The Structures of Everyday Life: The Limits of the Possible (Civilization and Capitalism, 15th-18th Century, Volume I)

Volume One (of three) only. 624pp. Numerous black and white illustrations in text. In olive green cloth-covered boards with gilt titles on spine. 8vo. . Boards very slightly rounded at corners and spine tips. Internally neat, clean, bright and tight. In its original, lightly shelf worn, dust jacket, just a little bumped at spine ends. This first volume of Braudel’s mammoth three volume work is a sort of weighing up of the world, an evaluation of what was possible in the pre-industrial world, of which the most important aspects were the conditions imposed by material life – food, drink, dress, housing, democracy, demography and family structures. Intensely visual in its quality and story-telling, Braudel’s understanding of history is brought into sharp focus by the remarkable illustrations.