The Crusades, Christianity, and Islam (Bampton Lectures in America)
The Crusades, Christianity, and Islamis a very important intervention on a topic not only of current interest but also of pressing importance. Jonathan Riley-Smith shows why and how history matters.(Adam Kosto, associate professor of history, Columbia University)Jonathan Riley-Smith has written a scintillating and thought-provoking book. He provides a compelling survey not just of the place of crusading in medieval reflection about the ethics of violence and the Christian's achievement of salvation but also of how the revival of crusading rhetoric by nineteenth-century imperialists generated the Islamic association of crusading with 'Western' aggression that is so conspicuous today.This richly informed little book should be considered essential for understanding crusading, then and now.(Booklist (starred review))This is a powerhouse of a book, enlightening, well-written and accessible, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand the crusades.(Melissa SnellAbout.com)ABooklist2008 Editors' Choice(Booklist - Editors' Choice)This slender volume provides an interesting insight into the way in which contemporary history has had an impact on studies of the crusades.(James M PowellCatholic Historical Reivew)Brimming with insights, approachable by anyone interested in the subject.(Thomas F. MaddenFirst Things1900-01-00)An excellent book.(John FranceThe International History Review1900-01-00)