today author karen armstrong the author of over 20 books about religion. while we are taking this, ms. armstrong, there is an election of the pope going on. what is your fault of the whole process? >> guest: i thought there must be a simpler way but perhaps that is and kind. who has really founded these people? they were having problems triet my feeling is that it isn't much different who is elected because i think that the last to have been very conservative and john paul ii have a long time to plan the conservative bishops and cardinals and all the great sea is so i think it will be one of those. but some people have been catholics become kind of professionals as it were. if they are not catholic anymore they feel it is their duty. i don't at all. i'm very grateful to the catholic church because it's a virtual and formed me and i don't have -- i have a much more catholic sold than protestant taking the scripture much more lightly than protestants. and i find now they've lost it of course the duty which i have learned it is a spiritual thing that i am very

. >> host: karen armstrong why did you become a nun? >> guest: i was 17 and you know, how it is when you are young you are very idealistic and stubborn. i would not take advice from my parents. >> host: with a faithful catholics? >> no. they were catholics we were catholic light we would go to church early on sunday to get it over with. we did go to catholic school because that is what you did. but i you wanted you know, how to adolescence is i thought if i became and then i would be like a buddha and enlightened and inspiring and i'd be tit. -- i would beat it and they all seemed to be cleaning or cooking and scrubbing to look at the men wear the nuns i could see came wonderfully unencumbered where their mind was on higher things. the irony was when i got into the convent all i did for years was scrubbed and cook and clean. [laughter] i was not very good at it. but it was the next idea and i was a very shy young girl at that point*. clever but emotionally back word. and i was a bit scared to go into the big world but you don't stay in

generously allow me to help in that conversation >> host: we have been talking on booktv with author karen armstrong. this is book tv on c-span2 in london. >>> for more information on these and other interviews from london, visit booktv.org. >>> up next on book tv, robert edsel reports on the rescue and protection of historic pieces of art in italy during world war ii. the nazi army who occupied italy in 1943 listed numerous historical artifacts and artwork that date from the bus on the edge of the roman empire. this is about one hour and 20 minutes. [applause] >> thank you very much for that warm welcome. while i really appreciate it and to beth antonette the middle of my friends in philadelphia it is a wonderful time to be back in philadelphia at the museum of art, one of our nation's great, great treasures. how fortunate for you all to be members of this place. "saving italy" is a magnificent story 19 honored to share with all of you and it begins for me in 1977. i moved with my family to florence and i was walking over the bridge one day the only bridge not destroyed by the nazis as they fled in