“Augustine of Hippo” was first published in 1967 and then recently revised in 2000, with a new epilogue that dealt with a whole new breed of archeological evidence that emerged between the two dates. Augustine lived from 354-430 AD. While this may seem distant from the modern consciousness, Brown has a special gift for immersing us in Augustine’s writing style (which is timeless) and relating it to the history and culture of the period. Another wonderful technique of Brown’s biography is to let Augustine, for the most part, speak for himself — what one reader described as an “almost like a mediated autobiography, an expanded “Confessions,” if you will.”

It makes for a great summer read because the chapters are short and to the point allowing the reader to forge his way through it. It is however that great book (500+ pages) that makes for a wonderful vacation read. One of the things I think you will find in it is a correlation between Augustine’s times and our own: note the “three fold Christian task” below and tell me if that has not changed at all.

One anecdote I recently read about its creation is even more fascinating and should be told to every masters thesis research scholar: “Turns out that Brown had not developed any special interest in Augustine until the end of his undergraduate studies. Being pressed for a thesis topic, with a deadline approaching, he picked Augustine almost at random. He then set about to master Augustine, and in just two years ended up writing the definitive bio that changed the field forever.” Is that a hoot or what? Another vote for “Follow your passion.”

The bibliography takes up eighteen pages and in a triumph of scholarship Brown uses primary sources in Latin, as well as, scholarly works in English, German and French. He is also a master of the anecdote and of the memorable “obscure” fact which makes him a favorite of mine. For instance, he tells us that in the Fourth century the image of Christ was that of a teacher, and a philosopher. There were no crucifixes in the Fourth century, and the concept of the suffering Savior did not exist.

I don’t know if anyone has noticed but my way of reviewing a book is to share the reading selections I made from it. So here is a few of what I considered the best of Peter Brown’s “Augustine of Hippo:”

The Importance of Confession
“It will not be held against you, that you are ignorant against your will, but that you neglected to seek out what it is that makes you ignorant not that you cannot bring together your wounded limbs, that you reject Him that would heal them. No man that has been deprived of his ability to know that it is essential to find out what it is that it is damaging not to be aware of; and to know that he should confess his weakness so that He can help him who seeks hard and confesses.”

The rest is here:

http://payingattentiontothesky.com/20...

(I read the old edition.) Titanic is the word that came to mind as I read. Augustine, his theology, his philosophy, his pastoral ministry, his interaction with the state, his defenses of orthodoxy come alive in this wonderful biography by Peter Brown. Brown emphasizes Augustine's intellectual labors and how his thought matured over the years. I was especially convicted by his love for his flock and his compassion towards them. Brown's discussion of the Donatist controversy and the Pelagian controversy were excellent. I never realized how much passion Augustine had and how deeply he felt certain things. I did not come close to absorbing all that was discussed, but what I got was exciting. Two specific things came out of the reading: First, I want to think better and deeper. Second, I want to get Augustine's sermons.

An excellent picture of the man and what shaped him. Brown is an adept biographer; his treatment of St. Augustine reads almost like a novel. I would be a lot more enthusiastic about biographies if they were this well-presented. This served as a great tool to prompt interest in Augustine's works, namely, his confessions and City of God.

A fine biography. Augustine was a troubled intolerant zealot by the standards of his age as well as ours.

I read the old version, which was fine. Augustine spanned the gap between the classic world and the emerging world of the middle ages. He started life as a Manichee and flirted with neo-platonism before settling down to life as the bishop of Hippo in Roman Africa. His was a very "Roman African" kind of career (a phrase which meant nothing to me before this book). Roman African Christianity was a "purer" form that was less influenced by decadent Roman/Italian ways. In fact, the main schism of Augustine's time, the Donatists, had split from the Catholic church over the issue of Christian collaboration with Roman pagan authorites.

Throughout his career Augustine stood for the religion of church and parishioner (as supposed to the religion of the monastaries). His theology emphasized original sin and supported baptism at birth. Humans needed Christianity as a weary traveller needs an inn.

He was a prolific writer, but always anchored his writing in current events. For example, City of God was written after the sack of Rome by Alaric the Visigoth(love those names) sent patrician Romans(who were Pagans) scurrying to Africa for succor.

I felt I got a better sense of the "life and times" of Augustine as supposed to his thought and ideas. Not that I have a problem with that. Augustine is an important transitional figure between the classical and christian worlds, and his times give the reader of what it was like to live during the fall of the western roman empire.

I recommnend it for people interested in Augustine himself or the time period in general.

a great insight to a complex man. I would recommend this book for anyone who has thoroughly experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ and has the capability to maintain their attention for significant depth

4.6 Stars - Top Read of 2020

Peter Brown has written a phenomenal biography of one of the great men in church history, Augustine of Hippo. This is the first book about Augustine that I have read and so my expertise on this subject is minimal, but I would have to say that this Augustine biography is an excellent read.
Peter Brown's biography of Augustine is not a conventional one. This book is a scholarly work but is also incredibly accessible. Brown both uses accessible language and skillfully brings us into the culture and world of the 4th century BC. Brown's emphasis on the cultural background of the life of Augustine is the strongest point of his book and what makes it unconventional. The outline of Augustine's life is a bit harder to trace in this book, but Brown is heavy-handed on the background and culture that influenced Augustine.

Brown traces Augustine's life from his birth in Northern Africa, to his dabbling with Manichaeism, to his conversion, his battling with the Donatists, his writing on Confessions & the City of God, and his death. The highest points of Brown's book are his analysis of Augustine's platonic influences and his thinking behind writing the Confessions and the City of God. Brown balances Augustine well, showing Augustine's pastoral care and desire to proclaim that grace was something accessible to all believers, not just the elite bishops and ascetics. The weakest point of Brown's book is simply the structure. Brown merely hints at the flow of events of Augustine's life and spends most of the time unpacking the cultural, philosophical, and historical influences behind those events.

Yet, I found this book to be a profound, and insightful look into the life of Augustine. Brown approaches the topic of Augustine's life humbly and truly shows the pastoral nature of a man who was indebted to God's grace and was seeking to protect that truth. This biography is more advanced though and is heavy on cultural background, rather than Augustine's life and theology. I highly recommend this book as a secondary read for the casual reader, but the first read for scholars and students.

https://loveaboundinginknowledge.word...

me: i want to make this class an honors course
professor: okay, pick a topic
me: Augustine
professor: sweet heres a massive biography about his life down to the smallest details

ive never read a biography this long, or any book that’s purely a biography but i had a good time reading this even though it was arduous at times

Helpful source. The 2000 edition reprinted the 1967 biography (which was and is a very good presentation of Augustine's life) with over 100 pages of additional findings and research in the decades since its original publication.

9/2/15 Found out about Augustine through the David Brooks book "The Road To Character" where most chapters take up a life lived as an example of lives that obtain a deeper meaning than the accumulation of wealth.

So very good

I have read alot of biographies and this one was recommended as a great one on Augustine. But sadly this book was just a bit to technical for me.