David Hitchcock and Julia McClure (eds), The Routledge History of Poverty, c.1450–1800 (London and New York: Routledge, 2021), pp. xxvii + 380 + figures 37 + tables 2 H/b £190, e-book £35.99

Abstract

tine orders continue to shift how historians undertake research. Wiesner-Hanks achieves a clear and punchy survey of early modern historiography, peppering the text with enjoyable anecdotes and stories from the historical past. The author draws out the many parallels between the early modern world and today, and the unique vantage point of early modern history that affords scholars ‘the ability (and responsibility) to highlight these connections’ (105). Wiesner-Hanks is particularly attuned to global considerations and cutting-edge digital methodologies, which have transformed research in several subfields. As is warranted by the genre of the text, Wiesner-Hanks is careful in her critique, instead allowing the historiography to speak for itself. As with many short-format texts, explanations are necessarily economical, yet the book is impressively complete. Moreover, detailed footnotes and a further reading section provide excellent rabbit holes for the interested reader. This is a timely historiographic contribution that sings the praises of an incredibly rich and invigorating field, and will undoubtedly become the go-to handbook for students and scholars of early modern history.