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by: Roger Crowley  List Price: $14.95 Price: $10.44 You Save: $4.51 (30%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Dewey Decimal Number: 940 Format: Bargain Price Label: Hyperion Manufacturer: Hyperion Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 336 Publication Date: August 15, 2006 Publisher: Hyperion Release Date: August 16, 2006 Studio: Hyperion Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Product Description: A complete and compelling account of the fall of Constantinople, the siege that gave rise to today's jihad. When Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, a remarkable era in world history ended. Constantinople, the "city of the world's desire," was a wealthy, imperial, intimidating, and Christian city, influencing world opinion for a thousand years. The fall of Constantinople marked the end of the Byzantium Empire and the end of the medieval era. Thereafter, two worlds would rise -- that of the West and that of the Middle East. 1453 is brought to life by the stories of its two ambitious battling leaders-Mehmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantine XI, the 57th emperor of Byzantium. It is a vivid, intense tale of courage and cruelty, of technological ingenuity, of endurance and luck. Impeccably researched and told as a real-life adventure, the book explores the issues that led up to and resulted from the fall of Constantinople in a way that is easily grasped and jumps from the pages into the headlines of world news. 1453 is the story of a moment of change that has new relevance today -- a crucial link in the chain of events that besets the modern world. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Like a novel, only shortThe book is very well researched and practically reads like a novel, with varying descriptions of both sides of the engagement, as well as historical perspectives and analysis of events that led to the battle. My only complaint is that it felt too short, though that may be because it read so well. At only a few hundred pages, I'm sure much more could have been added to the narrative, but the preciseness of the book made it that much better. Very well done. Rating: - Fast Paced, Readable HistoryThe Fall of Constantinople was a watershed mark in history and Roger Crowley does an excellent job in retelling the story. Accordingly,many past and modern versions of the fall of Constantinople are deeply intermingled with both myth and religious narrative; narratives that blend what actually happened with notions of perception and what they believe may have happened. According to the author, (in his notes about the sources), his aim in retelling the tale of Constantinople has been ... Read More Rating: - AP World History Review"In the jihad against Constantinople, one third of Muslims will allow themselves to be defeated, which Allah cannot forgive; one third will be killed in battle, making them wondrous martyrs; and one third will be victorious." Speaking as a High School student, I was not completely thrilled when I received this book to read and review for my AP World History class. Nor can I say that I started this book but a few days before it was due. I give all of my thanks to Roger Crowley, ... Read More Rating:  - Pushed my buttons.I'll give this book 3 stars out of charity, and because it may succeed as a work of popular history; indeed, most readers will be satisfied with it. I can't write an exhaustive review, because I quit reading at p.32,when Crowley says that "the Ottomans ruled their subjects with a light hand. . . . No attempts were made to convert Christians . . ." etc. Ask anyone who's lived under Ottoman rule,if you can still find one of these venerable folk, or talk to their descendants. You'll get a different ... Read More Rating: - InformativeA more technical treatment of the subject than Sir Steven Runciman's The Fall of Constantinople 1453 (Canto), but I have to admit that I prefer the style of Sir Runciman. What Sir Runciman neglected in detail, Mr. Crowley has provided. But, at the same time, there were points where Mr. Crowley seemed overly concerned with parallels to today (implied somewhat in the subtitle). Despite that minor criticism it is likely the very thing other readers will enjoy about the book. Mr. Crowley also recently did a fine ... Read More 
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