"This vivid examination explores the Middle Ages, a complex and often misunderstood period. Details of everyday living recreate the time period for modern readers, conveying the foreignness of the medieval world while bringing it into focus. The volume, using a two-pronged approach to history, begins with a broad sketch of the general dynamics that shaped the medieval experience while also creating a detailed portrait of what life was like for real individuals living in specific medieval settings.

The reader is introduced to medieval society in the first three chapters, which include information on the life cycle, material culture, and the economy. These chapters provide an understanding of diet, social life, fashion, work, and much more. Following are portraits of life in four specific medieval settings, offering in each case a particular example of the type: the village (Cuxham in Oxfordshire), the castle (Dover), the monastery (Cluny) and the town (Paris).

Extensive use of documentary sources sketch the broad contours of the social setting, providing details of the everyday experiences of real individuals."--BOOK JACKET.