Ordinary Prussians

'... with its rich mines of data and insight on rural political, economic, gender and social history, this will be an essential text for years to come.' Roland Spickermann, H-German 'This book will be important for a long time to come. There is no study like it in English, and it can rightly claim to make some original contributions to German history.' The Agricultural History Review 'This work is full of ... iconoclastic approaches, which the author presents in a captivating, entertaining and yet scholarly manner.' Reviews in History 'Drawing upon a treasure-house of files and sources, William Hagen presents a vivid and colourful picture of the East Elbian people, and is determined to reshape the old-fashioned view of this rural society. This is an extraordinary people.' German Historical Institute '... this volume is a significant and convincing contribution to early modern European agrarian history.' Journal of Early Modern History '... this is an excellent, thought-provoking book ... Each chapter brims with compelling stories about local experience, while making a larger point about the transition to 'modernity'. all n all, this is a model study and fruitful ground for future comparative work.' Sixteenth Century Journal