Mr. Hale's book is full on insight into the transformation that occurred in Europe during the Renaissance. His research is extensive, his analysis detailed, and his knowledge of the subject extensive. I feel that I really learned a lot about this interesting era in European history. Also, the author uses numerous illustrations and prints when discussing various points, which helped me a lot since I do not possess much of a background on this subject. The book will make for a most enjoyable read for anyone already familiar with this time period.

For those of us who do not know a lot about the Renaissance, sections of the text can be challenging. As one other reviewer mentions, Hale takes a thematic approach, rather than a chronological one which did prove challenging for me. Also, some sections are rather "text book like", and somewhat dull. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I just found it more challenging to finish than other historical books that I have read.

I recommend this book to anyone intersted in learning more about the Renaissance in Europe. If you do not know a lot about the subject, like myself, you may want to find a different starting point than this text. Otherwise, you may end up like me wondering how much you missed out based on your ignorance of the materials provided.

My second year history teacher in college used this book as our text book. Reading this book was like looking at history form the street level, enabling one to understand why they did what they did during that time. And it's also very fun read.

I write this just a few days after the death of Prof. Hale, and can only express agreement with what the other reviewers below have said. This book is a wonderful monument to a great historian and scholar, and is an unmitigated delight to read, and to return to.

"It turned out to be what is known as a 'constitutional' history - a sober compilation lightened with improving illustrations...[It] was concerned only with social progress and political evolution; with the Black Death, and the invention of printing...He thumbed through the pages on the fifteenth century, looking for personal items; for individual reports that might, in their single vividness, illuminate the scene for him as a 'spot' lights the desired part of the stage. But the story was distressingly devoted to the general...there was a dearth of human beings in this record of humanity."
- Josephine Tey, _The Daughter of Time_

The character of Grant in _The Daughter of Time_ was speaking of a book of history for the student, so the comparison isn't exact. _Renaissance_, as one of the Great Ages of Man series, is meant more for the lay reader - good enough to cite in a term paper, provide a mental 'map' of the period, or use as a stepping-stone in finding *its* bibliographic sources, but not something one would cite in a serious scholarly work. Also, given the subject matter, the "improving illustrations" are first-rate, ranging from a 2-page illustrated map of Florence, including major buildings drawn in perspective, to da Vinci's technical drawings, to details of the works of Botticelli and Michaelangelo. However, the pictures aren't of the full-bore variety found in art history books; they're present to support the text, rather than the other way round. For example, in discussing Florence's wool industry, two pages are bordered with a partial sequence of the process, noting that there are more than 30 steps, each with its own specialized workers, but only hitting a few high notes in sketching out the process (not even listing them all).

Hale's focus is that of his own subject area - Renaissance Italy - and thus begins by noting that there really was no such thing. The Kingdom of Naples, the dukedom of Milan, the republic of Venice, and many small-time city states - Machiavelli's response to a naive suggestion that they unite against France and Spain was along the lines of don't be ridiculous, kid. Since the book is meant for the lay reader, it isn't footnoted, but does carry a bibliography and full credits on all paintings, sculptures, and other artwork shown. While in itself the book isn't rigorous enough for research, it provides perspective - a 2 page map of Florence - but in the MapEasy style, with major buildings drawn in perspective.

Hale uses a broad canvas - 'there are a dearth of human beings in this history', as Tey would say - downplaying anecdotes illuminating individual figures. The artwork scattered thoughout leavens the effect. Hale provides sweeping theories to organize his broad overview, without a scholar's usual footnotes and other means of backing up his theories with proof.

Hale begins by examining the causes of the Renaissance - unlike some other scholars I've read, he lays very little stress on the Black Death. Economically, the Italian states' increasing prosperity led to the development of many commonplaces of modern commerce - credit transfers, holding companies, marine insurance - and as law and legal studies grew in prestige and importance, students of law re-examined Roman law (very practical, since Rome's huge empire would already have had some of the same problems). Politically, the Papacy's departure from Rome and the slackening grip of the Holy Roman Empire in the north and the Kingdom of Naples in the south let the city-states focus on themselves. Succeeding chapters focus on specific city-states, separated by 'photo-essays' on specific areas, e.g. travel, da Vinci.

The last chapter, dealing with the period when France had recovered from the Hundred Years' War, and their majesties of Castile and Aragon had evicted the forces of Islam from Spain - and therefore had time to use Italy as a battleground for more ambitious schemes - sketches the Renaissance as it affected the rest of Europe.

War and Society attempts to explore the extent to which warfare affected social conventions and vice versa. The author explores a multitide of avenues: weaponry, politics, technological innovation, army composition, state finances, and impact on civilians. His conclusions are somewhat surprising at times, as he does not conclude that war had as great an impact on society as many believe. In fact, society had the greater impact on the conduct of warfare than strictly military factors.

A good amount of detail is provided on recruitment, both of leaders and soldiers, mercenaries, early modern taxation, and effects of warfare on the formation of governments (or lack thereof).

The weakness is that it is a very difficult book to read, with lots of words that will send you to the dictionary and sentences that last eight lines or so with 3 semicolons, 1 colon, and 7 commas. Despite that, if you are interested in getting a somewhat different view and style about the military-social relationships in early modern Europe, this is a good choice.