Saint Augustine / Confessions. Jean-Jacques Rousseau / The Confessions.

Description: Saint Augustine / Confessions. Jean-Jacques Rousseau / The Confessions. Yes, you should read them both. The "first autobiography in Western Civilization" and what is widely regarded as the first modern biography. Written between 397 and 400 A.D., “The Confessions of Saint Augustine” is thought to be the first autobiography in Western civilization and is considered by many to be one of the most important religious works of all time. While not a complete account of Augustine’s life, for Augustine wrote “Confessions” in his early forties and would live well into his seventies, it is one of the most complete first-hand accounts of anyone’s life from the fourth or fifth century, in which the author outlines the sins of his youth and conversion to Christianity. “The Confessions” tells of its author’s upbringing in Algeria, his place at the Imperial court of Milan, his struggle to overcome his sexual desires, and the ultimate dedication of his life to Christ and Christian ways. “The Confessions” are not simply a recount of the author’s life but a true exploration of what it is to be Christian and the struggles that one must overcome in order to find Christ and live a more pious life. A pioneering work of autobiography, “The Confessions” remains one of the most important works of spiritual devotion ever written. The Confessions of Saint Augustine is considered the all time number one Christian classic. It is an extended poetic, passionate, intimate prayer. Augustine was probably forty-three when he began this endeavor. He had been a baptized Catholic for ten years, a priest for six, and a bishop for only two. His pre-baptismal life raised questions in the community. Was his conversion genuine? The first hearers were captivated, as many millions have been over the following sixteen centuries. Widely regarded as the first modern autobiography, The Confessions is an astonishing work of acute psychological insight. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-78) argued passionately against the inequality he believed to be intrinsic to civilized society. In his Confessions he relives the first fifty-three years of his radical life with vivid immediacy - from his earliest years, where we can see the source of his belief in the innocence of childhood, through the development of his philosophical and political ideas, his struggle against the French authorities and exile from France following the publication of Emile. Depicting a life of adventure, persecution, paranoia, and brilliant achievement, The Confessionsis a landmark work by one of the greatest thinkers of the Enlightenment, which was a direct influence upon the work of Proust, Goethe and Tolstoy among others.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Price: 10.5 USD

Location: West Hartford, Connecticut

End Time: 2024-03-01T19:41:52.000Z

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