From the window of the Pullman Hotel, Karen Armstrong looked up at a helicopter hovering over Jakarta, and said, "I hate flying." The fact is, this former Catholic nun turned author, academic and spiritualist must fly a lot. Since she has published more than 20 books about the world's major religions, she has been invited to speak in many countries.

In fact, her travels have become an integral process of her book-writing. She is currently in th