Lost Worlds: How Our European Ancestors Coped with Everyday Life and Why Life Is So Hard Today

Studies in Early Modern German History

by Arthur E. Imhof

Publication of Lost Worlds introduces to English-speaking readers one of the most original and engaging historians in Germany today. Known for his work in historical demography, Arthur E. Imhof here branches out into folklore, religion, anthropology, psychology, and the history of art. Rooted in Imhof's belief that we need stability and values that transcend the individual, Lost Worlds inspires us to examine our own ways of seeing the world.

Genres: History

199 pages, Hardcover

Published September 29, 1996

Reviews

[Greg Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read on a whim since most of my electronic devices were left 6 hours away; surprised at how good this was. Well written even in translation, it doesn't romanticize but offers a fascinating view into the past while giving perspectives from today. Also surprisingly short, though the graphics are dated and some not very readable.

[Bryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was interesting and I am not at all sorry I read it, but it seemed very much to be Inhof's personal opinions about things with some statistical support rather than actual data-driven history -- I wish he had put one of those introductory chapters where he examines his own beliefs and assumptions, because I felt like there was a lot of unexamined 'correlation proves X was caused by Y' based on what Inhof found obvious about the world, which of course was not at all obvious to me.

That being said, his sketch of village demographics in this particular part of what is now Germany was really fascinating, and there were some places where the numbers did seem to be saying something new & interesting -- I particularly remember the differences in the number of children & frequency of pregnancies in various areas and how that correlated with religious beliefs and why it might have worked that way.

[Brandon Righi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A landmark work of European Studies, and just a fantastic read. It's hard to write history better than this. Imhof doesn't settle for merely a thorough study of Renaissance-era life in Europe, but makes powerful connections to modern life in his conclusion, greatly adding to the unforgettable quality of the book. His foray into "Why Life is So Hard Today" is a departure for most historians, but a welcome one.