Rating: 
Summary: Amazing, Beautifully written.
Review: Their are ceartin books that resonate so much, that I find them hard to right about. The Spiral Stair-Case my climb out of darkness is one. Both of my parents Roman Catholic Theology was simple, God was a person in the sky on a cloud. Perhaps it was natural I would become a professed athiest for many years. But as I read Gandhi, Got involved in the peace and non-violence movement, and even the catholic worker movement, I realized my cathecism was right in the end, "God is Love." And he lies not in the heavens, but he resides in the hearts of all of us. So like T.S. Eliot even as I tried to get of the staircase, I found myself going up towards spirtual enlightment. Like Karen Armstrong I realize now that religion is, "not about belief, it is about practice." Like Karen Armstron, I am following my own cloud of unknowing, ever upward towards the light
Rating:
Summary: Infirm Glory
Review: "Because I cannot hope to turn again," wrote T S Eliot (in WASH WEDNEDSAY), "Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something/ Upon which to rejoice." Karen Armstrong tells us what a meaningful poem ASH WEDNESDAY has been to her for much of her life, and how it fits in on her voyage up the spiral stair. Once she was a young girl--then a nun--then a rebel-- then she came out into the world again, sick and disillusioned with religion, with a pure hatred of God.
Little by little did a queer kind of grace fall upon her upturned brow in a series of turns no one could have predicted. Her quest for spiritual self-knowledge started all over again, and she wrote BEGINNING THE WORLD about 20 years ago as the full extent of these changes became clear to her. I felt a little betrayed, having been a fan of BEGINNING THE WORLD for so long, to find out that Ms. Armstrong now regards her earlier book as a "mistake," an abortive and failed memoir. If this were so you'd think she would take it off the market and not accept any money for its sale.
Such revisionism makes you wonder if, some years from now, her moody nature will change its mind once again and declare THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE as flawed and untruthful. I hate to sound sacriligious but the singer Eddie Fisher wrote one autobiography, then twenty years later he did the same thing as Ms. Armstrong--denounced the earlier one and promoted the new one as being the real truth he was too blind to see earlier. This said, it is still an amazing achievement, and she has such a beautiful prose style you might read this book even if it was presented as a poem by Walter Savage Landor.
Rating: 
Summary: Her personal failings are the Catholic church's fault...
Review: ...or so Karen Armstrong would have you think. Armstrong practices a "creepy" sort of niceness. She comes across as level headed [not after this book though!] and as someone who espouses that religions should teach love for all mankind. The creepiness crawls in when she slips the vials of poison about Catholicism in her writings that belies her demeanor.Armstrong puts herself down at times, but even when doing so she leaves the impression that, really, its Catholicisms' fault. Never Armstrong herself. The benefit of her autobiography is that is shines the light on her career of anti-Catholicism. And quite a career [and cash] she's gotten out of it. How sad, attack Judiasm and you are [rightfully] condemned. Attack Islam and you are ignorant and hateful. Conduct a low-level attack Catholicism throughout your career and you are accepted. Shame on you Karen Armstrong. And take your own advice.
Rating:
Summary: A moving story
Review: A well told story about finding the meaning of life. The reviewers who disliked this book were obviously upset because Karen has views about God and religion they don't agree with. They say she blames God and the Catholic church for her woes,which only suggests these reviews made the book a quick read. Armstrongs intellectual insights are far richer than their religious prejudices. I highly recommend.
Rating:
Summary: Karen Armstrong revealed -- to me
Review: After reading "A History of God" and "The Battle for God", the author's spirituality remained a mystery. Both books were objective in the extreme, beautifully written, concise, clear, but devoid of personal hints about the source of such wisdom. I just finished reading "The Spiral Staircase" over a 10 hour, spellbound day. Finally, I know the source to be a real, suffering, questing, human being. Other reviewers have summarized the book and extracted the pearls. I'll refrain, but plead with you to read this book. It cannot fail to move the spirit in each of us. Thank you, Karen Armstrong!!
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational In More Ways Than One
Review: Having been a participant at several lectures by Ms.
Armstrong and as the owner of every book she has written,
I would have been pre-disposed to like this book. But
in learning about Ms. Armstrong's life I am even more
amazed by her incredible story of perserverence. The
story is inspirational in demonstrating how apparent
setbacks can be a springboard to greater things.Ms. Armstrong's
humility in spite of best selling books, accolades and
the SRO audiences that routinely pack her every appearance
is genuine. She admitted being unable to pray (a distinct
disadvantage for a nun!), unable to mold to the requirements
of convent life and when thrust into academic life faced
yet another failure when her PhD was literally snatched
away by some political wrangling. Yet she perservered,
in spite of an undiagnosed illness, in spite of not fitting
into the various careers she'd originally staked out.
Never would she have expected to find herself in the Holy
Land working on the story of the life of St. Paul. But
this proved to be the stepping stone to her current
position as an authority on world religions Her desire to LEARN whenever confronted by a situation or population or religion
is also inspirational. Ms Armstrong loves study and
demonstrates how learning itself can be a religious experience.
She is open minded, ready to let the facts speak for themselves
and not bring any of her own baggage to cloud the waters. The final chapter where Ms Armstrong 'pulls it all together'
is worth the price of the book. It's an incredible story
about a self made success. Lisa N
Rating:
Summary: A real treasure
Review: I found great comfort in this book. Ms. Armstrong's experience with doubt, loss of faith, etc. reflect my own. She articulated exactly how I have felt. I have enjoyed Ms. Armstrong's writing for quite some time. I have read many of her books. Her writings on Islam, Buddha, Judaism, Holy Wars, the Crusades, etc. are lovely to read. She can articulate heady religious concepts in easy to understand terms. I feel I almost have a degree in comparative religion thanks to her! It was lovely to read a book with a more personal perspective. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Written From The Heart
Review: I listen to Karen Armstrong's History of God often and I just love her work. Before reading this book I only knew little about her personal life and experiences, and the rumors were not helping at all.
This book was really eye-opening and I enjoyed reading it a great deal. I enjoy reading the last 20 pages when she talks about compassion for other religion and people even more. I recommend this book to whomever who has stopped believing in God.
Rating:
Summary: To Thine Own Self be True
Review: I love this book, thank you Karen Armstrong for the amazing honesty of your journey. It has given me the insight, courage and conviction to "follow my bliss" and to accept the "cloud of unknowing". Being in recovery from two major mental illnesses, I strongly identify with the pain, rejection and mystery of not being sure of one's own mind at times. I do hope Ms. Armstrong will continue to write more as she continues her wonderful exploration.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing book-- from a great woman
Review: I must say that there is something in this book for everyone. Karen Armstrong explores some of the deepest questions and longings of the human race today--- and throughout time, and draws from her own experience to bring greater levels of understanding. Going from a woman who did not "find God" in the convent to almost completely disbelieving in God and back again to finding true spirituality and life, Karen Armstrong has an amazing story to tell, and she brings amazing philosophical and metaphysical insight. At first it may seem as though Armstrong is completely against religion, as she swore she was at one time. But she is actually doing the opposite. She doesn't find God to being some mere Supreme Being up in the heavens, but also immanent in our world and "the ground of all being and in the depth of the human psyche" (last chapter)." I've always wondered, what if God was greater than we imagined God to be? What if we can reach greater levels of growth as human beings in the world right here and now? What if all religions contained truth and all mythology was not simply based on human ignorance and stupidity? Thanks Karen Armstrong, for helping me to realize a little more that perhaps that is all not just wishful thinking. A great read for everyone!
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