"Well-written, clear, and informed, they have a breezy wit about them.
I find them hard to stop reading."New York Times

"Witty, illuminating, and blessedly concise."Wall Street Journal

"I cannot think of a better way to introduce oneself and one's friends to Western
civilization."Boston Globe

Augustine's struggles with sex and a domineering mother, followed by his spiritual
crisis and conversion to Christianitydetailed in his Confessionsultimately led him to
his major contribution to philosophy: the fusion of the two doctrines of Christianity and
Neoplatonism. This not only provided Christianity with a strong intellectual backing but tied it to
the Greek tradition of philosophy. In this way Christianity managed to keep the flame of philosophy
burning, however dimly, through the Dark Ages. Augustine also produced important philosophic
ideas of his own, including theories of time and subjective knowledge that anticipated by many
centuries the work of Kant and Descartes.

In St. Augustine in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of St. Augustine's
life and ideas and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world.
The book also includes selections from St. Augustine's work, a brief list of suggested readings for those
who wish to delve deeper, and chronologies that place St. Augustine within his own age and in the
broader scheme of philosophy.

Paul Strathern earned a degree in philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin, and has lectured in philosophy and mathematics. A Somerset Maugham prize winner, he has written books on history, philosophy, and travel as well as five novels. His articles have appeared in numerous publications, including the Observer (London) and the Irish Times. He lives and writes in London.

Earphones Awards recipient Robert Whitfield was born in England and worked for the BBC for ten years as a radio news announcer and also worked as a narrator for the Royal National Institute for the Blind in London. In addition to narrating for Blackstone Audiobooks, he involves himself in numerous stage-acting projects in the United States and Europe.