The UK or, to give it its full title, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state comprising 4 countries or, more accurately, three and a half, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (The Republic of Ireland - Eire - has been an independent state for about a century). The constitutional relationship between the constituent parts has always been contested (often violently) and remains so to this day.
We have a lot of interviews relating to the UK, to its politics and history, its culture, literature and its royal family. Like the country itself, there is a bias towards England.
On the history front, we have Stephen Pincus choosing his best books on the Glorious Revolution, Matthew Green looking at London’s addictions, essentially the role that chocolate, tobacco, coffee and tea have played in the social life of the capital over the centuries. Ian Mortimer looks at Life in the Tudor era, Stella Tillyard at the history of the Regency Period and Juliet Gardiner at life in 1930s Britain.
A number of interviews looks at issues related specifically to the UK's Imperial history. David Cannadine chooses his best books on the British Empire. And Bernard Bailyn looks at the UK’s imperial role in his best books on Atlantic history. Julia Lovell looks at the Opium Wars.
Other interviews relate to culture in the UK. Interviews on Shakespeare, the UK’s greatest Romantic poems, the Oxford English dictionary, buildings in the UK, the English countryside and British Cinema, to name a few.
There are plenty of interviews covering UK politics. Jonathan Portes chooses his best books on Brexit. Murray Pittock looks at Irish Unionism, and Anthony Seldon on Prime Ministers. Peter Kellner looks at British democracy and David Owen on Constitutional Reform.
There are also a lot of interviews on the UK’s monarchy and the royal family. Hugo Vickers chooses his best royal biographies, and Andrew Morton his best on British royalty. Helen Castor her best on Queens and Power. Thomas Penn looks at Henry VII and John Morrill at Oliver Cromwell.
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1
Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem
by Tim Shipman -
2
A History of Britain, Volume III: The Fate of the Empire 1776–2000
by Simon Schama -
3
The Time of My Life
by Denis Healey -
4
The Road to 1945: British Politics and the Second World War
by Paul Addison -
5
Things Can Only Get Better: Eighteen Miserable Years in the Life of a Labour Supporter
by John O'Farrell
The best books on Modern British History, recommended by Andrew Hindmoor
The best books on Modern British History, recommended by Andrew Hindmoor
What will historians say about the latest period in British history? What has stayed the same, and what is vastly different from our parents’ generation? Andrew Hindmoor, professor of politics at the University of Sheffield and author of Twelve Days that Made Modern Britain, recommends books that give insights into contemporary British history.
The Best London Novels, recommended by Iain Sinclair
A city of hidden depths and morbid fascination, by turns respectable and savage. Iain Sinclair picks five novels that capture the spirit and rich history of London.
Landmarks of Scottish Literature, recommended by James Robertson
Scottish culture is best understood as related to, but distinct from, that of Britain or England, says the acclaimed novelist James Robertson. Here, he selects five landmark works of Scottish literature, from Sir Walter Scott’s sweeping, panoramic social novels of the 18th century, through Robert Louis Stevenson’s Jekyll and Hyde, to Nan Shepherd’s beloved nature writing.
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1
Brexitland: Identity, Diversity and the Reshaping of British Politics
by Maria Sobolewska & Robert Ford -
2
There's Nothing For You Here
by Fiona Hill -
3
Brexit and British Politics
by Anand Menon & Geoffrey Evans -
4
Listen, Liberal: or Whatever Happened to the Party of the People?
by Thomas Frank -
5
The British General Election of 2019
by Paula Surridge, Robert Ford, Tim Bale & Will Jennings
The best books on Brexit, recommended by Anand Menon
The best books on Brexit, recommended by Anand Menon
Brexit shook British politics in 2016 and, six years on, its long-term consequences both for the UK and for the European Union remain highly uncertain. Here political scientist and Brexit expert Anand Menon recommends books to help you understand Brexit, what caused it and why, and puts those trends in a wider global political context.
