In writing about sixteenth-century France, Lucien Febvre looked for those changes in human consciousness that explain the process of civilization—the most specific and tangible examples of men’s experience, the most vivid details of their daily lives. These essays, written at the height of Febvre’s powers and sensitively edited and translated by Marian Rothstein, are the most lucid, evocative, and accessible examples of his art.

"Superb teaching essays capable of stimulating the historical awareness of students and of challenging the assumptions of scholars." - History

"The appearance of this volume is most welcome… This…is a work that both instructs and delights… It remains a major contribution to the literature on Renaissance France." - Choice