This book was a real eye-opener. Stark dispels many modern myths about the crusades while even-handedly describing the flaws on both sides of the conflict. He notes that the European knights have been ruthlessly portrayed in history books as warmongering, gold-hungry colonizers, when this was indeed far from the truth. Why did European knights bankrupt themselves and their families to go out into the desert where no riches were to be found? It was because the Eastern Orthodox Church begged Western Christendom to help their brethren who were being persecuted and killed. This book is short, easy to read, and highly informative. I highly recommend it.