Cipolla's "Introduction to Economic History" - originally published in 1988, re-printed a dozen times and translated into several languages - comprises two parts: one is devoted to describing the domain and features of economic history; the other is an essay dealing with the sources of European economic history. This abridged version of that text includes the first part; five brief chapters offer the reader a general overview of economic history, written by one the most renowned and authoritative Italian economic historians.

Contents: 1. What Is Economic History? - 2. Identifying the Issues - 3. The Sources - 4. Source Criticism - 5. Reconstructing the Past - 6. Conclusion.

Carlo M. Cipolla (1922-2000) used to teach at the University of California-Berkeley and the Scuola Normale in Pisa.