The Restless Flame: A Novel about St. Augustine

by Louis de Wohl

Book Overview

This is a stirring novel which deals reverently but realistically with the fascinating life and era of St. Augustine, one of the most remarkable men of all time.

In his vigorous and inimitable style, Louis de Wohl tells the story of St. Augustine's transformation from a vain, sensual youth to the brilliant, devout writer and theologian - the man who conquered himself as completely as he did the adversaries of the Church - whose literary and philosophical...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0898706033
• ISBN13: 9780898706031
• Release Date: July 1997
• Publisher: Ignatius Press
• Length: 303 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.4" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

book purchase

Item was received in promisesd condition and shipped immediately as scheduled. very pleased with my purchase.

Augustine's Conversion

This is another one of De Wohl's historical novels on the lives of the saints. The focus of this effort, St. Augustine, is in his youth arrogant, self-seeking and ambitious to a fault. And yet, the young Augustine has a thirst for truth; a thirst that would eventually lead him to the wellspring's of Catholic Christianity.If you have read St. Augustines autobiography, Confessions, you will easily discern that the vast majority of De Wohl's research came from the pen of St. Augustine himself. If you are in the mood to learn about the conversion of one of the greatest doctors of the Church and to be edified by his conversion story, I recommend this book. It certainly leaves out the dry parts of St. Augustine's musings in Confessions, while retaining all the vibrancy of the saint's own conversion. To that end, I highly recommend this book.

The Restless Flame, a well written Catholic novel.

Louis De Wohl does an excellent job telling the story of the life of Saint Augustine. This novel is a wonderful book for any reader and if you are a catholic looking for an introduction to Saint Augustine you should read this book. The novel shows us the errors of Saint Augustine's youth and how he became one of the great doctors of the church. We can relate many of the issues Saint Augustine dealt with to issues we all deal with in the world today. I believe the strength of this novel is how well the author shows us how Augustine felt about his life and why he made the decisions he did. I would recommend this book to any catholic man and to anyone who would like to know more about Saint Augustine. You will not want to put this novel down or want it to end.

Vain youth transformed into Doctor of the Church

As a home educator, I read this book with the intention of screening it for my teen for a school assignment. In no time at all, I found myself unable to put the book down. I read it in just three nights - quite an accomplishment for a mother of five. Louis de Wohl presents the life of Augustine in novel form and makes it very interesting. The reader participates in Augustine's transformation from pagan to Christian. I can't wait to share it with my teen, I think that he will like it as much I did. (note: Before his conversion, Augustine and his friends speak very poorly of women. If sharing this book with a teen, use the opportunity to discuss Augustine's error in treating women as inferior, having a child out of wedlock, etc.) I am glad that there are books such as this one available that make learning history exciting.