The Crusades: Five Centuries of Holy Wars

The Crusades by Malcolm Billings is a very good general history of the Crusades directed toward beginning readers. Malcolm Billings writes easily and conversationally, in language that is easy for the layman to understand. He covers all the crusades, from the First Crusade in the late 1000s all the way up to the siege of Malta by the Ottomans in 1565. The book is based upon recent research and writings by current experts on the period. It also gives information on the current status of landmarks related to the Crusades. The Crusades is a very good book for the beginner, but I do not recommend it for a more advanced student of the Crusades.Also recommended are the three-volume History of the Crusades and the abridged First Crusade. Both books are written by the eminent Sir Steven Runciman.