Holy War: The Crusades and their Impact on Today's World

By Karen Armstrong

I knew the Crusades were an attempt by the Europeans to gain control of Jerusalem and of the other sites that were significant to the Christian religion. But that is about all I knew. Just that bare fact. I learned a lot about the Crusades from this book and it is chock full of interesting details. So if you are looking to learn more about the Crusades, you will find this book very informative.
However, one of the author's theories is that the violence visited upon the Middle East by wave after wave of invading Crusader armies is the root cause of the violence in the region today, as Western violence conditioned the Muslims to respond in kind, a conditioning in effect even today. I can't agree with that even after reading her book. It seems to me that violence is inherent in humanity, it's just part of our nature.
One thing I found irksome about her writing is the way she portrays Islamists as just put upon and misunderstood and she soft peddles their violence while condemning Israeli and Western violence in the strongest terms. At times, reading through it, you wonder if she had decided to convert to Islam. She seems to look at Islam through rose-colored glasses. But she has no such glasses for the Israelis, to quote, "Today it is the Jews who are the brutal occupiers of Bethlehem and the other towns in the occupied territories, and some of their methods would have shocked even the Romans." Oh, really? Would have shocked a people who used to go to their arenas and be entertained by watching humans being torn to bits by wild animals? Yeah, right.

Read her book for the historical information but as for the rest of it, keep in mind that she is biased towards Islam and biased against Israel and Christianity. She is not exactly an impartial reporter of the facts.

A History of God

By Karen Armstrong

In this book, Armstrong looks at how the idea of God developed and changed in the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It's a fascinating look at the history of religion from its earliest beginnings in the Middle East up to the 1980s. (The book was published in 1993.) It shows how very much alike we all our in our thinking and our beliefs about God. It also explores the different ways people have come to view God, from a far off and rather indifferent sky god, to the rationalistic view of God, to the anthropomorphous, personal God and to the mystical, intuitively experienced God of Kabbalah, Sufism & Greek Orthodox Christianity. (According to Armstrong, mysticism never really took hold in the western Christian churches.)
Armstrong never says how she herself thinks of God, though it seems at times that she tends towards Islamism and perhaps even mysticism. One thing for sure, she really doesn't like or approve of fundamentalism, which she believes is a blight on civilized society. But she also points out that atheism has not made humanity happier either.

I found this book really informative, although I read it knowing that the author was pretty secular in her view point. If you are offended by this kind of worldly speculations about religion and God, then don't read this book. But if you have a curious and open mind and are firm in your faith, read it with caution.

Review from The Guardian:   https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/04/case-for-god-karen-armstrong.

The Battle for God

By Karen Armstrong

This interesting book takes a look at the root causes of the development of religious fundamentalism in the three main monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It starts by explaining the history of these three religions and how they changed over time in response to changing culture. Then it looks at how fundamentalism has become such a powerful and mostly harmful force in the world today. Armstrong's theory is that fundamentalism arose as a response to fear and a loss of identity as people faced the secular & technological trends of modern society. Rejecting mainstream, worldly values, people sought to create a return to a simpler, purer life through a study and application of precepts taught in the scriptures of each different religion. However, in their fear of losing themselves, they overreact with violence and intolerance, justifying their hate-filled doctrines as vital to the survival of their religion and to the ultimate perfection of society in their search for a godly culture. Of course, each fundamentalist regime sees its path as the only true path to God and all others as deceived and tools of Satan.
Fundamentalism in the three religions has followed a very similar path, amazingly so. The basic arguments put forth by fundamentalists in all three are pretty much interchangeable.
Review from Publisher's Weekly: https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-679-43597-6.