This book is the first systematic attempt to consider the social and cultural context that shaped the life and thought of Augustine. Carol Harrison shows how his beliefs in both Christian truth and human fallenness effected a decisive break with classical ideals of perfection and shaped the distinctive theology of Western Christiandom.

"...another excellent contribution to the study of Augustine...the book certainly will be a boon, not only to her students, but to any serious students of Augustine...[Harrison's] account of Augustine's teaching on marriage is well balanced and avoids the harsh criticism that is all too often raised against him...the book is a solid contribution to Augustinian scholarship."

"Excellent - concise, judicious, attractively written."

"To treat the life, thought, and cultural climate of Augustine of Hippo is no small feat; to do it as judiciously and as well as Carol Harrison has here, is remarkable. Here is one of the most thorough and articulate sketches of Augustine's life available today, earning a place on the shelf next to Bonner, Bourke, and Brown."

Carol Harrison, Lecturer in the History and Theology of the Latin West, University of Durham