The best books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl
The Mail on Sunday’s Royal Correspondent, Katie Nicholl, looks at how the histories of the previous generation have shaped Princes William and Harry. She picks the best books on the British royals.
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1
Network Nations: A Transnational History of British and American Broadcasting
by Michele Hilmes -
2
Paving the Empire Road: BBC television and Black Britons
by Darrell M. Newton -
3
Behind the Wireless: A History of Early Women at the BBC
by Kate Murphy -
4
BBC World Service: Overseas Broadcasting, 1932-2018
by Emma Robertson & Gordon Johnston -
5
London Calling: Britain, the BBC World Service and the Cold War
by Alban Webb
The best books on The BBC, recommended by Simon J. Potter
The best books on The BBC, recommended by Simon J. Potter
The British Broadcasting Corporation celebrates its centenary this year. The beloved institution has always had a paradoxical identity: part monopoly and government organ, part commercial enterprise and government critic; part bringer of change, part defender of the status quo. Here Simon Potter, Professor of Modern History at the University of Bristol, talks us through the history and the transformations the BBC has undergone since it was first founded in 1922.
The best books on Boudica, recommended by Richard Hingley
Boudica was an Iron Age queen who led her people into rebellion against Roman rule in the province of Britannia. She was defeated, but only after she had burned several towns, including London, to the ground. Here Richard Hingley, Professor of Archaeology at Durham University, explains how to sift the truth from the myth, and why Boudica has remained an enduring source of fascination down the centuries.
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1
The Break-up of Britain
by Tom Nairn -
2
Independence or Union: Scotland’s Past and Scotland’s Present
by Tom Devine -
3
The Scottish Question
by James Mitchell -
4
The Case for Scottish Independence: A History of Nationalist Political Thought in Modern Scotland
by Ben Jackson -
5
Cinico: Travels with a Good Professor at the Time of the Scottish Referendum
by Allan Cameron
The best books on Scottish Nationalism, recommended by Murray Leith
The best books on Scottish Nationalism, recommended by Murray Leith
There has been a sharp rise in nationalist and pro-independence sentiment in Scotland since the resumption of the Scottish parliament in 1999. Here, the University of West Scotland political scientist Murray Leith reflects on the changing nature of Scottish identity and separatist visions, as he recommends five key books on Scottish nationalism.
The Best Black British Writers, recommended by Jacqueline Roy
Black British writers have been storming the bestseller charts in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests. Here, Jacqueline Roy—the novelist and lecturer in Black literature—selects five of the best books by Black British writers that deserve more attention.
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1
The Unbound Prometheus: Technological Change and Industrial Development in Western Europe from 1750 to the Present
by David S Landes -
2
Growth Recurring: Economic Change in World History
by Eric Jones -
3
The British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective
by Robert C. Allen -
4
The Enlightened Economy: An Economic History of Britain 1700–1850
by Joel Mokyr -
5
Forging Ahead, Falling Behind and Fighting Back: British Economic Growth from the Industrial Revolution to the Financial Crisis
by Nicholas Crafts
The best books on Industrial Revolution, recommended by Sheilagh Ogilvie
The best books on Industrial Revolution, recommended by Sheilagh Ogilvie
The Industrial Revolution transformed the world forever by enabling self-perpetuating economic growth. But historians are still at odds about why the industrial revolution happened where it did and when it did. Here, Sheilagh Ogilvie, Chichele Professor of Economic History at All Souls College, Oxford, guides us through the debates and why they are still relevant today.
The best books on Modern Britain, recommended by Danny Dorling
From the North-South divide to middle-class insecurity and the correlation of petrol use and obesity, Danny Dorling with five books on what makes Britain British.
Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays
In our Shakespeare series, we ask experts to select their favourite plays from the Bard’s oeuvre. Here, preeminent Shakespearean scholar Sir Stanley Wells chooses five plays that best chart the evolution of the Bard of Avon during his 25-year career.
