In the centuries between 800 and 300 BC, there was an explosion of new religions. It is the most significant period since the discovery of fire by man. Why do Socrates, Buddha, Confucius, Jeremiah, and Laozi, among others, appear in this crucial period of five hundred years? And how is it possible for them to have such similar ideas about human values and the human being?

In "The Great Transformation," Karen Armstrong examines this fascinating period and identifies all the significant ideological elements that connect the group of philosophers, mystics, and theologians that emerge.

"An exceptional book! Karen Armstrong at the most captivating and magnificent moment of her career!"
(Richard Holloway)