The Albigensian Crusades
by Joseph Strayer

From the Back Cover: "This history of the crusades ...sketches the conditions in...Occitania during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, briefly details the origins and beliefs of Catharism, and contains a narrative account of the crusades and their consequences."

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee:
An Indian History of the American West
by Dee Brown

Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee is a balanced account of the  injustices and betrayals of the Native Americans by the U.S. government and the white man in the process of westward expansion.  It recounts how Native Americans were threatened, deceived and killed in great numbers in service of the white man’s greed and arrogance, and how a proud and brave people were systematically deprived of their culture, religion and way of life in that service.  The consequences of those actions are stark and dramatic in the lives of the Native Americans to this day.  Those of us who call ourselves “Americans” would do well to read this book in order to understand the price of that appellation for those who lived on this land long before the arrival of Europeans.

The Cathars:
The Most Successful Heresy of the Middle Ages
by Sean Martin

Book Description: "... the Cathars still believed themselves to be the heirs of the true heritage of Christianity. They completely rejected the Catholic Church and all its opulent trappings... The Cathars found widespread popularity among peasants and artisans. ...Alarmed at the success of Catharism, the Church ... launched the Albigensian Crusade to exterminate the heresy."

The Chalice and the Blade:
Our History, Our Future
by Riane Eisler

From Amazon.com: " Some books are like revelations: they open the spirit to unimaginable possibilities. The Chalice and the Blade is one of those magnificent key books that can transform us and...initiate fundamental changes in the world.
From Publishers Weekly: "... convincingly documents the global shift from egalitarian to patriarchal societies, interweaving new archeological evidence and feminist scholarship."

Eleanor of Aquitaine: A Life
by Alison Weir

From the Publisher: "Eleanor of Aquitaine was a complex, boldly original woman who transcended the mores of her society. In this stunning biography, Alison Weir paints a vibrant portrait of this truly exceptional queen, and provides new insights into her private life. With astonishing historic detail, mesmerizing pageantry, and irresistible accounts of royal scandal and intrigue, Weir recreates not only a remarkable personality but a magnificent past era."

Joan of Arc: By Herself and Her Witnesses
by Regine Pernoud

From Library Journal: "This is historical biography as it should be written... The author uses the letters, chronicles, and testimony at Joan's trial to thrust the legendary aspects of this young girl's life into the background and create an alive, believable human being. The translator, Edward Hyams, received the Scott-Moncrief Translation Prize in 1965 for this book."

Joan of Arc: Her Story
by Regine Pernoud

From Publishers Weekly: " A brief introduction and a section of profiles of the major players make this thorough book accessible to the general reader. Though the writing is sometimes dry, Pernoud and Clin do an admirable job of bringing clarity to their complicated subject. This is the first English translation of a book published in 1986 in France. 12 illustrations, 8 maps."

Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint
by Stephen W. Richey

Book Description: "Drawing on eyewitness accounts... , Richey goes beyond what Joan did in her amazing career, analyzing how she performed her martial feats. The first study in English to dig deeper into the mechanics of Joan's military career, and the first English treatment by a professional soldier with battlefield experience, this vivid account explores Joan's achievements in winning the loyalty of her men."

The Knights Templar Chronology:
Tracking History's Most Intriguing Monks
by George M. Smart

From the Publisher: "This remarkable book maps out at a glance the Templars' rise and fall from which so many modern-day groups draw inspiration. Never before have the world’s most intriguing Knights had their incredible adventures and history so fully captured."

The Life of Elizabeth I
by Alison Weir

From Publishers Weekly: "After a lonely and often perilous childhood ... Elizabeth ascended to the throne ... The prevailing expectation was that she would speedily marry a strong man who would then take over as king. Elizabeth did nothing of the kind and, as Weir details, she did quite well for herself manipulating the royal marriage mart of Europe. Weir uses myriad details ... to create an almost affectionate portrait of a strong, well-educated ruler loved by her courtiers and people alike.

The Perfect Heresy:The Revolutionary Life and Death
of The Medieval Cathars
by Stephen O'Shea

From the Publisher: "The Cathars held revolutionary beliefs that threatened the ... Church as well as ... feudal law: They thought the idea of Hell to be a sham; they rejected all sacraments, including marriage; they thought private property an absurd notion ... and they gave women status equal to men. The Perfect Heresy eloquently chronicles one of Western civilization's most mind-boggling tales."

The Yellow Cross:
The Story of the Last Cathars' Rebellion
Against the Inquisition, 1290-1329
by Rene Weis

From Booklist: "In a feat of inspired scholarship, Weis transports us back to that world, conveying all of the high drama of ecclesiastical interrogations, covert ceremonies, and fiery martyrdom. . . . A book that will long haunt its readers."

Warrior Women:
An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines
by Jeannine Davis-Kimball

Book Description: "...warriors, priestesses, and matriarchs come to life in this ... account of one archaeologist's search for the truth. ...What emerges is a thrilling and exotic adventure that stretches from Europe to Asia and a provocative re-examination of gender roles for the 21st century."

When God Was a Woman
by Merlin Stone

Book Description: " Here, archaeologically documented,is the story of the religion of the Goddess. Under her, women’s roles were far more prominent than in patriarchal Judeo-Christian cultures. Stone describes this ancient system and, with its disintegration, the decline in women’s status. Index; maps and illustrations."