Confessions of X by Suzanne M. Wolfe

Before he became a father of the Christian Church, Augustine of Hippo loved a woman whose name has been lost to history. This is her story.

She met Augustine in Carthage when she was seventeen. She was the poor daughter of a mosaic-layer; he was a promising student and heir to a fortune. His brilliance and passion intoxicated her, but his social class would be forever beyond her reach. She became his concubine, and by the time he was forced to leave her, she was thirty years old and the mother of his son. And his Confessions show us that he never forgot her. She was the only woman he ever loved.

In a society in which classes rarely mingle on equal terms, and an unwed mother can lose her son to the burgeoning career of her ambitious lover, this anonymous woman was a first-hand witness to Augustine’s anguished spiritual journey from secretive religious cultist to the celebrated Bishop of Hippo.

Available @ Amazon as well as other retailers

Biography

Suzanne M. Wolfe grew up in Manchester, England and read English Literature at Oxford University, where she co-founded the Oxford C.S. Lewis Society. She is Writer in Residence at Seattle Pacific University and has taught literature and creative writing there since 2000. Wolfe is the author of Unveiling: A Novel (Paraclete Press, 2004). Twenty five years ago, she and her husband, Gregory Wolfe, co-founded Image, a journal of the arts and faith. They have also co-authored many books on literature and prayer including Books That Build Character: How to Teach Your Child Moral Values Through Stories (with William Kirk Kilpatrick, Simon & Schuster, 1994), and Bless This House: Prayers For Children and Families (Jossey-Bass, 2004). Her essays and blog posts have appeared in Image and other publications. Wolfe is currently working on a series of mystery novels set in Elizabethan London. She and her husband are the parents of four grown children. They live in Richmond Beach, Washington.

Here is what I thought......
I have really enjoyed reading this book. I must admit though, it is  a lot to take in. I can only read a few chapters at a time. It is very emotionally charged and heart stirring. I can't imagine having such a deep, deep love and devotion to someone only to be seen as less than another woman. I found X to be very much a sad person whom you just want to hug and love on because of all the things that have gone on in her life. I wanted to know her and be friends with her. I did find the writing a bit different than what I am used to. It was a little bit hard to follow at times. As I said before this story is very emotional and thought provoking. I think if you enjoy reading about history and romance you will enjoy this book. I am enjoying it so far. I think I would like to know more about X and others like her during this time period. I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.