History isn't just composed of dates, battles and rulers; these are simply a framework around which people lived, and an inordinately complex mesh of events, activities and thoughts occurred. Modern historians study most aspects of human life, including the societies of times past. These ten books explore one, or sometimes more, aspects of human society in early modern and modern Europe.
As the title suggests, this is a broad study of society across Europe, involving many different social strata between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Kamen focuses on the general structure of various communities and the great changes they experienced, which are narrated in his usual firm but friendly style. This book is a good introduction to the topic.More »Racism is not a modern curse, but something that has evolved over centuries. In this volume MacMaster examines the development of modern anti-Jewish and anti-black racism, exploring how and why such ideas emerged, arguing that they are often closely related. In doing so, the author provides a solid insight into racism past and present.More »One frequent accusation by the modern media is that our society is growing ever more violent, while the popular impression of medieval Europe is one of commonplace violence. Within this inaccurate framework Ruff's study is vital, as he has presents a synthesis of our knowledge on violence from the Reformation until the French Revolution with some, perhaps surprising, conclusions.More »Ignore the slightly crass title and instead concentrate on the text of this study, which explores Europe's treatment of the mentally ill. Anyone who has ever suffered, or who knows someone who has suffered, such illnesses will find parts of this book uncomfortable reading; nevertheless, mental health issues are not the sole preserve of modern society.More »Birth and death unite every society, and the practices - and superstitions - of each can provide valuable insights. This excellent essay collection concerns death and remembrance in the early modern and late medieval period. Topics include women and will-making in England, the handling of ghosts in Switzerland, and disputes over burial space in France.More »Mary Lindemann's fascinating book discusses medicine and other healthcare in early modern Europe from a largely social and cultural viewpoint, rather than simply a scientific (how does it cure you?) or chronological (who found it and when?) one. The result is an excellent book that distills recent research and provides both a good introduction and intriguing details on the topic.More »This collection of essays explores both the causes, and results, of fear amongst the population of early modern Europe. The topic may at first appear odd, albeit fascinating, but given the occasional characterisation of past society as one of ignorant god-fearing peasants who were scared of everything, this book may prove invaluable.More »Another collection of essays, this time focusing on the more opulent aspects of seventeenth and eighteenth century society: luxury items. The articles focus largely on Britain, although the book wouldn't be complete without some mention of the Dutch Republic, and they take an inter-disciplinary approach, mixing the love of objects with the economics and social manipulation that underlies purchase.More »Of all the subjects which affect society, religion is among the greatest, and Remond's book offers a broad analysis of how the relationship between religion (although the emphasis is largely on Christianity) and society has changed from the eighteenth century until today. Consequently, this is a work of large sweeping themes involving the whole of Europe.More »Although there is a far greater emphasis on war than society in this volume, it is still suitable for inclusion in this set of picks. Tallet's book does, in part, examine how war affected various social groups in different ways, and the clear presentation, as well as the authors style, makes this a good introduction to both subjects.More »
