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This is a great companion for those who are studying Saint Augustine's works. While the bare facts of Augustine's life are well known, his religious and intellectual interests pre-conversion are less so. Yet making sense of Augustine's writings and spiritual trajectory arguably requires at least some knowlege of the Neoplatonist ideas that he engaged with and wrote about prior to becoming a Christian. It's equally important to have an idea of the controversies within Catholicism at the time Augustine was a bishop to understand some of his theological positions. Chadwick provides all of this context with great clarity, and this book has a comprehensive bibliography for those who wish to follow up on any particular points.

In addition, this book provides a sense of just how far-reaching Augustine's influence has been throughout the centuries, not only on the level of Christianity, but also across various academic disciplines to this day. He really was a brilliant intellectual and prolific writer. Upon reading this, it became apparent that Augustine had anticipated some trends in philosophy that were presented as 'new' to me back in the '90s as being 'post-Christian', such as post-structuralism. Highly recommended.