Readers Reviews
28 people found the following review helpful:
Why the name "Good King Richard" is an oxymoron, September 20, 2004
By E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird"
When you look at the British involvement in that farcical escapade known as the Crusades, it seems remarkable that ANYONE living today could side with England. I mean, let's look at it soberly. They come into a country in the Middle East, take over huge swaths of it, claim it as their own, are shocked when the residents of the area don't like being oppressed, then set about hacking their way back in only to fail in the end. Just a scant overview of their actions is enough to make them look vaguely ridiculous. Once you start learning a little more about their actions (or rather, the actions of their leaders) you see just how violent and, not to put too fine a point on it, evil they were. Therefore, it's a bit surprising that a popular kid's book about Saladin hasn't been written before now. At this moment in time, circumstances have given kids a chance to learn more about the followers of Islam and their history. It seems fitting, then, that we should look at one of their greatest heroes and grant him the respect he's due. "Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam" does just that.
Saladin was born along the Tigris River well after Jerusalem fell into the hands of the marauding Crusaders from England. As a child, he attended to his studies well and learned the tenants of Islam by heart. All this gave him the understanding he required to be a good and righteous man amongst his people. As a teen Saladin became the chief aide of the Turkish sultan Nur al-Din, a fair leader who earned the respect of his subjects. From him Saladin found his role model and guide. After Nur al-Din's death, he staked his claim on the man's empire and brought together his warring brothers. This allowed him the army he needed to set out to defeat the Franks and to reclaim Jerusalem once more. To do this he faced Reginald of Chatillon, "perhaps the greatest villain in the history of the Crusade" (which is saying quite a lot), Richard the Lionhearted, and other adversaries. The book recounts a myriad of battles undertaken by both the Crusaders and the Muslims. Both sides had their wins and losses. In the end, however, Saladin was victorious and in 1291 (years after his death), "the Franks were driven out of the Holy Land altogether". So well done there.
Though it doesn't look it, this book is an excellent reference for any kid interested in battles and battle strategy. It summarizes the greatest confrontations of both sides and makes them understandable and interesting. There is also no question at any time as to who the heroes are. The Franks (to the Muslims all Crusaders were regarded as "Franks") break treaties, lie, kill for pleasure, and remain the greediest of no-goodniks. Saladin would often spare his captured enemies or give them a chance to pay a price to avoid being sold as slaves. King Richard, on the other hand, was prone to slaughtering three thousand Muslim men when he captured them. A cruel barbarian, he met a violent death, as was his due. Saladin died in his bed, having ended his life to his own liking. Touche.
I suspect that there are people out there who can't imagine a man like Saladin being far more generous and compassionate than a man like Richard. To back up her information, therefore, author Diane Stanley has included an excellent Bibliography for further reading. Terms that might not be readily recognizable to readers are included in a Glossary in the back. Accompanying the text itself are beautiful glossy illustrations that perfectly compliment the book's plot and storyline. All this and the book is respectful to the people of the Islam faith.
Biographies of historical figures well known in their native lands but little known in American schools are difficult to create. With that in mind, Stanley has done a remarkable job. She even ties in the events of the book to the modern day, commenting that, "Two hundred years of Frankish invasion, senseless slaughter, and religious fanaticism left a tragic legacy. A shadow of hatred and mistrust had fallen over this great land, holy to three faiths. A thousand years later, it is still there". And not likely to leave soon. Let us hope then that beautifully written biographies like "Saladin" dispel the myths that remain about the man, his life, and his religion. This book should be in every school library in America.
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Beautiful book, but anti-Christian, November 3, 2005
By Melissa
This book caught my eye at the library because it has beautiful illustrations, and the title obviously gives away its very positive view of Saladin and the Muslim faith. Given the publication date, it is not surprising that the book presents Muslims and their faith in a positive light; however, the book goes to the extreme in presenting Muslims as good and Christians as evil. Children in this age group are likely to be confused by this portrayal of their faith if they are Christians, while those of a Muslim background could very well see the current atrocities committed by Islamic jihadists as justified. Moreover, children at this age don't have the analytical skills to realize that there is more to the history of the Crusades than is presented here. In my opinion, this book may well be an excellent biography of Saladin, but given the age of the intended audience, the slant of the book gives an inappropriate message.
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The Crusade which Preceded the 'War on Terror', October 9, 2006
By Cheri Montagu "Writer" (San Francisco Bay Area, CA) - See all my reviews
Many people have seen the excellent PBS documentary, "Holy Warriors", about Saladin and Richard the Lionheart in the Third Crusade. For me it opened up a whole new field of inquiry, for although I am myself an historian, my field is not the Middle Ages. I sought out and read many books on Saladin, and found him a fascinating and admirable character, and an excellent antidote to the hatred of Islam which is presently being fomented by our government. It seemed to me that it was important to get the word out-- especially to the next generation-- about this Muslim whose character was so contrary to prevalent stereotypes. Diane Stanley's book fulfills this need. It presents the true history of Saladin and the Third Crusade in a manner which is readily understandable to children and accompanied by beautiful illustrations. It seems unlikely that any child who has read this book will grow up feeling the hatred that our government wants us to feel for all Muslims, and in that lies its greatest virtue.
Thank You.
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