Michael McCormick (1) (1951–)

While McCormick has some suggestive theories regarding the medieval recovery of society and trade after the collapse of the Roman world, the structure of this book, with primary source material cheek-to-jowl with the analysis, is going to be a deterrent to all but the most determined of general readers. Much will depend on your patience for intellectual detective stories, or whether you just want to cut to the chase and get the point of it all. Specialists probably do have to consult this work, but even they will probably dive straight for the conclusions. Admittedly, I really should respect the scale of the scholarship here a bit more, but this is mostly a book you consult rather then read.… (more)