The largest part of this book consists of transcriptions of letters to and from three different teenagers & young men growing up in Germany during the early 16th century, late 16th century, and early 17th century respectively. As such, it will not necessarily appeal to readers looking for a single dramatic narrative story. The details that emerge from the letters about daily life during these times, however, are truly fascinating. From what people ate and drank, to how the mail system worked, to how tailoring and laundry were taken care of (often by mailing laundry back to their mothers, in the case of these boys while they were in school), one gets a vivid and recognizable portrait of how people lived on a day-to-day basis that is generally missing from histories that focus on politics, ideas, or grand narratives.

The contrast between the different outcomes and levels of success among the three boys is fascinating to follow as well, and many parents will grimace in particular as the third boy -- who seems to have been as dishonest as they come -- continues to try to play on his mother's feelings to get ever more money out of her after repeatedly squandering everything she has sent in the past. By the end, he is protesting in respect to the bills he has once again run up that "a lot of money has been irresponsibly and extravagantly spent, very much against my will and to my very great sorrow. As painful as such spending has always been for me, and as much as I regret it, I cannot explain it. As one who is very judicious, Brother can easily see that this is very much out of character for me [ed. note: um, no] and has happened contrary to all my plans and against all odds" and on and on in a similar vein. By this time, the last bills he is running up for his family to settle are just before taking a ship to Brazil to try and seek his fortune there, again without success.

Anyhow, this book is primarily directed at an academic audience, but anyone seeking a range of real-life details about daily experience in the 16th and 17th centuries will find real riches here. And as someone who has worked with manuscripts like the ones transcribed here, I will add that the amount and quality of work that went into tracking down, transcribing, and translating such difficult materials into clear prose is awe-inspiring. ( )

1530's - early 1600's The lives of three generations of boys from the Behaim family of Nuremberg. As usual, this book is based HEAVILY on original documentation, translated and researched by the author himself. ( )