book data
1408 ratings, 3.88 average rating, 271 reviews
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published
January 7th 1999
(first published 2001)
by Vintage
binding
Paperback, 528 pages
isbn
0099273675
(isbn13: 9780099273677)
description
Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides us along one of the most elusive and fascinating quests of all time--the search for God. Like a...more
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 2424)
Read in January, 2008
Whew. I thought I'd never finish this book. But two months later, I somehow managed to get to the end. Now, what to say about it?
I started this book knowing a moderate amount about the history of Christianity, a small amount about Judaism, and much too little about Islam. I relied heavily on my previous knowledge of Christianity and Judaism to make sense of Armstrong's extremely dense, often repetitive, and (to use her favorite word) esoteric prose. I found it a real challenge to keep up wit...more
I started this book knowing a moderate amount about the history of Christianity, a small amount about Judaism, and much too little about Islam. I relied heavily on my previous knowledge of Christianity and Judaism to make sense of Armstrong's extremely dense, often repetitive, and (to use her favorite word) esoteric prose. I found it a real challenge to keep up wit...more
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Read in August, 2008
Buku ini memang tebal, hardcover pinjaman neng Erry. Ternyata benar kata broda Graha, meski tebal (dan gada gambarnya ;)), namun tidak membosankan untuk dibaca.
Dalam buku ini, Ms. Armstrong menitik beratkan pada tiga agama samawi di dunia, dengan sedikit meyinggung Buddha, Hindu dan kepercayaan lainnya. Dengan merujuk pada para Tokoh filsafat dan religi dari masa kebudayaan Pagan hingga agama modern, Ms. Armstrong secara sabar menuntun pembaca untuk menemukan benang merah pada ketiga agama b...more
Dalam buku ini, Ms. Armstrong menitik beratkan pada tiga agama samawi di dunia, dengan sedikit meyinggung Buddha, Hindu dan kepercayaan lainnya. Dengan merujuk pada para Tokoh filsafat dan religi dari masa kebudayaan Pagan hingga agama modern, Ms. Armstrong secara sabar menuntun pembaca untuk menemukan benang merah pada ketiga agama b...more
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23 comments
Read in February, 2008
This is one of those books that make me feel woefully deficient in a certain subject. Having never taken a comparative religion class, and in fact bordering on an antiestablishment stance when it comes to organized religion, I can only conclude that this book was not the place to start.
The first couple of chapters which reviewed mankinds evolution from a polythesim to the monothesims of Judiasm, Christianity, and Islam were interesting, and for me blessedly linear and understandable...more
The first couple of chapters which reviewed mankinds evolution from a polythesim to the monothesims of Judiasm, Christianity, and Islam were interesting, and for me blessedly linear and understandable...more
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I still can't decide if it's good or not. That's that problem with being kinda dumb.
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Read in January, 1994
I was surprised by the number of times A.J. Jacobs cited this book and quoted from it in his "The Year of Living Biblically." Of course, I shouldn't have been surprised because i use it myself as a reference tool since it has a fine index and excellent bibliography.
One friend described this work as "chewy". Another noted that her succinct and concise summaries of complex beliefs reflected her journalistic background. Both of these are correct. Karen Armstrong gives us th...more
One friend described this work as "chewy". Another noted that her succinct and concise summaries of complex beliefs reflected her journalistic background. Both of these are correct. Karen Armstrong gives us th...more
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This book by Karen Armstrong covers the development of the world's three major monotheistic faiths. Although I am incredibly interested in the subject, this book was a tough read for me. It is very dense with information and I probably ended up skimming the text more than I should have. I'll most likely end up re-reading it some time down the road to gain a greater appreciation of the subject.
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Read in June, 2003
This is a fascinating book, and I love Karen Armstrong's insights. It gets pretty dense in the middle, but that seems unavoidable. I feel like I'm going to have to read it over and over again to start to get my mind around a lot of the more obscure theology and to have a better appreciation of different mystical sects and movements. But I don't feel like that will be a chore at all.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
looks yummy..
let me read first..
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Read in January, 2002
recommended to John by:
Hearing Armstrong on the radio.recommends it for: Anyone.
As a recovering Baptist, I grew up with a great deal of Biblical study, however this book truly broadened my understanding of the three big monotheisms, especially regarding the Common Era history of Judaism and Islam. Its been quite a while since I read it but its descriptions of the various factions in Islam and differences between Shiite and Sunni were so helpful in understanding the "clash of civilizations" we seem to see in the world today.
