In 1981 Karen Armstrong published THROUGH THE NARROW GATE in Britain and the U.S., an account of her life in a convent. It became a best-seller in Britain. It was followed by a sequel BEGINNING THE WORLD (1983).

 

Karen's books on Islam, THE BATTLE FOR GOD, MUHAMMAD and A HISTORY OF GOD (sold in 32 languages) have become required reading for those wishing to understand militant piety and her book on Buddha is a US bestseller.  Atlantic UK and Knopf US publish THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION, about the period from 700-300 BC during which all the great major world religions - Taoism, Confusionism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Monotheism in the Middle East and Greek mystical rationalism - came into being. THE CASE FOR GOD - WHAT RELIGION MEANS, is a bestseller with The Bodley Head UK and Knopf US.  TWELVE STEPS TO A COMPASSIONATE LIFE  published in January 2011 grew from her TED Charter for Compassion; it was on The New York Times Bestseller list. Her next book will be RELIGION AND VIOLENCE.

 

Her documentary for Channel 4 The Pope’s Divisions in 1994 was acclaimed as ground-breaking as well as controversial.