Review: St. Patrick of Ireland

First, some non-review related stuff:

* I'm going to Chicago for two weeks! Woo hoo! Unfortunately I probably won't get to see much of the city itself, since my fiance and I are going there for training with our jobs. But, I'm probably going to have limited if any Internet access between now and June 11. I hope no one forgets me while I'm gone!

* I got to be a guest poster on The Domestic Scientist!! How cool is that? You can check it out here

* So far this year, I've read 37 books! Wow! This is the first year I've ever kept track, though, so I have no idea if that is as good as it sounds for me or not.

Ok, on to the review!
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If I had no discipline whatsoever, I would totally live off of historical fiction alone. However, since I have a fairly wide range of interests, I deliberately challenge myself to try and read a good variety of books. Thus I found myself wandering the biography section of my local library and came across this slim volume. Little did I know I was in for a hugely rewarding treat. To quote the author, "everyone had heard of St. Patrick, of course, but the man most people know is little more than an icon who drove the snakes out of Ireland. This lack of knowledge about the real Patrick is truly regrettable, because he has such an amazing story to tell: a tale of slavery and brutality, pain and self-doubt, sorrow and constant struggle, but ultimately of perserverance, hope, and faith. His letters, in the end, remain as a remarkable gift from an extraordinary man."

Genre: non-fiction, biography

Plot: Freeman strives to once and for all tell the true story of St. Patrick, piecing together what we can from his two extant letters and filling in the gap with his vast knowledge of the British Isles in the 5th century. The result is a hugely fascinating tale focusing on one man, but expanding to include centuries of history and Irish culture. He also includes the whole texts of these letters at the end for the benefit of his readers, an unprecedented move in academic writing, a field that too often leaves much to the layperson's imagination.

Structure: Freeman composes his work around Patrick's probable chronology, beginning with the earliest things we know of him and working his way until his most likely time of death. Freeman also adds chapters about three critical forces in Patrick's ministry--kings, druids, and women--and two other chapters about the context and content of his two letters.

Execution and Style: One of this book's greatest strengths is its ability to flow, seamlessly, from one topic to the next in the author's clear but strangely moving prose. He strives to capture as much as he can about the ancient world but in a very precise, controlled way; likewise, he is dismissive but polite about the supernatural elements of Patrick's life. In short, he is definitive but accessible, knowledgeable but brief.

Theme: 5th century British Isles, the early Irish church, St. Patrick (of course) and many other well-known characters (such as Palladius, Pope Celestine, etc.) connected with him.

Read This If: you are interested in the medieval church, interested in St. Patrick, or just looking for a different sort of biography. It's a good mental exercise without being dry or terse.

4 out of 5 stars.

Other Works:
Julius Caesar: A Biography
The Philosopher and the Druids: Journey Among the Ancient Celts

If you liked this, you might also like:
Roland H. Bainton's seminal biography of Martin Luther, Here I Stand