George Huppert is Professor of History at University of Illinois at Chicago. He is author of The Idea of Perfect History: Historical Erudition and Historical Philosophy in Renaissance France, Les Bourgeois Gentilhommes: An Essay on the Definition of Elites in Renaissance France, and Public Schools in Renaissance France, as well as numerous essays and articles on the social history of early modern Europe.

• Preface to the Second EditionPreface1. The Eternal Village2. The Freedom of the City3. The Urban Community4. The Urban Elite5. The Privileged Estates6. The Evolution of Rural Society7. Rebellion8. On the Margins of the Community9. Private Lives10. Worldly Minds11. War and Plunder12. ConclusionNotesBibliographical EssayIndex

Praise for the first edition: "To give a sense of immediacy and vividness to the long period in such a short space is a major achievement." - History "Huppert's book is a little masterpiece every teacher should welcome." - Renaissance Quarterly