The late twentieth century has witnessed the emergence in every religious tradition of a strain of threatening and militant fundamentalism, yet, significantly, fundamentalists remain beyond the comprehension of the rest of the world. In The Battle for God Karen Armstrong explains brilliantly and perceptively how and why their understanding of religion and society differs so starkly from that of their contemporaries.

‘The quality of this remarkable book lies as much in its detail as in its sweeping vision…Fundamentalism cannot be put down by force. If it is to be defeated, it must first be understood. This wise and balanced book makes a significant contribution to such an understanding.’

-----Philip Ziegler, Daily Telegraph

‘Armstrong displays all her unusual talents: she has an eye for colorful evidence, a wonderful gift for clarity of exposition and an unerring sense of pace and voice in narrative….In her account of the late nineteenth century and the twentieth every line counts and every story grips.’

------Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Literary Review

“The spectre of religious fundamentalism haunts our world, and most of us are not merely terrified, but puzzled by it…We need a patient guide…Karen Armstrong is this guide. Her new book is just what Westerners need at this junction in history.”

-----A.N.Wilson, Daily Mail

“A remarkable book…the self-evidence of religious fundamentalism’s role in recent history gives this book a power and relevance which make for truly compulsive reading…for the reader with even a marginal interest in religion or politics, it is an essential purchase.”

------ Tom Morton, Scotland on Sunday

“Her book should do much to de-demonize fundamentalism and thus allow us to take it seriously and devise strategies for copying with it…humane and thoughtful”

-----Gabriel Josipovici, The Times