Norden's 1618 text was written at a time when property ownership and rights were being asserted, contested or superceded, depending on one's place in society, in part through the transformation of the English landscape through enclosure. His text, which presents six dialogues of a surveyor with a farmer, a Lord, a bailiff, a purchaser of land, and others, reflects social change and mores as much as it presents detailed descriptions of the surveyor's instruments, practice, and profession. This definitive edition of the 3rd ed. of Norden's work adapts the original text into modern English, with full annotation, and a lengthy introduction by Netzloff (English, U. of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) that highlights the work's importance and the many issues it surveys. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)