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Historical Daily Life in The Late Middle Ages Edited by Richard Britnell ISBN: 0-7509-1587-0 no price / Sutton Publ. / 1998 Nine essays, each dealing with a different, often neglected facet of pre-Tudor England, make up this well-rounded look at medieval society. Editor Richard Britnell's selections illuminate the lives of average people during the Middle Ages, whose histories are often overshadowed by discussions on medieval warfare, royalty, or worldwide exploration. Interlaced with period poetry and daily reflections, the authors produce an uncommon glance at common people. Four of the essays are micro-studies on specific groups of people, such as London parishoners, Yorkists, and peasants. Each chapter is specifically crafted with the religious and secular climate of medieval England in mind. One essay, for instance, investigates a single family's genealogy over the span of the 15th century. Readers will also learn about the essential yet hampered role of women through a discussion of nurses and the evolution of their role in early hospitals. In still another chapter, a portrait of the medieval peasant of Arden is presented. (Re-enactors take note! the first chapter deals with dress and the arrival of "fashion trends;" that is, dressing not for necessity but for beauty.) The most detailed account in the collection, however, is an exploration of artisans and their respective guilds. The author includes names and information about members of the tailors, armourers, and livery guilds, to name a few. Especially revealing is information on the formation of fraternal organizations and communal work projectssuch as reparing city walls. Designed with simplicity, this book is a refreshing alternative to over-produced, pop-historical publications. A reasonable amount of color and b/w photographs and maps efficiently illustrate each point. Although edited with academia in mind, this is an invaluable resource for both the scholar and student of medieval society; in other words, those only interested in knights and bloody sword fights need not bother. —Sir Miles

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