The best books on Henry VII, recommended by Thomas Penn
He was the Machiavelli of English kings – a chancer and usurper with a highly dubious claim to the throne. But Henry VII ruled for 25 years and founded a dynasty. His biographer tells us how he did it
Great British Thrillers, recommended by Matt Lynn
Author Matt Lynn says that good thrillers need a sense of foreboding and tension – and a brilliant central character. “The thriller has always been a very political genre, a kind of snapshot in time”
The best books on Brexit, recommended by Boris Starling
Looking for a good Brexit book? Brexit is as complicated as the Schleswig-Holstein question and as vicious as Game of Thrones. Boris Starling, author of The Bluffer’s Guide to Brexit, talks us through some Brexit books that will leave you better read and even more mystified about what the future holds for Britain and Europe.
The Best Crime Fiction of 2019, recommended by Val McDermid
It’s been a great year for crime fiction – with soaring sales and global bestsellers emerging from writers all over the world. Crime writing is rightly in the ascendancy, says the celebrated Scottish novelist Val McDermid as she selects the best crime fiction of 2019: five books that stand as great novels in their own right.
The Best Books by Muriel Spark, recommended by Alan Taylor
This year marks the centenary of the birth of the novelist, poet and essayist Muriel Spark, a singular voice of 20th century literature. Her 22 novels are slim and entertaining says Alan Taylor, author of Appointment in Arezzo, but beneath the jeux d’esprit lies a fearsome intellect. Here he selects five of her key works.
The best books on The Glorious Revolution, recommended by Steven Pincus
When William of Orange came from Holland to take the English throne in 1688, was it a foreign invasion, or a revolution from within? Yale historian, Steven Pincus, talks us through the conflicting views on the Glorious Revolution and argues for a new perspective.
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1
The Identity of Ulster: The Land, the Language and the People
by Ian Adamson -
2
Irish Unionism
by Patrick Buckland -
3
The Faithful Tribe: An Intimate Portrait of the Loyal Institutions
by Ruth Dudley Edwards -
4
Home Rule: An Irish History 1800-2000
by Alvin Jackson -
5
The Orange Order: A Contemporary Northern Irish History
by Eric Kaufmann
The best books on Irish Unionism, recommended by Murray Pittock
The best books on Irish Unionism, recommended by Murray Pittock
As is the norm in many countries with proportional representation, the United Kingdom’s government depends on a small political party to stay in power. Who are the Irish unionists? What is the ideology that guides them? Historian and pro-vice principal of Glasgow University, Murray Pittock, recommends the best books to read to better understand Irish unionism.
Nick Clegg on his Favourite Books
Much as some Brexiteers like to pretend it isn’t, England is not only in Europe, but has been, in various centuries and in various ways, at the very heart of it. The former Deputy Prime Minister of the UK, Nick Clegg, discusses his favourite European novels and the founding text of his own political ideology, liberalism.
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1
Caught in the Web of Words: James Murray and the Oxford English Dictionary
by K. M. Elisabeth Murray -
2
The Collected Papers of Henry Bradley
by Robert Bridges -
3
The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Oxford English Dictionary
by Simon Winchester -
4
The Study of Language in England, 1780-1860
by Hans Aarsleff -
5
The Scholar's Daughter
by Beatrice Harraden
The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary, recommended by Peter Gilliver
The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary, recommended by Peter Gilliver
It's a dictionary that seeks to document any word that exists—or ever existed—in the English language and track its evolution over time. Lexicographer Peter Gilliver chooses books to help understand the enormous undertaking that is the Oxford English Dictionary.
The best books on The Opium War, recommended by Julia Lovell
The 19th century opium war marked the clash of the world’s great empires of the age – Britain and China. Historian Julia Lovell says its legacy of Chinese humiliation is still felt keenly in Beijing.
