The Other Side of Western Civilization: Readings in Everyday Life

The readings in this book focus on the life experiences of people from all ranks of society: from slaves to nobles and from peasants to city folk. Although there are problems in collecting documents that express the personal concerns of the Pre-Renaissance underclasses, the readings do a good job of recreating that experience for us. In one selection, contributor Eileen Power uses surveys and other sources to create a fascinating composite picture of a ninth-century peasant. Highly recommended for those interested in social history.