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WINNER OF THE 2021 NDR BOOK PRIZE IN GERMANY

‘A must-read’ Lyndal Roper, Regius Professor of History at Oriel College, Oxford

Fishing quotas on Lake Constance. Common lands in the UK. The medieval answer to Depop in the middle of Frankfurt.

These are all just some of the sustainability initiatives from the Middle Ages that Annette Kehnel illuminates in her astounding new book, The Green Ages. From the mythical-sounding City of Ladies and their garden economy to early microcredit banks and rent-a-cow schemes, Kehnel uncovers a world at odds with what we might think of as the typical medieval existence.

Pre-modern history is full of inspiring examples and concepts that open up new horizons. And we urgently need them as today’s challenges – finite resources, the twilight of consumerism, growing inequality – threaten what we have come to think of as a modern way of living sustainably.

This is a revelatory look at the past that has the power to change our future.

Publisher Review

Bold and exciting – a must-read! — Lyndal Roper, Regius Professor of History, Oriel College, Oxford The Green Ages takes the reader through a fascinating journey over several hundred years of history to prove beyond doubt that a different kind of world really is possible — Grace Blakeley, author * Vulture Capitalism * Illuminating … Annette Kehnel takes us on a journey through the rich history of reuse, repurposing, and innovative solutions to the problems of life … reminds us that the solutions to our modern challenges often lie in the wisdom of the past — Emily Cockayne, author * Rummage: A History of the Things We Have Reused, Recycled and Refused to Let Go * Bold, imaginative and vividly written, here finally is a historical survival guide in our climate crisis that reminds us that it is possible to live differently and sustainably — Frank Trentmann, author * Empire of Things: How We Became a World of Consumers, from the Fifteenth Century to the Twenty-First * A wonderful and much-needed book — Harald Welzer, author and editor * futurzwei magazine * A committed and thought provoking book, rich in engaging examples and surprising alternatives, that makes it clear we need the past for our future — Bernd Schneidmuller, Professor of Medieval History, Heidelberg University