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1
What Next: How to get the best from Brexit
by Daniel Hannan -
2
Brexit Beckons: Thinking ahead by leading economists
by Richard Baldwin (ed) -
3
Branching histories of the 2016 referendum and ‘the frogs before the storm’
by Dominic Cummings -
4
Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union
by Harold Clarke, Matthew Goodwin & Paul Whiteley -
5
Autumn
by Ali Smith
The Best Things to Read on Brexit, recommended by Jonathan Portes
The Best Things to Read on Brexit, recommended by Jonathan Portes
Why did Brexit happen? What does the future hold for Britain outside the European Union? Can trade economists help? The economist and former head of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a non-partisan think tank, recommends the best books (and one blogpost) on Brexit.
The best books on Life in the Tudor Era, recommended by Ian Mortimer
History is not about understanding the past for the sake of it, it’s about understanding human nature, says the historian and novelist Ian Mortimer.
The Best Transnational Literature, recommended by Mohsin Hamid
Beleaguered ‘citizens of nowhere’ will be pleased to know they have their own literary genre. For anyone who has ever wondered where they belong, or why, when you leave your home country, it’s never the same when you return, here are the best five books to read—including some by the greatest authors of the 20th century.
The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey
She became the heir to the British throne because her uncle had resigned and became Queen Elizabeth II aged just 25, after her father’s early death in 1952. The royal biographer Robert Lacey considers Elizabeth Windsor (1926-2022), her family history, her legacy and what made her so successful as Britain’s titular head of state.
The best books on William and Dorothy Wordsworth, recommended by Lucy Newlyn
William Wordsworth probably did not get his greatest creative impetus from solitude, but from his extremely close relationship with his sister, suggests Oxford scholar Lucy Newlyn
The best books on Britishness, recommended by Matthew Engel
Britain is a bewilderingly motley nation of phlegmatic grumblers, says the author and editor Matthew Engel – a seaside resort-going, class-conscious people haunted by loss of empire, and we can’t even agree on what the country is called
The best books on British Empire, recommended by David Cannadine
The history professor tells us why it’s less interesting to argue about whether the Empire was a force for good or ill, than to understand how it worked and why it fell apart. He suggests a reading list to get us started.
The Best Adam Smith Books, recommended by Dennis Rasmussen
Adam Smith tends to be seen as the founder of capitalism and modern economics, but he was, first and foremost, a moral philosopher. Dennis Rasmussen, author of The Infidel and the Professor—a book about Smith’s friendship with David Hume—selects the best books by and about Adam Smith.
The best books on British Prime Ministers, recommended by Anthony Seldon
It’s their frailty that makes politicians such interesting characters, says Tony Blair’s biographer Anthony Seldon. He tells us about the art of political biography and the writers who’ve best captured leaders such as Churchill and Thatcher
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1
English Society 1660-1832
by Jonathan Clark -
2
The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1715-1754
by Romney Sedgwick ed. -
3
Jacobitism and the English People, 1688-1788
by Paul Monod -
4
1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion
by Daniel Szechi -
5
France and the Jacobite Rising of 1745
by Frank McLynn
The best books on Jacobitism, recommended by Murray Pittock
The best books on Jacobitism, recommended by Murray Pittock
The failure of the Stuarts to win back the English or Scottish throne changed the course of history, enabling the buildup of a highly centralized British state and, possibly, America’s war for independence. Murray Pittock chooses the best books on Jacobitism, the 18th century phenomenon that nearly overthrew the British government.
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1
William Wordsworth: The Major Works
by Stephen Gill (editor) -
2
Samuel Taylor Coleridge: The Major Works
by H. J. Jackson (Editor) -
3
Willam Blake: Selected Poetry
by Nicholas Shrimpton & William Blake -
4
Percy Bysshe Shelley: The Major Works
by Michael O'Neill (Editor) & Zachary Leader (Editor) -
5
John Keats: The Major Works
by Elizabeth Cook (Editor)
The Greatest Romantic Poems, recommended by Gillen D'Arcy Wood
The Greatest Romantic Poems, recommended by Gillen D'Arcy Wood
Freud said he owed them everything and even people who have never read a poem in their lives speak their language today. Gillen D’Arcy Wood, Professor of Environmental Humanities and English at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, explains who the Romantic poets were and recommends five of the greatest Romantic poems.
