The Crusades

The crusades have inspired both the very long (Steven Runciman's classic three-volume history) and, now, the very short, exposition. Paine, author of Ancient Greece, does an admirable job in condensing this riveting and often confusing history into just over 130 pages, offering much more than the book's slim stature might suggest: the macabre end of Frederick of Barbarossa, whose army dutifully carried his pickled corpse into the holy land; and the Children's Crusade, whose young participants could not survive the treachery of their older Christian brethren (many died or were sold into slavery) before having a chance to fight the wicked Saracen. This short account lacks the nuance with which many scholars have treated the subject; readers will find very little on the manifold causes and the controversies of these holy wars or of their nachleben, the elaborate mythology and works of art and propaganda they continue to inspire. (Paine does mention President Bush's use of ""crusade"" in a ""war on terror"" speech.) The book is hurt by its lack of clear maps and illustrations and by its occasional lapse into a glib or colloquial style. (Referring to the Templars as ""cocky"" seems anachronistic.) That said, this is a perfectly readable and brisk introduction that should stimulate readers new to the subject. 1 map.