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Historical Saint Augustine: A Life by Garry Wills $13 / Penguin Books / 2005 In this stunning biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Gary Wills sheds new light on the controversial St. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD). Forget the lurid vision of a sexual profligate or the church's revered image of a sainted genius. Instead, this is a remarkable study of a man whose brilliant mind and spiritual longing ruled his destiny. Beginning with Augustine's early life in Thagaste and chronicling his travels throughout the Roman Empire, Wills delves through the facts and opens them up to his own keen observation. The resulting narrative is a lively, perceptive interpretation of Augustine's life and work. His spiritual journey from pagan to Christian is clarified when presented in the context of his early education, beloved comrades, and political influences. Wills' wit and humor also give his subject a surprisingly contemporary feel. Augustine is presented as he truly was: a brilliant thinker and dynamic leader whose introspective nature made him aware of his very human shortcomings. Yet there is more here than a simple biography-this is also an exploration of religion as it existed at the beginning of the Dark Ages. From this seed grew the roots of medieval theology and later, the many branches of the Christian faith. Those desiring a greater understanding of the church doctrine that dominated medieval thought will find that this book makes such scholarly efforts delightfully palatable. But the greatest accomplishment of this book is in its portrayal of Augustine as neither sinner nor saint. He seems instead an ordinary man blessed with extraordinary intellect, whose work just happened to leave an indelible mark on the evolution of faith. —Shantel M. Sellers

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