From a renowned historian who writes with "maximum vividness" ("The New Yorker") comes the most authoritative, readable single-volume history o... read full description
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Dec 06, 2010
DJ
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Dec 06, 2010
Helen
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Signed with the Cross - "The Crusades" by Thomas Asbridge
location: London
mood: impressed
music: Toxic Valentine - All Time Low
I've frequently whinged about the rather dispiriting lack of anything resembling a proper popular cultural history of the Middle Ages. There's loads of great Tudor era material, but not much from earlier. I have my much-loved copy of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer, which is an utter life-saver, but unfortun More...
location: London
mood: impressed
music: Toxic Valentine - All Time Low
I've frequently whinged about the rather dispiriting lack of anything resembling a proper popular cultural history of the Middle Ages. There's loads of great Tudor era material, but not much from earlier. I have my much-loved copy of The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England by Ian Mortimer, which is an utter life-saver, but unfortun More...
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Apr 07, 2011
Justin
rated it:
I was surprised at this one. Asbridge writes perfectly clear sentences, the kind of thing I would read in a student's paper and give bonus marks for, while also cautioning them that some thoughts do require something beyond this kind of prose. The good news is that this makes the book perfectly readable; the bad news is that, well, it isn't Gibbon or even D. MacCulloch level prose. But it gets maximum marks for user-friendliness.
Cons: since there's no variation in prose style, the battle n More...
Cons: since there's no variation in prose style, the battle n More...
May 10, 2011
Chris
rated it:
For a fairly academic feeling book, this was a great read. There was period when I was younger where I love reading historical non-fiction and this book has, at least temporarily, rekindled that flame.
Asbridge does a good job of both covering a 3 century period of time and giving enough time to individual events and players to make parts almost read like a novel. Numerous quotes and citations from contemporary works are provided, giving one the impression that this work is solidly More...
Asbridge does a good job of both covering a 3 century period of time and giving enough time to individual events and players to make parts almost read like a novel. Numerous quotes and citations from contemporary works are provided, giving one the impression that this work is solidly More...
Nov 22, 2010
So far, a very smooth read, packed with a lot of stuff I didn't know about the Crusades. It's a really interesting time in history, for sure.
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Mar 17, 2010
Jeffrey
rated it:
I won this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
I get nervous whenever someone (or their publicist) claims to create an "Authoritative" anything but, 19 days and 684 uncorrected proof pages later, I have to yield the point to Thomas Asbridge.
This comprehensive, exhaustive, yet not at all exhausting book chronicling the rise of the First Crusade to the fall of the last Christian outpost in the Middle East 200 years later may well do a better job of examining tha More...
I get nervous whenever someone (or their publicist) claims to create an "Authoritative" anything but, 19 days and 684 uncorrected proof pages later, I have to yield the point to Thomas Asbridge.
This comprehensive, exhaustive, yet not at all exhausting book chronicling the rise of the First Crusade to the fall of the last Christian outpost in the Middle East 200 years later may well do a better job of examining tha More...
Mar 15, 2010
Kayla
rated it: 
I won an ARC of this book from Goodreads! Okay, truth time: I hate history books with a burning passion. But, I thought, what the heck? It's free, it's Goodreads, and they could never steer me wrong, could they? So instead of tossing it aside, giving it away as a gift or forcing it upon my friends, I read it.
Surprisingly, it was sort of interesting. I liked how it switched between perspectives, giving an unbiased account of what really happened. It didn't exactly place blame on any one sid More...
Surprisingly, it was sort of interesting. I liked how it switched between perspectives, giving an unbiased account of what really happened. It didn't exactly place blame on any one sid More...
Jun 02, 2011
Jeff
rated it:
I can't say enough good things about this book. It is fascinating to read, comprehensive, and well-written. I had read a fantastic book about the Fourth Crusade, but outside of that, my knowledge of the crusades was definitely limited. If you're interested in the crusades or medieval times as a whole and want a general overview of this conflict, I can't recommend this book highly enough. Asbridge presents both the major players Richard and Saladin, along with many other people that played a
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Jan 02, 2012
Lucsly
rated it:
Well written, accessible and readable study of the crusades from both Christian and Muslim perspectives. Asbridge seems very interested in the motivations for the crusades (and the reactions it caused in and around Palestine) and is especially careful and precise in describing these motivations.
He offers a nuanced and realistic view of the effects of the crusades and in the conclusion he mentions some very important points about how to view those two centuries now.
Asbridge occassion More...
He offers a nuanced and realistic view of the effects of the crusades and in the conclusion he mentions some very important points about how to view those two centuries now.
Asbridge occassion More...
May 13, 2011
It is a large book and rather intimidating at first, but it is actually quite readable and well organised. It also brings to life the characters of the personalities involved , even though the events took place hundreds of years ago.
