Jane Elliot Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 If you have studied Augustine or have already planned it out, what did you read? That's the one thing I wish TWTM had: suggestions for selections on the rhetoric great books lists. I realize that she suggests reading just Book 8 of City of God, but does that mean we should read all of Confessions? I might incite a rebellion if I assigned the whole book. I don't know though -- I've never read any Augustine. How do I choose? And, does anyone have any ideas for a study guide to go along with it? I'm sure some of you have paved the path before me, so I'm wondering what you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kate in seattle Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I have read "Confessions" and had my co-op kids read it as well. It was one of our favorites for the year. Some people leave off the last few chapters (his commentary on Genesis) and you can certainly do that. It is a GREAT book. I listened to the Teaching Company tapes; they were superb. It was a highlight for me. We did not read the chapter from the "City of God" because there is a limit to how much one can accomplish. Kate in Seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I have read both. City of God is very very tough. It's just soooooooo long. I really liked Confessions and would highly recommend it. I still remember things from it today and it's been awhile since I read it. It's much more readable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cajun.classical Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 I've been reading Confessions as part of my daily devotional. I like it a lot. It's not a hard read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted July 31, 2008 Share Posted July 31, 2008 We read a translation of Confessions and also watched a Teaching Co lecture series on Augustine which was wonderful, even though the prof was a bit goofy, he was obviously enraptured with Augustine. I think his last name was Carey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 We also just did Confessions, leaving off the last few chapters. It's the story of Augustine's debauchery and conversion (not tmi on the debauchery part, I don't think). I think it's Ch 4 that details his time in the garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Why do some people omit the chapters that discuss Genesis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 Thank you, everyone! I knew I'd get good advice here. We'll do Confessions and *maybe* Book 8 of City of God. Anyone want to recommend a translation/edition? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kate in seattle Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 I listend to the TC tapes by Bill Cook & Ron Herzman, specifically on the "confessions". I just can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the lectures and how they enriched my understanding of the work. The translation THEY recommend is a relatively new one, by Sister Maria Boulding. I think "Confessions" is considered one of, if not the, earliest autobiographies(y). There is definitely a chronological, narrative flow from Book 1 - Infancy (I can't remember being a baby, but I have seen other babies and I am pretty sure this is what I was like) through Book 9 - Death and Rebirth which covers the death of his mother. Book 8, btw, is the famous one "tolle lege, tolle lege". Books 10 - 13 contain his thoughts on memory, time, heaven and earth, and a commentary on the first passages of Genesis. In a way, this makes sense and does flow from the first part of the book. He's saying something like (and here I am paraphrasing Ron and Bill VERY BADLY): I have spent this whole book trying to remember my life and tell you about it and now I want to talk to you about memory and how do we remember and what do we remember. And that makes me think about time; our time and God's time, and so one and so forth. So, lots of people end at the end of the typical 'biography' part of the book and don't read the last 4 'books' (chapters) which are much more philosophical about time, memory, etc. Ron and Bill argue that the work is an organic whole - and ovbiously Augustine wrote it that way. I think if you are a young teen or a busy homeschooling mom, it is JUST FINE to read the first nine chapters. okay, sorry for rambling. Kate in Seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane Elliot Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 I listend to the TC tapes by Bill Cook & Ron Herzman, specifically on the "confessions". I just can't say enough about how much I enjoyed the lectures and how they enriched my understanding of the work. The translation THEY recommend is a relatively new one, by Sister Maria Boulding. I think "Confessions" is considered one of, if not the, earliest autobiographies(y). There is definitely a chronological, narrative flow from Book 1 - Infancy (I can't remember being a baby, but I have seen other babies and I am pretty sure this is what I was like) through Book 9 - Death and Rebirth which covers the death of his mother. Book 8, btw, is the famous one "tolle lege, tolle lege". Books 10 - 13 contain his thoughts on memory, time, heaven and earth, and a commentary on the first passages of Genesis. In a way, this makes sense and does flow from the first part of the book. He's saying something like (and here I am paraphrasing Ron and Bill VERY BADLY): I have spent this whole book trying to remember my life and tell you about it and now I want to talk to you about memory and how do we remember and what do we remember. And that makes me think about time; our time and God's time, and so one and so forth. So, lots of people end at the end of the typical 'biography' part of the book and don't read the last 4 'books' (chapters) which are much more philosophical about time, memory, etc. Ron and Bill argue that the work is an organic whole - and ovbiously Augustine wrote it that way. I think if you are a young teen or a busy homeschooling mom, it is JUST FINE to read the first nine chapters. okay, sorry for rambling. Kate in Seattle Very helpful, Kate. I was hoping you would jump back in with a few more comments. Thank you so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinagirl710 Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 I have a 7th grader who will read this in the fall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted August 3, 2008 Share Posted August 3, 2008 I grew up in St. Louis, and several times a week drove past our local Catholic Church: "St. Monica's". "St. Monica's" was commonly in our conversation, but I never knew who and why the church would choose that name. After reading "Confessions" last year, I know now! She's a faithful Christian mother who prayed for her wayward son for many, many years. The book is fairly easy reading, and SWB reviews it in her book "Well Educated Mind". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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