Historians and instructors alike will enthusiastically greet this book, which presents in a student-friendly manner Islamic sources relating to the crusades that are not otherwise available to persons who lack a working knowledge of Arabic and its rich literary treasury. Alfred J. Andrea, Emeritus Professor of History, The University of Vermont
In the last century, many of the main Arabic chronicles of the crusading period have been made available in English translations and are now well-known. This volume, however, gives us a whole wide range of materials, only a few of which are accessible to non-Arabists. The collection includes not just little-known narrative historians, like the lively and original Ibn Wasil, but also letters, sermons, and inscriptions. Each section is followed by a few questions, ideal essay subjects for advanced students and thought provoking for general readers. Among the many strengths of this collection is that it gives due weight to thirteenth-century writings, often neglected but often interesting. Another strength is that the translations are, in all cases, the authors' own work, giving fresh and interesting versions of such well-known classics as the Rihla of Ibn Jubayr. This is a new and exciting collection which will open new horizons for students and teachers alike . Hugh Kennedy, SOAS, University of London
This is a superb collection , covering nearly every aspect of the Crusader entanglement with the Islamic Near East as expressed in Arabic sources, in clear, readable English translations. The editors are to be thanked for including texts from multiple genres--not just chronicles, but travel literature, memoirs, biographies, poetry, epistles, treaties, and orations. Nor is this collection limited to literary texts, as it also includes evidence from inscriptions--a revealing source for understanding the public propaganda of the age. The informative appendices, maps, and thoughtful discussion questions will make this anthology a breeze to use in teaching, and I can't wait to get started using it. Paul M. Cobb, University of Pennsylvania
This is an outstanding collection of translations of Levantine Muslim sources from the crusading period. Lindsay and Mourad have assembled a wide-ranging and informative set of texts, most of which have not been translated into English previously, from a broad range of genres including not only chronicles, but also a range of other works such as geographies, biographies, treaties and inscriptions. In the process they have effectively demonstrated the multifaceted nature of Christian-Muslim encounters in the Levant during this period. The collection is enhanced by invaluable supporting materials including (but not limited to) a bibliographic overview of the major Muslim sources for the period, a glossary, and a list of honorific titles and names. These make the book highly accessible for non-experts interested in the content. This book will appeal to students and scholars alike, and I highly recommend it for university and college courses on the crusades. Dr. Niall Christie, Instructor in History and Department Chair, Department of History, Latin and Political Science, Langara College
[An] invaluable primary resource for scholars and general readers alike. . . . This anthology does reinforce the case that sources written by Muslims, and the existing inhabitants of the Middle East in general, are vital to a fuller understanding of the reality of the Crusades which continues to be distorted for political gain by both the Western far-right and Muslim extremists. The questions posed by the editors at the end of each source also highlight important points and challenge the unconscious biases of Western readers and students. . . . Lindsay and Mourad's translations are . . . clear and up-to-date. This then, largely, allows the sources to speak for themselves in terms of their interest and accessibility for the reader and their publication constitutes a valuable addition to the primary material available in English. Charles Ough, in Oxford Middle East Review
