Miniatures: A Reader in the History of Everyday Life

This documentary history is the first to present readers with the rich and innovative source base deployed by everyday life historians, at a time when everyday life history approaches are gaining ever-increasing traction in historical research and history syllabi. The reader comprises (approx.) 30-40 primary sources alongside short commentaries provided by researchers working on the history of everyday life, often in extraordinary, unusual, or turbulent times from the late nineteenth century through to the twenty-first century. The sources are carefully selected to offer detailed and textured explorations of micro-scale situations and practices - what the German historian Alf Ludtke called 'miniatures' - thereby demonstrating the appeal, fascination, and potential of everyday life history.