~3 stars~
Not exactly a page turner. Then again, I read it online.

In "Against the Manichees," St Augustine presents a defense of the creation account of Genesis against the Manichees, a religion that accepted the authority of the New Testament, but not the old. The arguments resonate in a time where Genesis is attacked on all sides on a daily basis. It presents close arguments, supporting the veracity of the biblical account that can be used well in conjunction with the modern understanding of evolution and the early formation of the universe.

"On a Literal Interpretation of Genesis" was left unfinished by St Augustine. He only got through the first chapter of Genesis, but it is a very detailed attempt to analyse the text, using four different forms of interpretation, on each verse. I think it works out best being familiar with some of St Augustine's other work on Genesis, or being exceedingly familiar with Genesis itself.

Finally Finished this whole thin. This is hard to rate as is has been so long, and it is a very odd work. St. Augustine asks more questions and proposes more theories than he does answer questions, although he does point out thoughts that are wrong. But, don't go into this thinking Genesis will make complete sense. It won't. But you can still appreciate the time and effort he put into pulling apart several issues, even if for us, we may feel like certain ideas are no longer and issue. There is still solid theology here, and reverence for God, and a snapshot of the ways the Christians could see Scripture. I don't even know who I'd recommend this for other than people who are all in on Augustine, or just want to read something challenging for the sake of it. But, it's certainly not bad. I just probably wouldn't have chosen to read it, knowing it was some clean in what our book study might have wanted.

How do you rate a book which, though written by one of the Church's greatest theologians, is nonetheless a mixed bag in terms of content? The book is full of both stellar and less-than-stellar stuff. Agusutine's insights are often very helpful, but need to be tempered by conservative modern scholarship. Most readers won't be fans of his allegorical method and how it is on occasion ill-used. Augustine's neoplatonic leanings shine through in some unfortunate ways as well. And yet the book was helpful to me, at least in the fact that it presented some different ways of reading the Bible - ways that I was not used to. Helpful for those interested in allegorical method. Can't recommend it to anyone who hasn't read Augustine before; you should start with Confessions or City of God, not this.

Reading this with my dad, who also has begun to enjoy Augustine. We mean to finish it within two months. My paperback edition has a nicer cover.

Well, that didn't happen. I read the first three, but got bogged down in the longest commentary. Maybe another day. In this translation, Augustine's style is homely, inelegant.