The Dream and the Tomb: A History of the Crusades [Paperback]

Robert Payne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1991

This is a comprehensive account of the eight religious wars between the Christian West and the Muslim East that dominated the Middle Ages.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Magnificent. Recreates 200 years of Crusader history with a blazing intensity that exhibits to the full Payne's powers as both scholar and storyteller. A major contribution to our understanding of the Middle Ages. Marvelous reading. (Publishers Weekly )

The Dream and the Tomb examines the eight holy wars that took place between 1095 and 1270, exploring both the political desires of the princes and the suffering of the ordinary people. With the understanding and depth of the author, Robert Payne, these rich and memorable details bring the past to life. (History Magazine )

The Dream and the Tomb examines the eight holy wars that took place between 1095 and 1270, exploring both the political desires of the princes and the suffering of the ordinary people. With the understanding and depth of the author, Robert Payne, these rich and memorable details bring the past to life. (History Magazine )

Excellent. Payne is at the height of his powers. Reading this history of the distant past turns the present Middle East crisis suddenly transparent. (Washington Post Book World )

No man alive can write more beautiful prose than Robert Payne. (New York Times ) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Robert Payne's highly praised histories and biographies include The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler. He died in 1983.

Robert Payne's highly praised histories and biographies include The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler. He died in 1983. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 421 pages
• Publisher: Scarborough House; Reissue edition (August 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812862279
• ISBN-13: 978-0812862270
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,001,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful and easily digested history, August 23, 2001

By 

J. A Magill (Sacramento, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dream and the Tomb: A History of the Crusades (Paperback)

Payne's history of the crusades is hardly exaustive, but as an introduction it more than does the job. His style is readable and gives interesting little details that greatly enrich the story. Further, he gives a good deal of attention to the perspectives of the Arabs and of non-crusader christians. All and all, a fun read.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good starting point, February 8, 2003

By 

J. Carmody (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dream and the Tomb: A History of the Crusades (Paperback)

Payne's book is very readable for history -- for me it went down like a novel. There are moments where he assumes some familiarity with the Crusades or with 11th-century geo-ecclecio-politics, but I would still heartily recommend this book to anyone starting to read about the Crusades for two reasons.

First, for a history book, of course, the key is a wide selection of primary and secondary sources, and Payne does not disappoint. From Egypt to England and Spain to Syria, he finds books, diaries and letters and incorporates it until his history reads like a story.

Second, it reads so much like a story, and it's such a good story, that you want a sequel. Then you remember it's history, and so you are left wanting to read more about the Crusades and the Middle Ages. What more could one ask from an "introductory" or summarizing book?

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Masterpiece of American Literature, April 1, 2005

By 

Eric I. Spoutz (Palm Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dream and the Tomb: A History of the Crusades (Paperback)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert Payne produced a body of works (dates of publication: circa 1945 - circa 1982) that to this day remain nearly unparalleled in the realm of historical writers. Known for his diverse selection of topics, spanning nearly 3000 years of world history, Payne conquers a topic of interest with exquisite grace and eloquence, while still maintaining a matter of fact, written tone that average reader can relate to and understand.

ABOUT THE CONTROVERSY:

Throughout the course of Robert Payne's career, he was often criticized by those readers who confused his novel's, containing fabulously imaginative and superb prose, with his purely nonfiction-ally based documentaries. When those two categories become blurred, it can at times, nearly mar an author's reputation beyond repair. For example, if a reader of Payne's books would consecutively explore "the shepherd", "the lord Jesus", "the holy fire", and "the dream and the tomb", the reader would find them self immersed in a wealth of information relating to the existence of Christ and the formative years of Christianity. However, there would be two out of the four text's which were intended to be novel's, rather then works of nonfiction, despite the fact that each of the four books contain a tremendous amount of factually based material. It is when a reader who has become accustomed to Payne's nonfiction-ally based works, in-turn, and unawaringly begin to read the authors "in-part, fictionally based works" that problems start to arise, as quite obviously, the reader will begin to doubt the credibility of the author when reading his fictionally based material, and holding it against the nonfiction-ally based.

ABOUT "THE DREAM AND THE TOMB":

"The Dream and the Tomb" is initiated with the preliminary facts of the first Crusade, while detailing the necessary early historical figures, Peter the Hermit, and the like. The book reads from one chapter to the next with the greatest of ease, while still presenting a compilation of information that is both comprehensive and necessary to the understanding of the quest for the Holy Sepulchre.

Latter in the book the well knitted, short biographies of great historic figures of the like of Saladin, Frederick II, the lineage of Baldwin, Robert the lion-heart, and a host of others are explored, leading the reader to also gain an essential and interesting history of the early and formative years of Europe, at times that were contemporary to the Holy Conquests.

By the end of the text, Payne, has very admirably reached the TRUE conclusion of the history of the Crusades by detailing the existence and ultimate fate of the LAST of the remaining supporters of the Christian cause on the island of Ruad, rather then simply ending with the last significant battle, and ultimate defeat of the city Acre, lead by Khalil the sultan of Egypt.

IN CONCLUSION:

This reviewer presents "The Dream of the Tomb", as a must read for anyone who is looking to gain preliminary insight into the history of the Crusades. It should go without saying that there are many other publications which present a much more detailed and in-depth look at this ominous period of Christian history, although, author Robert Payne very successfully laces all of the necessary threads (and a few extra) of this topic together in a fabulously superb creation, which in fact may quite possibly be one of the masterpieces of the authors career.

-Eric I. Spoutz,
Art Consultant, Art Investor