Rating: 
Summary: Erudite and readable
Review: In this book Karen Armstrong (who spent 7 years as a nun at a Catholic convent) leads us through the wildest wild goose chase ever conjured up by the human imagination____ the quest for God . This account is balanced , remarkably well-researched and above all READABLE . Her conclusion is something I've always instinctively felt to be true deep inside my bones _____ Man created God in his own image (not vice versa ) and as man evolves (for the better or worse) so does the CONCEPTION (no pun intended !) of God he carries in his mind. Going through this book is truly a mind-stretching and soul enriching exercise .
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: Open your mind and read this account of religious history.
Rating: 
Summary: Too Subjective
Review: This isn't "history," it's a personal crusade. As mentioned earlier by a reader from Reston, VA, Karen Armstrong's book is masked as an objective historical review, however the pervading tone is highly personal and subjective. A quick read of her self-introduction and personal background sheds further light - she is a former member of the Catholic Church. When I was reading her book, I was constantly asking myself "why is she so angry?" And "with who or what is she so angry?" Although the book is full of fun and fascinating facts, these facts just didn't feel like the focal point of her book. A true fact is objective by definition, unfortunately however, when facts are delivered along side opinionated assumptions and interpretations as Armstrong did, the facts cease to straightforward. It is very important for readers to try to understand the intentions of an author and to read for tone and voice. These are the motives that color the context they deliver. Armstrong's voice sounded rather bitter and her book felt as if she was trying to prove something to herself. For something to be purely historical (if there is a thing) the information can't be manipulated and peppered with as many personal conclusions as found in this book. Please leave the conclusions to the reader. The book had a lot of potential - - it is just disappointing that she let her own passions heavily taint it.
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Summary: If this won't shake your thinking, nothing will!
Review: A History of God was one of the most important books I've read. Karen Armstrong fearlessly, yet respectfully, traces the history of monotheistic thought from its earliest conception to the present day, all in a readable, lay-language book. It doesn't get much better, in my opinion. However, be cautioned. If you are inclined to cling to old dogma, or frightened by the possibility that God might not be exactly what you were taught in Sunday School, then don't bother picking up this book. It will haunt you. On the other hand, if you are seeking a more clear picture of who God might really be, if you are open to the possibility that our concept of Him has evolved enormously since the days of Abraham, then this might be an excellent read for you. Besides a good history lesson, it is insightful for the Western reader to gain an understanding of the "non-Christian" monotheistic traditions, i.e. Judaism and Islam. Armstrong does a wonderful (and contrary to some critics, I believe a FAIR) job of explaining how both Christianity and later Islam branched off of the Judaic traditions. Above all, it places the evolution of the God-concept into its cultural context, without which, our current God-concept is little more than a wholesale belief in so much mythology. Be prepared to think, to change your mind, and to emerge from the end of this book a changed person.
Rating:
Summary: Thought Provoking...
Review: If you're not open minded and willing to learn things that are perhaps a bit against the current dogma of the day don't bother reading this. I was very impressed with the amount of research the author has placed into this and the thought process she used... in my opinion she has quite a bit of courage to attempt to show religion (of any type) in a historical context since there are so many out there who feel that religion should only be faith based. The editorial reviews say what this book is about better then I could so I won't bother with a synopsis just my very high recommendation to the open minded to read this.
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Summary: "Bias" according to a Christian ...
Review: ... is anything that disagrees with the conception of Christianity held by that same Christian: if you say, correctly, that God -- being SUPERnatural -- is not provable or knowable by mere NATURAL -- that is, scientific or rational -- means, a Creation Scientist will scream "bias" or "unbalanced"! Anyone who is interested -- truly interested -- in learning about the nature of God must read this book. God is our conception of ultimate nature; our conception of that changes, because WE change. No Christian would say that God has a body (except for Jesus's, which is a separate issue), which means that God does not exist -- physically, naturally. God is an idea: the ultimate idea, whether or not you're gung ho about the word itself. "A History of God" is an absolutely enthralling collection of knowledge for any true seekers with an open mind. Occasionally, her arguments seem incomplete, and bear further looking into, but the scope of the book is simply too great to adequately cover every last detail in only 400 pages; Karen Armstrong is a genius.
Rating:
Summary: A well thought-out work
Review: I bought this book about a year and a half ago and have read it through three times, and re-read various chapters many times more. Armstrong presents a clear and detailed history and explanation of how the Judaism, Christianity, and Islam developed. Her writing style is easy to follow--she stays with one subject until she has dealt with it as fully, and then leads smoothly into another. In my opinion, this is a must read book for any student of the dominant religions of the world.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read!
Review: Karen Armstrong has written a clear and objective history on one of the most interesting and emotionally-driven subjects around today. A History of God is chock full of intersting accurate information, and is as readable as a story book. I still use it as a reference six months after I read it. A wonderful read for anyone interested in the origins of religion, the process by which it became the diverse establishment that it is today, or the basic tenets of the various off-shoots of the three major monotheistic faiths.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic Must-Read
Review: Karen Armstrong has written a critical introduction for the story or western faith and monotheism. 'A History of God' takes us from the dim genesis of the concept of divinity to the modern concept of monotheism. Believers and Nonbelievers alike can appreciate Karen Armstrong's insight.
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Summary: More Like a History of Atheism
Review: Of the 8 sides to the cassettes, one side would suffice to consolidate the beneficial information about the 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The remaining portions of the tapes are filled opinionated speculation, cynical views of Christianity, and a quest for the "ideal" of Atheism. It is not until the final dissertation on the last side of the last tape that the listener finds out that the author had a bad experience with "religion" as a child.
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