Alexander Callander MurrayCritiques

I'm a big fan of compilations of primary source material and this is one of the best. Alexander Callander Murray has put together an outstanding collection of sources, translated into English, describing events from the 3rd through the 8th centuries.

These sources are wide-ranging in style and scope, including works from Roman historians such as Ammianus Marcellinus and Orosius, Antique and Early Medieval chronicles, a selection of Saints' Lives, excerpts from Gregory of Tours, and numerous poems, letters, and legislative and legal documents.

This is a great starting point for someone wondering what original source material is available for the period. It also provides the reader with something of a "feel" for how life was conducted in Western Europe during the 5th-7th centuries. I found it excellent for showing me which primary sources I wanted to study further, such as Sidonius, Fredegar and Ammianus. It is also a very good counter to anyone characterizing the early medieval period as a "dark age" - one devoid of any written works.