The Crusades Through Arab Eyes (Saqi Essentials)

click here for more details, find new or used items	Our price £10.49 (£14.95) New from £7.66 Used from £6.89 Pages: 293 (Paperback) Editor: Amin Maalouf ISBN: 0863560237 Pub: Saqi Books Pub date: 2001-02-17 Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 49600

Reader Reviews:

Overated pseudo-history (3/4 people found this helpful)

This book highlights the dangers inherent in journalists writing history. The author has a lively style and the book is ceratinly readable (one previous reviewer even fooled into thinking it's a novel!) but it is very poor as history. It lacks objectivity and although presents us with a very interesting account of events from the Arab point of view and is critical of the Muslim states and their inability to work together, displays the author's ignorance (or deliberate lack of interest in) their opponents. Western authors have been writing more balanced views of the religious wars in the middle east for some time as any serious student of mediaeval history is well aware and this books pretensions at presenting 'the other side' is disingenuous. To sum up, it reminded me of a couple of books I read many years ago about events on the Russian front in 1943 and 44, which were written by Russian authors writing under communist rule, - go figure!

Not the best account! (2/3 people found this helpful)

I have to disagree with the other reviewers. The idea of the book is a very good one. We're used to reading about the crusades from the western perspective. Even the most objective account will tend to examine the motivations/ideas of the crusaders rather than the Arabs. So Ma'alouf's book is needed. However, it is, academically speaking, a bit slim. In my opinion this book is NOT well researched; however, even though it does so poorly, it touches on an understudied side of the crusades.

To use a rather odd analogy: if this was a movie I'd tell you to watch it on a plane or on TV but not to buy it!

Well researched, Acessible, Intriguing (1/1 people found this helpful)

I'm not much of a history buff. but this book is written in a clear accessible style. Events are detailed and accurate, and the journey through time is eyeopening. Well written, read this book!

Highly readable, informative and balanced (4/6 people found this helpful)

I love this book. It gives a brilliant insight into the Middle East during the time of the Crusades, and provides an invaluable context for its current affairs.

A view from the East (17/21 people found this helpful)

This is a wonderful, insightful book that should be required reading for anyone trying to understand the ongoing clashes between the (mainly) Christian West and the (mainly) Christian Middle East. Amin Maalouf is both and insider and outsider in both cultures - born in Lebannon, living in France and not a Muslim but a Coptic. He helps us westerners to realise that the fantasy we have of the Crusades, all Robin Hood and King John, looks different if you were on the receiving end. Through Arab eyes it is the story of invasion by uncivilised Barbarian, religious fanatics - tolerated by corrupt regimes and eventually driven away by bold warriors. A different way of looking at history, with many lessons for today. Oh, and wonderfully, warmly written like all of his books.

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