One criticism I have of Armstrong ...more
One criticism I have of Armstrong ...more
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Read in July, 2008
tough read esp the middle part
but basically liked the end because:
(1) for believers - you'll see how the conception of GOD changes through time and it's sort of inevitable ( however real GOD is and can be). We fit GOD into our needs
(2) for atheists - that even at the end of the day when you remove GOD from your life, you'll end up filling that emptiness with sth else. Basically you still need that spiritual stuff there in your brain (whatever you call it)
Other salient points:
(1...more
but basically liked the end because:
(1) for believers - you'll see how the conception of GOD changes through time and it's sort of inevitable ( however real GOD is and can be). We fit GOD into our needs
(2) for atheists - that even at the end of the day when you remove GOD from your life, you'll end up filling that emptiness with sth else. Basically you still need that spiritual stuff there in your brain (whatever you call it)
Other salient points:
(1...more
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Read in February, 2008
this is exactly what i was looking for. an insightful account of the religions of the book from babylon to modern times. i thought of course that this would be impossible, but no... i was just reading the wrong books. karen armstrong is refreshingly unbiased on a subject that most people are too close to to see properly. she also deeply understands the ideas she talks about, so that her prose is both historical and intelligent and at the same time conveys the wonder that faith inspires across...more
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Read in January, 2008
I'm a huge fan of Karen Armstrong, although "fan" seems an odd word choice when discussing an intelligent, articulate and scholarly writer on theology. Nonetheless, I've enjoyed (and been educated by) everything I've ever read by Armstrong, so I'll stick with "fan."
A History of God is no exception. I found it to be a lucid, unbiased telling of how God, by whichever name we choose to use, evolved over time in the theological and popular cultures throughout Arabia and the...more
A History of God is no exception. I found it to be a lucid, unbiased telling of how God, by whichever name we choose to use, evolved over time in the theological and popular cultures throughout Arabia and the...more
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Read in January, 2008
recommended to Chaundra by:
Stephen Siardrecommends it for: spiritual seekers, historians, curious types
Perhaps one of the most thoughtful books I've read in quite some time - not only thoughtful, but contemplative as well. In just a shade under 400 pages (399 to be exact) the author traces 4,000 years of monotheism, and, perhaps more importantly, people's perception of The One God. Her writing style is very readable despite presenting quite a lot of information in a rather short space. Also, for those academic types who prefer to follow some of her sources, it is extremely well cited.
Now, ...more
Now, ...more
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Be warned: A History of God is not a tidy linear history. Rather, we learn that the definition of God is constantly being repeated, altered, discarded, and resurrected through the ages, responding to its followers' practical concerns rather than to mystical mandates. Armstrong also shows us how Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have overlapped and influenced one another, gently challenging the secularist history of each of these religions.
Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides u...more
Armstrong, a British journalist and former nun, guides u...more
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This book is taking me forever to read.
But anyway, thoughts.
The author's neutrality towards God is incredibly impressive and quite a relief after a few of the works I've read lately. Although I do wish that there were more time spent on non-Abrahamic religions, there just aren't many other major monotheistic ones...
The account of the creation of the Trinity, which I feel like I've read at least four times in different places, really annoyed me... the unknowable paradox of the Trinity...more
But anyway, thoughts.
The author's neutrality towards God is incredibly impressive and quite a relief after a few of the works I've read lately. Although I do wish that there were more time spent on non-Abrahamic religions, there just aren't many other major monotheistic ones...
The account of the creation of the Trinity, which I feel like I've read at least four times in different places, really annoyed me... the unknowable paradox of the Trinity...more
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Read in January, 2001
Armstrong's "History of God", much like Jaspers' "Great Philosophers", is a truly first rate introduction to the field of religious history for three primary reasons. Firstly, as somebody relatively unfamiliar with the major monotheistic traditions, I found the breadth and scope of the work to be simply amazing. The variety of periods which Armstrong covers and the extent to which she covers them makes even a new comer to the field such as myself leave the work with a signifi...more
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Read in April, 2007
while definitely a bit dry and repetitive, an informative history of the developments of judaism, christianity and islam. the book is well indexed and as such should serve as a useful reference in the future. the author attempts to chronicle the evolution of the idea of a single god. she writes from an objective point of view and does not argue for or against the benefit of what richard dawkins would call the god delusion.
the unbelievable conclusion given current events? that the orth...more
the unbelievable conclusion given current events? that the orth...more
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Read in January, 2008
While this is an excellent summary of the history of the idea of God in Abrahamic religion, and I highly recommend it, I cannot give it five stars for third reasons. First, the author is overly generous in her assumptions concerning the literal interpretation of myth. For example, she asserts that the creation myths of Sumeria, Canaan, and Egypt were not intended to explain the origins of the world. Second, in her attempts at syncretism she sometimes overlooks very real, significant and extremel...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommends it for:
all those on a spiritual journey, or questioning unquestioning faith
Armstrong's history, complicated yet deftly simplified, of the interwoven developments of the major three monotheisms sheds some light in these dark times. It was interesting to see how the religions originated, influenced and challenged each other intellectually and socially, how peoples utilized or discarded theological ideas to suit the times and address crises. Most interesting was the discussion of the development of Islam as a cultural and political force, and of the problematic nature o...more
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Read in January, 2007
As with James Michener, I enjoy Karen Armstrong's work despite her books' length and tendency to ramble.
I read "A History of God" and "The Battle for God" consecutively and found rich food for thought about the growing partisan vicousness of faith traditions for which the common good and love were foundation stones
"History" challenges how people conveniently and continually re-interpret ancient concepts, twisting the meaning of ancient texts and such basic c...more
I read "A History of God" and "The Battle for God" consecutively and found rich food for thought about the growing partisan vicousness of faith traditions for which the common good and love were foundation stones
"History" challenges how people conveniently and continually re-interpret ancient concepts, twisting the meaning of ancient texts and such basic c...more
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