The Pragmatic Idea: Mary Field Parton and the Pursuit of a Progressive Society

glossary (255–259) which is of obvious use to a casual reader (and, it ought to be said, more seasoned academics too). Indeed, the appendices are of obvious use as a point of reference, including a list of undersheriffs in England, Ireland and Wales throughout this period (231–244). On a practical note, as a work that will be of significant use for many as a point of reference, I would have liked the contents page to have offered up much more detail, specifically the inclusion of the numerous subheadings within each chapter; this would have made targeting and accessing specific details of the sheriff’s role much simpler and would therefore have made the work more accessible. Being inherently specialist in its nature, I would expect this book to find its most obvious audience coming in the form of professional historians, especially those specializing in English county studies (in identifying its intended audience, I have essentially described myself), or perhaps undergraduates requiring a solid reference piece to explore and explain the workings of local administration in early modern England. It is therefore rather difficult to imagine this book being thumbed through by a general reader or sitting expectantly under someone’s Christmas tree. That is not to say, however, that the style is impenetrable: far from it. As mentioned above, each chapter is neatly divided into meaningful and easily digestible sections, all composed in an academic yet accessible tone and as such it is to be commended for its achievements. My main regret with this book is that it was not published some time ago. At a fair price, there is no reason why this book should not occupy a valuable space in university libraries across the kingdom. Perhaps this publication will inspire others and pave the way for a series of new studies into the other various key offices of local administration in early modern England.