Definitely only read partially, but this is a much needed book that solves many of the problems I had. Several misunderstandings were purged, such as the idea that medieval towns are unplanned, and that markets were the root of medieval towns (which was also denied in the New Cambridge Medieval History). The towns of Continental Europe were preconceived according to religious concepts, and religion served as a nucleus/armature that not only formed the characteristics of medieval towns but also starting from church buildings and monasteries germinated many of the towns.