The Jewish scribe, Ibn Yakub, is meant to faithfully record everything the Sultan says and does. Using a fictional narrator in the form of the great Sultan's scribe, Tariq Ali pieces together a brilliant mosaic of the life of the Saladin (Salah al-Din or if you prefer, Yusuf al-ud-Dn Ysuf ibn Ayyb). The only drawback for me, was that the book felt very detached, more like a history textbook than a novel. This book manages to shed light on one of the most interesting characters from the 12th century. The history of the Crusades is varied and covers hundreds of years. The author manages to convey to the reader the thoughts, feelings and purpose of a Arab leader who dominated his world. Of course, the one burning issue for Saladin was the eviction of the Franks from the mid-east, especially the regaining of Jerusalem for the “True Believers”.I found this an educational and enlightening read. Thus we are given a great overview of the Muslim world from the politics and intrigues of the day, to life in and around the palaces of this sultan. The book details his life by allowing us to hear his stories as he dictates to his scribe.We follow not only the life of Saladin, but the life of those closest to him and the scribe as well. Saladin has brought a Jewish scribe into his life for the singular purpose of writing down his memoirs. The Book of Saladin is a novel about the life of Yusaf Salah-ad-din Ibn Ayyub, known as Saladin to the Franks or Crusaders.

The book of saladin by tariq ali