Finished Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilization"

I enjoyed Thomas Cahill's "How the Irish Saved Civilization". This work was popular history and provided a factual and lyrically overview of the time period from the fall of Rome to the Middle Ages. The two major historical figures of Christine and Irish histories highlighted in the book were Augustine of Hippo to Saint Patrick. Cahill's description of Augustine's Confessions, as the first time emergence of the self-conscious "I" in human literature and philosophy I did not know.

I also enjoyed much of the early Irish poetry Cahill included in his book. Here are a couple of stanzas from "The Hermit's Song":

Grant me sweet Christ the grace to find-
Son of the living God!-
A small hut in a lonesome spot
To make it my adobe.

A little pool but very clear
To stand beside the place
Where all men's sins are washed away
By sanctifying grace.

A pleasant woodland all about
To shield it from the wind,
And to make a home for singing birds
Before it and behind.

A southern aspect for the heat
A stream along its foot,
A smooth green lawn with rich top soil
Propitious to all fruit.
(pg. 151-152)

The poem goes on to describe the establishment of a small abbot of monks. This opening really speaks to my desire to create a simple life for myself, that really I don't need more than this monk needed over a thousand years ago.