A book that would honour the shelf of anyone who would consider themselves an historian of calibre. Goubert's work translated by Steve Cox is an excellent peice of work. From the beginning the reader is introduceded to a person who is very thourough in their work. The time before the French revolution is of importance to give a balance to what transpired at the revolution. Each chapter is followed up with documents that help the reader get a further insight into the time of peasants and 1st 2nd and third estates and despotism. Further to the documents at the completion of each chapter there is also 'futher reading' pages. Developed to help those who want to dig that bit futher. The book is of tremondous importance to those who are doing any work on the area between 1328-1792, and the reader will be richly rewarded in the research with Goubert's excellent book.