The Spiral Staircase

E21813

The Spiral Staircase is a memoir by religious historian Karen Armstrong that recounts her journey from life in a Catholic convent through illness and crisis to a renewed, more expansive understanding of faith.


Statements (45)
Predicate Object
instanceOf book
memoir
about Karen Armstrong's career as a religious historian
Karen Armstrong's departure from religious life
Karen Armstrong's evolving understanding of God
Karen Armstrong's life in a Catholic convent
Karen Armstrong's struggle with illness
author Karen Armstrong
countryOfOrigin United Kingdom
followsWork Through the Narrow Gate
genre memoir
hasInfluenceOn contemporary discussions of faith and doubt
hasTheme critique of institutional religion
loss of faith
mysticism
personal growth
religious transformation
search for meaning
suffering and healing
isbn 9780375413189
language English
literaryForm autobiographical narrative
mainCharacter Karen Armstrong
narrativePerspective first-person
notableFor exploration of post-convent spiritual journey
integration of memoir and religious reflection
publicationYear 2004
publisher Alfred A. Knopf
relatedWork A History of God
The Battle for God
setting Catholic convent
United Kingdom
subject Catholicism
ex-nun experience
faith
illness
mental health
religion
religious doubt
religious history
spirituality
subtitle My Climb Out of Darkness
timePeriodDescribed 20th century
post–Second Vatican Council era
title The Spiral Staircase

Referenced by (1)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Karen Armstrong
notableWork

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