I have just finished reading, We Look for a Kingdom, The Everyday Lives of the Early Christians by Carl J. Sommer, a researcher in Historical Theology. It presents a description of the lives, beliefs, and practices of early Christians in the 200 years following the death of the last apostle, i.e. 100 - 313 A.D. Although scholarly with ample notes and bibliography it is written simply for the general reader.
Many of the same controversies and problems of the modern age were also part of the earliest years of Christianity. This book casts light on the lives of the early Christians and traces the development of their understanding of many key concepts and beliefs. I was especially interested in the topics that are presently in modern discussion, i.e. abortion, care of the poor, priestly celbacy, the role of women in the church, service in the armed forces, marriage and divorce among many others.
I recommend it highly. It is fairly long, about 400 pages, but is divided into self sustaining chapters that can be read in any order that interests you.
It will be added to the library by Thursday, March 22nd.