Fields of Blood

Karen Armstrong is one of the world’s leading commentators on religious affairs. She spent seven years as a Roman Catholic nun in the 1960s, and then read English at St Anne’s College, Oxford. In 1982, she became a full-time writer and broadcaster. Her books include A History of God, The Bible: A Biography, The Case for God and, most recently, Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life. Armstrong has addressed members of the United States Congress, has participated in the World Economic Forum and, in 2005, was appointed by Kofi Annan to join the High Level Group of the United Nations initiative 'The Alliance of Civilizations'. In 2008 she was awarded the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Medal and, in the same year, won the TED prize. In 2013 she received the British Academy’s inaugural Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for improving Transcultural Understanding.

"Karen Armstrong's wonderful book certainly cleanses the mind. It may even do a little repair work on the heart" -- Ferdinand Mount Spectator "Karen Armstrong is one of our most perceptive and thoughtful writers on religion... Consistently surprising and illuminating, Fields of Blood should be read by anyone interested in understanding the interaction of religion with violence in the modern world" -- John Gray New Statesman "A fascinating and very accessible book... Fields of Blood is a must read for those who want to work for justice and peace." -- Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies, University of Oxford "Mind-boggling... we feel we are in the hands of an expert. Armstrong is doing us a great service" -- David Shariatmadari Guardian "Elegant and powerful, erudite and accurate...dazzling in its breadth and historical detail" Washington Post