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Fields Of Blood: Religion And The History Of Violence (2014)

by Karen Armstrong(Favorite Author)

3.72 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

0307401960 (ISBN13: 9780307401960)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Knopf Canada

review 1: Scholarly (83 pages of footnotes!) review of human violence from man's beginnings to the present time. Based on history, the author comes to the conclusion that violence results from a confluence of human nature and political necessity. History shows that beginning in the agrarian age, whenever humans come together in communities, there is always a group that uses violence to oppress another part of that group to gain more than their share of available resources. Religions have often been a force against oppression and for a more fair distribution of resources, although they are often co-opted over time by the powerful to support the violence and oppression of the state. This book is very helpful in understanding current Middle East politics, and I would highly recommen... mored it!
review 2: A dense and well-researched book on the intertwining development of religion and violence, taking an in-depth examination of the impact of one on the other. Armstrong has such a thorough and rational writing style that even though the material was heavy, I was kept interested and all the way through. It took me awhile since religious history is not an area I am very familiar with, but it was worth it and I gained a profound understanding of the causes and outcomes of political actions on the societies they govern. Highly recommended reading if you are interested in this area - this book will make an impact! less

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