Reviews

This work is a striking departure from the earlier efforts of Hibbert, one of England's best-known popular historians. In it he undertakes, on a grand scale not really approached since G. M. Trevelyan's classic English Social History, an overview of the rich fabric of the lives of common folk. The subject is a fascinating one, and on the whole Hibbert does it justice. There should be more on population trends and demography and certainly some maps are needed; but against these shortcomings stand readable prose, excellent treatment of subjects like dress and sex, and considerable research in printed sources. Essential for most libraries. James A. Casada, History Dept., Winthrop Coll., Rock Hill, S.C.