The Crusades Controversy by Thomas F. Madden

This short book, written by medieval historian Thomas Madden, offers a fresh perspective on the Crusades. He refutes the commonly held belief that the Crusades are the reason for the current tensions between Islam and the West and that Catholics are to blame for starting them in the first place. Closing the gap between historical understanding and popular perception, Madden shows that its not the Crusades that led to the conflict between the Muslim Middle East and the West, but the artificial memory passed down by Arab nationalists and Islamists. Today, when the Crusades are used as a justification for recent wars and acts of violence, The Crusades Controversy provides a sane understanding of how these holy wars fit within the context of history and the modern challenges our world faces today.