Life During the Crusades (Way People Live) [Hardcover]

Earle Rice Jr. (Author)

Book Description

Series: Way People Live | Publication Date: June 1997

Describes daily life in the Christian West and Muslim East during the three centuries of holy war, analyzing why the armies of Christendom engaged in the Crusades and what they hoped to accomplish.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 UpAThe Crusades were some of history's greatest bloodbaths, as well as a series of campaigns that produced results that still haunt the world today. One could expect that a book about this topic would capture some of the excitement, horror, and spectacle. Instead, this one is written in the style of an academic dissertation. The first three chapters set the historical scene and explain the differences between Muslim and Christian cultures. While this information might be useful for research, it does little to capture the imagination. Subsequent chapters actually describe some of the battles and quote primary sources, but not in a way that makes them come alive to modern readers. Black-and-white maps, drawings, and reproductions adequately complement the text.ADavid N. Pauli, Missoula Public Library, MT
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 8^-10. This historical survey discusses feudal social structure, knighthood, travel to the Holy Land, reasons for the Crusades, and life in the Christian West and in the Muslim East during the period of these "holy wars," which began in 1096 and ended in 1272. Rice's research is evident in his precise documentation and his annotated bibliographies of sources and books for further reading, but his extensive use of quotations causes the text to look like a patchwork of indented paragraphs and sound somewhat disjointed. Quotations from medieval source materials give readers a good feel for the period, but many other quotations are culled from twentieth-century historians, such as Will Durant, whom Rice calls "the late, great American chronicler of the ages," and whose book, The Age of Faith (1950) Rice quotes 17 times in the 70 pages of text. Black-and-white reproductions of paintings, prints, and maps appear throughout the book. Well organized for research, the book will be useful to students researching the Crusades. Carolyn Phelan

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Greenhaven Press (June 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560063793
• ISBN-13: 978-1560063797
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,042,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.