Richly illustrated throughout, each book presents vital information to the reader as if he or she were actually touring site in a specific period of time. The reader soon discovers where to find food, how the local currency is used, units of weights and measures, what do expect with regard to lodging, what to wear, and what to do in case of illness. Each book describes principal architectural wonders and explains how the public used these edifices for religious ceremonies or other speical events. As the pages unfold, readers develop an understanding of "every day life" and how histories structures have survived or deteriorated through time.