The Confessions of Saint Augustine
Bishop of Hippo (AD 401)

The Confessions of Saint Augustine is one of the earliest and most famous autobiographies in Western literature — and probably the only one that begins with the writer shouting directly at God.

Written around 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo (later canonised as a saint, despite a rather colourful youth), The Confessions is part spiritual memoir, part philosophical treatise, and part dramatic monologue. It’s essentially Augustine's open letter to God, where he bares his soul, unpacks his sins, and offers some surprisingly relatable reflections — all while quoting Scripture with the enthusiasm of a man who clearly didn’t expect page numbers to exist yet.

So, what’s it about?

In a nutshell: “Dear God, sorry about the first 30 years.”

Augustine begins by confessing everything from petty theft (he once stole pears just for the thrill, not because he was hungry) to more existential misdeeds, such as loving pleasure more than truth. He candidly describes his journey from wild youth and flirtation with weird cults (looking at you, Manichaeism), to a long, slow U-turn into Christian faith.

Highlights include:

• His infamous prayer: “Lord, make me chaste... but not yet.”
• His philosophical wrestling with time, memory, and the nature of God (in case you thought this was just spiritual journaling).
• A deeply moving account of the death of his saintly mother, Monica, who prayed for him so fervently you’d think he was a wayward rock star.

Why does it matter?

Because it was the original tell-all — deeply introspective, brutally honest, and wildly ahead of its time. Augustine’s willingness to admit his flaws, question everything, and still end up a Doctor of the Church makes him feel strangely modern.

Also, it's a literary paradox: a private conversation with God written in public for everyone to read. Think of it as the world’s first spiritual blog, just written in Latin and without the cat photos.

Contents

• Book I
• Book II
• Book III
• Book IV
• Book V
• Book VI
• Book VII
• Book VIII
• Book IX
• Book X
• Book XI
• Book XII
• Book XIII