This is a delightful little book. The insight of the introduction is wonderful, and the translation is faithful. The Rule itself is inspiring, and it becomes clear to the reader why Augustine has had such a lasting impact on Western monastic spirituality and, on a much broader level, Western Theology. This is a must have for any theological library.

As a big fan of Augustine's writing I give this book five stars. The way that he has interwoven his thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences with the humble eloquence of repentance will have you as the reader very exuberant. In reading this work you will learn more of Augustine's life, the spiritual turmoil he faced, and how he came to knowledge of the truth in a most triumphant manner. Although, that's not all that you will find interesting in the Confessions. In fact once Augustine converts to Catholicism and discovers the mystery of the faith, he then proceeds to fill in the blanks philisophically were he had once been left in error. Finally Augustine ponders on the book of Genesis and discourses a respectable point of view on the creation of heaven and earth. Oh Yeah! I forgot to explain how Augustine corresponds the subject matter of this book with a profound emphasis on the Holy Scriptures. So I recommend this masterpiece to anyo ne who has a love for great Latin literature, or to all that wish to read the prestige of Christian writings.

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.

St. Augustine's Confessions is a treasure of Western literature, and, much like the book of Job and the Psalms, really belongs to the heritage of the entire culture and has transcended sectarian importance. That is not to say that these books are not religiously important--of course they are, and the Confessions perhaps even more so to a confessing Christian. Much of what the entire Western church still believes comes straight from the mind and pen of St. Augustine, and to understand his mind one really needs to read the Confessions. Nearly the entire orthodox Catholic tradition of fall-redemption theology sprung full-formed from Augustine's mind, which can be seen in his allegorical interpretaiton of Genesis 1, the section that ends the Confessions and gives them an "unfinished" quality. Augustine was a well-known and revered man when he wrote this book, and rather goes out of his way to depict himself as a youthful deviant to his followers. This is both a heuristic device and what Ausgustine really believes about himself; he is interested in his flock realizing his own fallenness and finitude, and seeing it in themselves as well. A brilliantly modern book for fourth-century fare, it is amenable (at the risk of anachronism)to a multitude of interpretations. Here one can find existential angst, control-dramas, the quest for and the overturning of the ego-self, and an almost pathological study of human guilt (it has been quipped that if the Saint from Hippo had had a good psychotherapist, the Church might have been spared nearly two millennia of sexual dysfunction). Augustine's conversion in the garden reads almost like a kensho experience in Zen. Read the book and draw your own conclusions, but never forget that, as you read, you are sitting at the feet of (and in judgement of) one of the sharpest minds ever produced in Latin Christianity. He writes, "For although I cannot prove to mankind that these my confessions are true, at least I shall be believed by those whose ears are opened to me by love" Book 10.3, and whether or not your ears are open to him in love, they should at least be open. Augustine always has something to say to the careful reader, and no less a careful reader than Derrida lui-même is an inveterate reader and student of Augustine's. Quite a compliment from a reader who certainly does not share Augustine's faith concerns....

Another significant addition to the Works of Saint Augustine by New City Press. This addition contains all the particular treatises of the Great Doctor of the West dedicated to sexuality, save one ("On Marriage and Concupiscence" also in this series, in the Anti-Pelagian Collection).
The angle of this edition, demarked as "a translation for the 21st Century," is certainly borne out, for better or worse, by its translator's word choices. It does sound at times as though its individual treatises did not come from the turn of the fifth century, but from the turn of the 21st century. Yet this should lead to minimal difficulty.
The signature of the Works of Augustine, their excellent binding and notes, makes this volume an enduring component for any study. Dr. Rotelle has done a worthy job of introducing each treatise and has guaranteed that these treatises will be available for the modern debate.

