Thursday 2 March 2017

Book Review: Saladin, by John Man

I should but I don't buy or read many history books. I was gifted this book and on flicking through the first couple of pages for some reason or other it caught my attention and it found itself on the top of my to-read pile! It's an easy, to-the-point read. I can't vouch for its level of historical accuracy because I'm not a historian but it's for sure intriguing to come across a book in which an English author attempts to present a Muslim historical figure as the protagonist in his story. If nothing else, the book will definitely give you a feel for the environment in which Saladin (Salahuddin) lived (the "Near East" in the 12th Century) and the main characters – friend and foe (Nur al-Din, Reynald of Châttilon, Richard 'the Lionheart' etc) – with whom he crossed paths.