Dallas Texas - Highland Park - SMU - 75209

Hillcrest Lodge #1318 September 2025 Book Club

hillcrest lodge book club

The Quarryman’s Book Club met to discuss the book “Deus Lo Volt!: A Chronicle of the Crusades” by Evan S. Connell. It was a thought provoking discussion and an evening of fellowship for all.

The Quarryman’s Book Club meets regularly at Hillcrest Lodge and all members are invited to attend.

Deus Lo Volt!: A Chronicle of the Crusades by Evan S. Connell is a historical novel presented as a first-person account, it immerses the reader in the 200-year history of the Crusades, exploring the period’s events from the perspective of a fictional French nobleman named Jean de Joinville. The book opens in 1095 with Pope Urban II’s call to arms that sparked the Crusades, and ends near the close of the 13th century. While the early part of the book covers the sweep of the Crusades in a chronicler-like voice, the second half focuses on Jean de Joinville’s own experiences alongside King Louis IX. Unlike a typical historical novel, Connell draws heavily from medieval documents to recreate an authentic period feel and worldview. The narrative details the events as a Crusader would have understood them, complete with the era’s religious fervor, biases, and brutal reality.The story chronicles significant events of the Crusades, including the infamous sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, the disastrous Children’s Crusade, and the siege of Acre. It also features encounters with historical figures like Richard the Lion-Hearted and Saladin.The book explores the complex motivations of the Crusaders, including religious piety, the quest for honor, and the desire for land and glory. Through its narrative, it exposes the horrific violence and human weakness that plagued the campaigns.

hillcrest lodge book club

Evan S. Connell (1924–2013) was a widely acclaimed American novelist, poet, and short-story writer known for works such as Mrs. Bridge and Son of the Morning Star, his best-selling account of Custer’s Last Stand. His background as a prolific writer and historian influenced his unique approach to covering the Crusades.

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