It is a highly thought out book, intensely researched and argued, and has a nice pattern of presenting fact.
Recommended only to those who are seriously interested in the topic
It is a highly thought out book, intensely researched and argued, and has a nice pattern of presenting fact.
Recommended only to those who are seriously interested in the topic
Dec 22, 2011
Carter
rated it:
It was absolutely amazing, I loved it. The book was long, but I am a dedicated reader and made it through. The siege of Antioch during the first crusade was really well done, and it felt like you were there. My dad got this to read, but when got tired of it I started reading, and loved it. I think the crusades are amazingly interesting, so I was riveted.
Aug 23, 2011
Dfbayne
rated it:
I really enjoyed the depth and breadth of the descriptions of the Crusader movement from the perspective of both Christendom and Islam. It was a fascinating read giving perspective on Europe as it was moving out of the Dark Ages and into the Middle Ages and on Islam as it experienced the consequences of decline and rejuvenation.
Aug 07, 2010
Taylor
rated it:
Asbridge's book on the Crusades was very imformative, but he also made it into a story for the reader. So both the academics and the regular readers can be satisfied in this book. It is a great book to read, to use as reference, and just to explore people in another place and time. It was a truly grand book
Oct 06, 2010
Big Mike
rated it:
Highly detailed account of all the Crusades. Gives a look at the reasons why they started including the Muslim attacks that were happening prior to the Christian crusades. Both sides seem to have equal weight in what happened. A very historical book.
Feb 10, 2012
Bas
rated it: 
Very detailed (maybe a bit too much detail?) on the Crusades. Sheds a lot of light on why they were undertaken and why the muslims finally won the battle for the Holy Land.
When interested in the subject, this is a good comprhensive history
When interested in the subject, this is a good comprhensive history
May 20, 2010
Patricrk
rated it:
Very good book. Discussed the weakness in the sacren states that allowed the Crusades to succeed. Shows problems with succession issues with kings especially when many die young and leave children to inherit the throne.
Feb 06, 2012
Themistocles
rated it:
This is a massive and engrossing book. Very dense and not the easiest to read (there's some back-and-forth and family lines get confused) but it's a fantastic, concise read on all the crusades.
Some gripes:
-the author spends an inordinate amount of pages discussing Islamic politics, veering off the main plot
-I wish he had more to say on the subject of medieval warfare
-The epilogue, in essence an effort on politics, is a bit naive. He does give some useful insights to More...
Some gripes:
-the author spends an inordinate amount of pages discussing Islamic politics, veering off the main plot
-I wish he had more to say on the subject of medieval warfare
-The epilogue, in essence an effort on politics, is a bit naive. He does give some useful insights to More...
May 11, 2011
Marc
rated it:
Good narrative historical writing, reads for the most part as a well told story!
Halfway the book it slows down, but that is mostly due to the course and repetitiveness of actual history. Overall a good factual overview of the Latins presence in the Levant during the middleages, without a bias towards either Latin or Muslim. Very readable for a layman (me).
The final analysis is worth mentioning as well. Interesting eleboration on parallelism in current times.
Halfway the book it slows down, but that is mostly due to the course and repetitiveness of actual history. Overall a good factual overview of the Latins presence in the Levant during the middleages, without a bias towards either Latin or Muslim. Very readable for a layman (me).
The final analysis is worth mentioning as well. Interesting eleboration on parallelism in current times.
May 25, 2011
Ghassan
rated it:
Contemporary Western realization of the mistake of Crusades, Look into the brilliance of Salah Eldin Thinking
Apr 29, 2010
Steve
rated it:
This is a great history book! A wonderful balance between telling the story of the Crusades while putting in historical and contemporary contexts.
If you're looking to read a book to find out what the Crusades were all about, you could do much much worse.
If you're looking to read a book to find out what the Crusades were all about, you could do much much worse.
Oct 11, 2011
Ronnie
rated it:
Very good book learned lots of interesting facts. Also came away from the book with a much greater understanding of Islams reaction to the Crusades.
Dec 06, 2010
This is one of those books that I can't help spouting random facts from. I have already caught a few of my friends off guard. I'm also compelled to make notes in the margins and underline so that I can go back and make sure that yes it is that Queen Melisande I am thinking of who was half Frank and half Armenian.
May 23, 2010
Matthew
rated it:
Great book, and really fascinating history. It helps you see the war from both sides - The Church did fight the Islamic people in the Crusades, and this book gives a decent account of their side of the story. Worth a good read!
Jun 16, 2010
Thom
rated it:
All five crusades, their prelude and aftermath. Brings together source documents from Christian and Muslim sources, along with recent archaeological finds. What a great book!
Feb 12, 2012
Feb 11, 2012
