Naomi's review
Vita Brevis : A Letter to St Augustine by Jostein Gaarder
Naomi's review
rating:
bookshelves: история, мозговая-власть
status: Read in October, 2008, read count: 1
rating:
bookshelves: история, мозговая-власть
status: Read in October, 2008, read count: 1
The idea of this book is so seductive, along the lines of Yourcenor's "Hadrian's Memoirs', of bringing to life history with a glimpse into the thoughts and private life of a 4th century woman. It seems to me somehow that the ideas she espouses are thoroughly modern however much I agree with them - I wonder if her arguments could conceivably have been argued by one of her situation and epoch. I am not particularly familiar with the era but enjoyed the glimpse of the cusp between the classical and the medieval - the author seems more classical in her thinking whilst Augustine, with his extreme hatred of the flesh and the 'impermanent' seems to embrace the coming dark ages where the church held sway over the minds of men in such a limiting and impermeable fog for so long. All in all a very enjoyable read - with quotations of classical authors and philosophers brought to life. There's something about philosophy and mythology used in this way that makes it a living breathing thing.
