Book excerpt: While historians have made the history of family life a key area of scholarly study, the diversity of methods, sources, areas of interest and conclusions this has produced, have made it one of the most difficult for readers to approach.Family & Kinship in England 1450-1800 guides the reader through the changing relationships that made up the nature of family life. It gives a clear introduction to many of the intriguing areas of interest that this field of history has opened up, including childhood, youth, marriage, sexuality and death. The book provides: An understanding of how the family has developed from the late medieval period to the beginnings of industrialisation. A synthesis of the varied work of other historians, which helps to understand the often disjointed or contradictory research into this area. A glossary of technical terms used by historians to describe the family in the past. Contemporary documents and illustrations, allowing readers to familiarise themselves with the business of understanding people in the past. Written in an engaging and accessible manner, Family & Kinship in England 1450-1800 stimulates interest in a fascinating topic and allows readers to pursue their own interests in the history of family life in the past.