Typically I'm not a fan of books of 'selections' I would rather sit down and read a book cover to cover and find an author's thoughts, ancient or otherwise, in context.

That being said I have never read Irenaeus's Against Heresies cover-to-cover, but only in fits and starts. And this isn't just an ordinary edition of the 'Essential Irenaeus.'

With selections compiled and introduced by Hans Urs von Balthasar, arguably Roman Catholicism's greatest 20th Century theologian, Irenaeus words come to life. I enjoyed pondering these, and really appreciated Balthasar's commentary. ( )