Henry Treece (1911-1966) was a British poet and writer, who also worked as a teacher and editor. He wrote a range of works but is mostly remembered as a writer of children's historical novels.
This Non-fiction book about the Crusades was a great recap on exactly what happened during this time. Treece did not skip out on any details of this era. This book would be great for anyone doing research on the Crusades, it's amazing for details. I would recommend this to anyone interested in learning about this era. I personally liked this book, although I found it to be a bit dull and boring as it seemed to drag on. The Holy Wars lasted for 200 years and this book grasped every detail of it. I enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning about this time.
Really great read if you’re interested in the crusades. Very neutral approach too. I was worried after reading the intro, as the author goes into detail on his Christian faith and British heritage. But he really shows that no party involved in the crusades are hero’s. I also really enjoyed learning about the old man in the mountain. I guess there was a massive assassination organization that was even more powerful than countries, that thrived during the crusades. Definitely want to get into some of those books. And gotta add Saladin to my very short movie watching list. He was a famous Muslim leader during the crusades
Treece's usual mix of historical accuracy and narrative prowess. That is, it is honest, fair and balanced, showing the real motivations of the crusaders and not the white-washed (no pun intended) version we usually get even in the better popular treatments of the subject.
The Crusades are one of the most fascinating and bizarre events in the history of the world, and almost a thousand years later we are still feeling their impact. An understanding of the Crusades is crucial to any understanding of the relationship between the west and the Muslim world today.
Picked this up at a free book table and been reading it for a while. Now that I don't have it on my new Kindle how will I complete it! ;) I'm enjoying the history of it all and learning more about the time period. Good writing from a skilled author.
Very good short coverage of the crusades, but very dated written in 1965. Covers each crusades as well as a section regarding the affects of the crusades on Europe. Over all Europeans come off very badly regarding motives and actions.