I found the first half, which was more synoptic, more interesting than the second half, which was more given to some specifics of social history -- but without being as intensely analytical as I would have hoped, or as detailed and thorough as would be required. Given all the superlatives I had hea...
I hate to say that I hardly remember this book, and I hate to admit that it was a bit more academic and dry than I'd liked it to be, but it was. Not really pleasure reading, but a good source of information.