The great transformation : the world in the time of Buddha, Socrates, Confucius and Jeremiah / Karen Armstrong.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. The Axial peoples (c. 1600 to 900 BCE) -- 2. Ritual (c. 900 to 800 BCE) -- 3. Kenosis (c. 800 to 700 BCE) -- 4. Knowledge (c. 700 to 600 BCE) -- 5. Suffering (c. 600 to 530 BCE) -- 6. Empathy (c. 530 to 450 BCE) -- 7. Concern for everybody (c. 450 to 398 BCE) -- 8. All is one (c. 400 to 300 BCE) -- 9. Empire (c. 300 to 220 BCE) -- 10. The way forward.

The centuries between 800 and 300 BC saw an explosion of new religious concepts. But why did Socrates, Buddha, Confucius, Jeremiah, Lao Tzu and all others emerge in this 500 year span? Armstrong examines this period and the connections between this disparate group of philosophers, mystics, and theologians.