Part of the 'Saints Alive' series.
The saints are gurus for our times. Despite historical distance, bizarre stories about them, and their obvious human frailty, their lives reflect a deep level of truth. They have become icons to last through the ages, pointing beyond themselves to profound truths about the spiritual world and our place within it. 'Saints Alive' introduces the stories of the saints, reflects on their meaning for today and shows that true wisdom is timeless.
Augustine was the first modern man, someone who wrote out his own story in his Confessions, who wrestled to understand his motivation, his dreams and the life of the unconscious. He fathered an illegitimate son and then, on his conversion, abandoned the child's mother. He took risks, trying out different life styles until he found the one that worked for him. He dared to ask questions of God and of his own experience, grappling with the truth. The life of Augustine was troubled and fascinating, and his questions honest and uncompromising.