I'm
excited and pleased to announce that the renowned British specialty publisher
Pen & Sword
has commissioned me to write two non-fiction books
for release
in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
Beyond
the Seas: The Story of the Crusader States
While
“the crusades” have become a synonym for brutality and bigotry, the crusader
states represent a positive example of harmonious coexistence between Muslims,
Jews, and Christians. Likewise, while scholars from a wide range of disciplines
including archaeology, art history, and medicine have shed light on diverse
aspects of the crusader states, to date there is no single introductory source
that provides a comprehensive overview of these unique states as a starting
point for the uninitiated. “Beyond the Seas” aims to fill this gap while
correcting common misconceptions by bringing together recent scholarly research
on a range of topics to create a comprehensive description. It will cover the
history, demography, state institutions, foreign policy, economy, art, architecture,
and lifestyle of the people who lived in the crusader states in the period from
1100 to 1300.
The
Powerful Women of Outremer
One
of the most common misconceptions about the Middle Ages is that women were
“mere chattels,” objects without rights or self-determination. “The Powerful
Women of Outremer” will counter this
myth by offering a study of women in kingdoms dubbed “ideal feudal states” at
the very height of feudalism. From Queen Melisende (1131 – 1161) to the
“ladies’ parliament” of 1261, it will highlight the degree to which women in
Outremer played often decisive (although not always positive!) roles in the
history of the Latin East.
“The
Powerful Women of Outremer” will examine the circumstances that endowed women
in the crusader states with particular status. In addition, it will look at the
institutions, laws and customs that enabled — and circumscribed — their
actions, as well as the fate of selected women.
In other news, A Song for Sparta went live on both amazon and Barnes and Noble.
