One of the most original thinkers on the role of religion in the modern world—author of such acclaimed books as A History of God, Islam and Buddha—now gives us an impassioned and practical book that can help us make the world a more compassionate place. In Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, Armstrong suggests concrete ways of enhancing our compassion and putting it into action in our everyday lives. Throughout, Armstrong makes clear that a compassionate life is not a matter of only heart or mind but a deliberate and often life-altering commingling of the two. In November 2009 Armstrong and TED launched The Charter for Compassion (www.charterforcompassion.org), which calls upon all men and women to "restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion . . . to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies." To date, it's been signed by over 48,000 people, including such figures as The Dalai Lama and Queen Noor, Dave Eggers and Meg Ryan. Out of the ideals of that Charter has come this humane, accessible, indispensable short book for our times.