Preloved Media – Used & Recycled. The ISBN 9780007122295 identifies The Spiral Staircase by Karen Armstrong. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Limited / Harper Perennial on January 3, 2005, this 368-page paperback memoir recounts Armstrong’s challenging and transformative spiritual journey following her departure from a convent. The narrative explores her struggles adapting to a secular world marked by turbulent experiences, including panic attacks and failed attempts to establish a new life. Her path shifts profoundly as she begins writing A History of God, approaching faith from skepticism. Through studying various religious traditions, Armstrong discovers a renewed spirituality blending Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, offering her personal and spiritual reconciliation. The Spiral Staircase serves as a metaphor for contemporary struggles with institutional religion and the quest for individualized faith.