The Crusades Audiobook By Zoë Oldenbourg cover art

The Crusades

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This is historian Zoë Oldenbourg's masterpiece: an immensely exciting romance, in the highest sense, which at the same time takes an unsparingly realistic approach to the Middle Ages.

With subtlety and exceptional sensitivity, Oldenbourg analyzes the complicated tangle of currents and ideas that motivated the Crusades. As Oldenbourg describes them, the Crusades were not simply a religious phenomenon, nor were they motivated by pure aggression. They were the result of a religious climate that led people of all walks of life to leave their homes and follow the unattainable ideal of heaven on earth. Oldenbourg evokes the entire structure of feudal society and reveals the ingenuity of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The story is peopled with such great personalities as Bohemond, Tancred, Peter the Hermit, Godfrey of Bouillon, Saladin, and Richard the Lionheart.

©1966 Random House (P)1997 Blackstone Audio Inc. Middle East History Military Medieval Europe Christianity Ancient World

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Thorough History • Detailed Information • Energetic Reader • Insightful Content • Well-researched Material

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This is a serious history of the first three crusades. It gives a very detailed look at the way things happened at that time. To its credit, this work does not attempt to judge the crusades by today's sentiments as so many casual observers of the crusades do. Still there are some comparisons with modern times but not in an attempt to pass judgment.

The listener may benefit from reading less detailed works about the crusades before wading into this book because s/he would at least be familiar with the major places and names and could then listen to this work to to fill in colorful details and minor events and personalities.

A serious history of the first 3 crusades

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I must say, this is a lovely and detailed book as well as insightful and descriptive. However detailed description in this case is a double edged sword. I found it enjoyable, but I believe it could be too monotonous, in my opinion, the content of the book could be wrapped up in 14 hours, but because of the descriptive narrative, it was dragged on for 24 hours. This volume is overall, very enjoyable and accurate as far as the social condition of the 11-13 century Europe and Middle East.

A very detailed account of the first three crusade

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Would you consider the audio edition of The Crusades to be better than the print version?

This is my first review on an audio book,,but I felt I really should write one seeing that this book only has 4 stars...as it is every bit a 5 star book in my honest estimation. As well, the narrator is just perfect! loved listening to her and she reads like she is the one who wrote the book..very good!

What other book might you compare The Crusades to and why?

I haven't ever read or watched a documentary on the Crusades as thorough and as good as this book .

What does Nadia May bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Very pleased with her reading and style..she read perfectly and sounded like she had even written the book. it was just perfect really. hope she narrates some more books that are this good .

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no,i wanted to re read it over and over..as I like to really get into every word of a book as good as this!

Any additional comments?

just extremely good...can't believe it only has 4 stars ...maybe my 5 star review will bump it up closer to where it belongs on the rating scale!

Unbelievably Good! (Love the Narration as well!)

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This is a great listen on the history of the Crusades. It is a large volume of information, and at times difficult to follow because of all the detail. I wish I had noticed the copyright date when I bought the book (1966), instead of just the audio copyright (1997)...This makes a world of difference in how an academic book like this is written/heard. The difference in the discussion of crusades since 9/11 and the whole perspective of Muslim relations and views of non Muslims are very different. However, this is an academic book, and the information of how the views at the time of each of the players is very helpful for understanding how we got in the position we are today.

Interesting to listen to...but dated perspective

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A true classic of history, this great work by Oldenbourg seems a lasting treasure. She seems to have a familiarity with the mindset of the 11th century crusading Norman, the Byzantine, the Syrian Jacobite, the Armenian, the Turkoman, and the Moslem, from the peasant to Saladin himself. She takes us on a whirlwind tour of Syria in these fascinating decades of back-and-forth struggle, elucidating the motivations of the struggle, whether chivalrous, religious, or barbaric. This book is just as important for understanding the East as a history of the middle ages is for understanding the west.

She does justice to history

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