cannot hope to comprehend the fears and aspirations and convictions that have moved past generations." This statement is a key to understanding his unique style but also explains much of the criticism leveled at it. It is nevertheless undisputed that the work contains genuine scholarship and has been very influential on the generation of scholars educated during the 1950s to 1970s. Bernard Hamilton wrote in 2000: "The first two volumes of Sir Steven’s History of the Crusades were published while I was an undergraduate. I read them with avidity […] I still think that his History is one of the great literary works of English historical writing, which has inspired an interest in and enthusiasm for the crusades in a whole generation." References 1951 non-fiction books 1952 non-fiction books 1954 non-fiction books Books about the Crusades 20th-century history books Cambridge University Press books Book series introduced in 1951