This is a collection of short works by Augustine on the title subject (marriage and virginity). The table of contents is as follows:

General Introduction

The Excellence of Marriage (with introduction and notes)

Holy Virginity (with introduction and notes)

The Excellence of Widowhood (with introduction and notes)

Adulterous Marriages (with introduction and notes)

Continence (with introduction and notes)

Index of Scripture

General Index

All of the works in this collection were translated by Ray Kearney. In addition to the General Introduction, each work has a short introduction of its own and notes at the end. The introductions and notes are by David G. Hunter. The introductions aim to provide historical context for the works, with the general introduction providing an overview of the twenty-year period from which these works were written, and the individual introductions providing the background for each particular work. The notes supplied at the end mostly identify Augustine's references to other works, both by himself and by others. The supplementary material is not copious, but doesn't really need to be; none of the works in this collection is obscure or difficult.

"The Excellence of Marriage" was one of Augustine's most influential works. He wrote it to define the purpose of marriage and to defend it as a good - not as good as holy virginity but a good nevertheless. To this end, he defined the purpose of marriage (what goods it brings to those in the married state), and from this what the duties of marriage must therefore be. It is a work at once strange and familiar. It is strange in the pains it takes to defend the idea that marriage is not actually sinful (a charge that few would even think to make today). It is familiar in that many of the most criticized aspects of the Catholic view of marriage, such as the denial of divorce and the sinfulness of non-procreative sex, are presented and defended in this work. It is a powerful presentation of these embattled points of doctrine and well worth reading.

"Holy Virginity" is a work that necessarily followed Augustine's works on marriage. Having defended the goodness of marriage, a defense of the superior goodness of virginity was required. The argument is rhetorical in form and scriptural in content. The main purpose is completed fairly quickly - Augustine draws on the lives of Mary, Jesus, the Apostles, and the teachings of Paul to establish that holy virginity is a good thing. Surprisingly, he then devotes considerable space to warning those practicing virginity not to be over-proud of their state and its superiority over marriage and to caution those practicing virginity to humility.

"The Excellence of Widowhood" is a long letter written to a widow asking Augustine's advice. In content it is fairly thin, but it was interesting to note that in it Augustine explicitly names a simple principal underlying much of his writing - precept first, then exhortation. The precept here (that widowhood is an honorable state) is a small one, and is treated at much more length than its worth would seem to warrant.

"Adulterous Marriages" is a treatment of a variety of possible issues and complications surrounding adultery, particularly with regard to separation and remarriage. It was built on the same theological foundations as "The Good of Marriage", but was aimed less at expounding doctrine than answering possible objections to it and clarifying the finer points. It almost serves as a set of appendices to that prior and more foundational work.

"Continence" was written, surprising as it may seem to a modern audience, not to defend continence but to defend the goodness of creation in general and marriage in particular. The opposing position was Manichaean dualism, which taught that everything good was in the soul and everything bad was in the body. As he so often had to do, Augustine had to attack one extreme while at the same time not seeming to endorse the other.

Get the pre-Vatican II version of the Little Office instead. Why? First of all, the proper number of hours for an office is eight: Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, and Compline. This number fulfills what is written in the book of Psalms, "At midnight I rise to thank thee" (corresponding to Matins), and "Seven times a day I praise Thee" (corresponding to Lauds through Compline). This is how all Offices, for any religious order, were constructed since the Church was founded. As Yogi would say, "you can look it up!". In addition, the language in the older versions is much richer and more reverent as compared to the trite and banal drivel found in the Modernist translations. All Vatican II reforms are trash, brought to you by the Modernist cabal trying to destroy the Church.

This amazing little breviary has been in constant use in the Church since the 11th century. It is a wonderful way to pray the Liturgy of the Hours in the midst of a busy schedule. All seven hours are included; the prayers are short, traditional, and the arrangement can be easily adapted to any rule or circumstance. This book has long been used by religious and, for laypeople, is an extrodinary and simple way to enter deeply into the prayer life of the Churh. It's not complicated or 'flashy,' but is rich and deep and quite profound in its' simplicity - and perhaps that is something that many of us would wish to become also.

An awesome book, nearly comparable to the Divine Office. If one is enrolled in the Order of the Brown Scapular, a MUST have. And from Amazon.com, a great price to meet your orderly requirement. ;)