Essays in Quantitative Economic History - Roderick Floud - Hardcover Book

Dryly written but wide overview of science's influence on history and the class struggle. This first volume covers the time period from the paleolithic al the way up to the late Middle Ages, before the breaktroughs of the Renaissance. Probably a bit outdated on some accounts because there has been a wealth of research material since the time of writing in the sixties, but an impressive synthesis nonetheless. Thoroughly marxist but from a technical perspective, which is still an underacknowledged part of its tradition.