Augustine's ‘doctrine’ of grace, which concedes no possibility to human beings to liberate themselves from their fallen states of their own accord, is central to his thinking, and forms presumably its most controversial and arguably its most influential part. It deals with the fundamentals of human existence, like the meaning and direction of our existence, our place in creation, human responsibility, freedom of the will and factors outside of an individual's control (which can be dubbed fate or predestination). At the dawn of the twenty-first century these issues are as burning and as unresolved as ever, which is why this part of Augustine's thought continues to attract genuine interest even outside theological experts. Since the inception of this ‘doctrine’, reactions to it have been vehement, polarised, extreme and often influenced by (wilful or unintentional) misunderstandings and misinterpretations. Entire cultures have been informed by it in their ethical and cultural conduct, now often in a secularised form which has forgotten the historical roots of its present-day actuality. Gerald Bonner, an eminent Augustinian scholar, has now undertaken the courageous task of presenting a study of this thorny subject which is well written, clear and without unnecessary jargon, and which frequently offers crucial passages in the original with an English translation. It is a judicious presentation of texts and contexts that help to explain the genesis of this aspect of Augustine's teaching and can be recommended without reservation to both the specialist and the interested newcomer alike. Bonner is particularly to be praised for his successful attempt at characterising this ‘doctrine’ in an unbiased way: he emphasises the historical context in which Augustine's claim that not all will be saved was not that much of a problem. Particularly important is his conclusion that Augustine as a dogmatic teacher of grace and as a spiritual teacher of love are not compatible and hard to harmonise. Augustine as the ‘pessimistic’ theorist pondering about the mysteries of human existence in the light of the act of creation, the fall and salvation through the incarnation, has to be distinguished sharply from the ‘optimistic’ pastoral concern of a successful preacher and church leader. Bonner correctly highlights that Augustine, the ‘theologian of paradox’, never attempted to write a coherent systematic summa of his theological thought, but that it was typical of him to argue against what he believed to be heretical challenges, as a rhetorical fighter aiming at persuasion at any cost, and often working on several such tasks at the same time. Apart from all its other virtues, this book's great achievement is to urge us to think more about the ‘doctrine’ of grace (despite its sometimes forbidding tone) as an opening meditation, rather than as a closing dictate, about the limited possibilities of human existence and intellect which at the same time are existentially driven towards some kind of fulfilment.