a classic!
Although first published decades ago, RW Southern's analysis of the Middle Ages holds up quite well. Southern aptly demonstrates why the Middle Ages - in this case, the tenth to fifteenth centuries - is a "middle age" that forms the transition from the aftermath of the Roman Empire to modernity. Southern touches upon family life, the devleopment of "serfdom," the tensions between Western Christendom and the Byzantines, and the devleopment of secualr/ecclesiastical conflicts. Easy to read, riveting examples and stories, and evem some artwork illuminate the text.
