T. Blanning; Tim Blanning

The power and prestige of music in the modern world has given its practitioners extraordinary wealth and moral authority. This is taken for granted now and yet for much of Europe#8217;s history musicians have been mere servants. The rise of music and musicians in the West is the subject of Tim Blanning#8217;s fascinating new book, from poorly-paid...

Economics, social policy, medicine, culture, popular religion, the position of women, the role of the Jesuits, the importance of hunting: it's hard to think of a significant feature of human life that is not given serious and well-informed treatment in this book. The result is one of the most impressive general histories to have appeared for many...