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Title: A great work
Review: This is without doubt one of the best history books written in the twentieth century. A work of great depth and breadth, it shows a master historian at his best. The analysis is rich and complex; just about every page is rich with insight and often turns upside down some old conventional wisdom (cf., for but one example, his assessement of the positive role the Vikings had on the redistribution of wealth and on economic quickening in general in Europe). This is a veritable tour de force, and one that should be required reading for anyone seriously interested in medieval history. Of course, some material is dated, and on some topics the author changed his mind later on in his career, but that does not detract from the force and brilliance of this classic.
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