Book excerpt: The second edition of this highly successful textbook analyses the structure of later medieval society in Europe, identifies its main groups and their political programmes, and examines their impact on the political, economic and social history of the major European states. There are many additions and expansions in this new edition, and the important chapter on the Central Monarchies (of Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, Rumania and Lithuania) has been newly contributed by Professor J M Bak of the University of British Columbia.