In 1969, after years as a Roman Catholic nun -- failing at finding God -- Armstrong left her convent. She knew almost nothing of the world she was entering and was tormented by panic attacks and eizures. Her struggle was fueled by a string of discouragements -- failed spirituality, doctorate and jobs, fruitless dealings with psychiatrists -- but in 1976, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and given proper treatment. She began the writing career that would become her true calling, and as she focused on the sacred texts of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, her own true inner story began to emerge.