Steven A. Epstein has produced a thin, yet authoritative work, ideal for undergraduates studying this period—and not just those studying economic and social subjects. It is to be commended for its wide chronological and geographical coverage and its breadth of topics that are treated efficiently, but in enough depth to provide an entry point into what can be an overly complicated topic area. Although the book does span 500 years, the main focus is on the fourteenth century, with the author ranging forwards and backwards in order to provide context for his discussion.

The book develops its account of medieval Europe over nine chapters, with an additional introduction, but not a conclusion. This is Europe in its widest sense, and covers the Islamic world, on the edges of what many would consider Europe during this period. In particular, the chapter on Technology and Consumerism, debates how innovations passed between Europe and the rest of the world, advancing the argument that “medieval Europeans may have been the first of the great free riders benefiting from borrowing the best practices of others” (p. 192). The book is well-written and structured, especially in its use of case studies. These help to hold the attention and drawing on real examples adds color to what can sometimes be a very dry subject for undergraduate students. Each chapter has a select bibliography (rather than footnote references) where the reader can find the works that have been drawn upon and that also serves as a guide for further reading.

The account is very readable using a chronological and thematic approach that works surprisingly well. The book is illustrated with clear maps and appropriate diagrams that both enhance understanding of complex topics and focus the reader's attention on key points in the current discussion. The author is very aware of both the latest and more established scholarship, as is clearly demonstrated from his dissection of traditional viewpoints as well as the “trendy” use of more recent, and perhaps unconventional takes on medieval economic and social history.

That this is a modern book is evidenced in the “Big Death” section (rather than Black Death) which, again, does not present the conventional view, which is emphasized by the title chosen. This term is used in conjunction with another, “Great Hunger,” and perhaps indicates an attempt to engage with undergraduate students by using modish phrasing. Although the style of the book may be initially distracting, the reader quickly acclimatizes to what is really an engaging authorial tone throughout. The aim of coining such new terms seems to be to challenge the preconceptions that have built up around established events, but whether the tactic succeeds in advancing the historical debate is questionable.

Inevitably, in any such large-scale and wide-ranging survey based largely on the secondary historiography, there are occasional question marks. One small disappointment concerns the discussion of Edward III and his culpability for the fall of the Bardi and Peruzzi in 1343. Epstein states that “the companies experienced a crisis in the early 1340s as the amounts Edward III owed and never would repay dwarfed the profits of the wool trade” (pp. 167–68). For the source of this story, Epstein appears to be taking the report of the Florentine chronicler, Giovanni Villani (himself a failed banker) at face value. This is similar to the treatment King Edward has received at the hands of our popular media, looking for evidence of the last sovereign default by the English/British state in order to draw comparisons with the contemporary government debt crisis. Historians such as Armando Sapori and Edmund Fryde have long questioned whether this is a fair comparison to make. Most recently, Edwin S. Hunt has demonstrated that the estimates of the default by Villani were wildly exaggerated (“A New Look at the Dealings of the Bardi and Peruzzi with Edward III.” The Journal of Economic History 50, no. 1 (March 1990): 149–62). It is indeed a pity that a fuller, more balanced picture of this famous banking collapse was not presented in order to turn back the tide of this popular misconception.

This is only a very minor quibble and I would be very happy to make this the key text on any undergraduate medieval history module. In particular, students will enjoy reading this book, which can only help to both engage and engross them in this important topic.