should have experienced, although the details differ in each individual case. If we never know the work of the Holy Spirit in using God's Word to examine our heart and soul with power and conviction, Augustine's Confessions is a fine example. As such his autobiography is not just his spiritual journey but also a spiritual journey that he takes us to go on ourselves. The book starts with a narrative of his life, showcasing his sense of humour and playfulness as well as the brilliance of his mind and his command of words. That part of the book stops at the death of his pious and prayerful mother, Monica, who played a significant role in Augustine’s spiritual life from young. Thereafter Augustine takes us to soar high and lofty probing into the things of God. He covers concepts that when you first read, you will be puzzled. But then you realise they are far from trivial but pivotal in our understanding of God. For example, he talks about memory. I believe the whole discourse is hinting at the peculiar feeling of homecoming when we come to God even though we do not seem to know Him beforehand in our life. Where does this sense of homecoming come from if we have no memory of “home” in God at all? This reminds me of C. S. Lewis’s concept of JOY. Augustine also takes time to define what eternity is. The discourse does seem a little trivial at first. Not so. When I was reading Confessions, I was reading Dolezal’s All that is in God concurrently. I realise Augustine’s exploration of eternity has helped me understand the latter! It is an essential concept about God that implies many of His other attributes in His essence. Moving on, he describes what God’s Word is. God’s Word is not speech! Wow! How wrong I have been in understanding “In the Beginning was the Word!” The Word, God’s only begotten Son, is catapulted on to a completely different plane for our understanding. What is strange is that I have never come across this view relayed in more contemporary works or sermons. I have read a reviewer on his other work who mocks Augustine’s scientific knowledge. Far from it, Augustine knew and even critiqued the latest scientific developments of his time. From what I see, there is timelessness in his writing. The questions he asked, the query he framed and the method he used to probe are masterclass. His writing is transcendent because he is bringing us a knowledge of God who is transcendent. I hope people would see the relevance even to this day. One may ask how the latter part of the book relates to Confessions. I would answer that genuine confessions are brought about by our high view of God. The more we see God, the more we see our sins. Put it differently, we can only see our sins when they are set against God.

I looked forward to reading the book as some of my favourite quotes are from this! The book arrived in good condition, with the exception that there was a small scratch and folds on the cover. However, it was delivered within a day.