The Best Royal Biographies, recommended by Hugo Vickers
Hugo Vickers talks about what makes a good royal biography, and how he helped Helena Bonham Carter prepare for her film role as the Queen Mother
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1
Killing Thinking: The Death of the Universities
by Mary Evans -
2
Representations of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Lectures
by Edward Said -
3
The Great University Gamble: Money, Markets and the Future of Higher Education
by Andrew McGettigan -
4
Faculty Towers: The Academic Novel and Its Discontents
by Elaine Showalter -
5
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom
by bell hooks
The best books on Academia, recommended by Les Back
The best books on Academia, recommended by Les Back
Current UK higher education policies, which treat students as consumers, are not only killing thinking but also likely to lead to a financial crisis. And yet, academia is a beautiful vocation, with the power to transform lives year in, year out. University of London professor, Les Back, picks the best books on academia.
The best books on Immigration, recommended by Ian Goldin
What are the economic effects of immigration? Economist Ian Goldin, a professor at Oxford University and founding director of the Oxford Martin School, recommends books and explains.
The best books on London Fog, recommended by Christine L. Corton
Christine L. Corton describes how Londoners loved and hated the fog that defined their city for over 200 years. Fog bought confusion, suicide and death; but also anonymity, mystery and beauty. Here, she picks the best five books on the pea-souper
The best books on London’s Addictions, recommended by Dr Matthew Green
The social historian argues London is an intrinsically addictive city. He charts its history through its dependencies on chocolate, tobacco, coffee, and tea.
The Best London Books, recommended by Peter Ackroyd
The historian and biographer of London Peter Ackroyd picks five books that shine a light on parts of this vast, complex and confusing city where, he says, pathos and pantomime meet.
The best books on The Truth Behind the Headlines, recommended by Lorraine Adams
Why do huge stories sometimes go unreported? Our news media are good at promulgating conventional wisdom but find it much more difficult to deal with evidence that contradicts it, says the former Washington Post reporter
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1
Atlantic History
by Bernard Bailyn -
2
Empires of the Atlantic World
by JH Elliott -
3
Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
by David Eltis and David Richardson -
4
The British Atlantic World, 1500-1800
by David Armitage and Michael J Braddick (editors) -
5
Soundings in Atlantic History
by Bernard Bailyn (editor)
The best books on Atlantic History, recommended by Bernard Bailyn
The best books on Atlantic History, recommended by Bernard Bailyn
Harvard professor and Pulitzer prize-winning historian Bernard Bailyn recommends reading on three centuries of empire, conflict and slave trading between the Americas, Europe and Africa
The best books on 1930s Britain, recommended by Juliet Gardiner
The 1930s are hugely underrated as a decade, says the historian. She tells us about the social and design revolutions that made the thirties much more than just a prelude to war
Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan
The US has repeatedly misdiagnosed the war in Afghanistan. Former soldier, Andrew Exum, tells us about flawed policy, unhappy outcomes and what could and should have been different.
The best books on Queens and Power, recommended by Helen Castor
Women’s historical role in politics wasn’t always as limited as we might assume. Medieval historian Helen Castor tells us about powerful women in British history and how they were constrained or conspired against.
The best books on Oliver Cromwell, recommended by John Morrill
The professor of history at Cambridge asks why Oliver Cromwell remains Britain's most controversial ruler, and what the morbid story of Cromwell's head after his death has to say about British history.
The best books on The Highland Clearances, recommended by James Hunter
The Director of the Centre for History at the University of the Highlands and Islands talks to us about the history of the Highland Clearances in Scotland. Interesting reading on 19th Century Scottish history
The best books on The Regency Period, recommended by Stella Tillyard
Bestselling novelist and historian Stella Tillyard says the 19th century Regency era was, apart from the duels and empire-line dresses, much like our own – a time of war and economic uncertainty.
The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton
Bestselling celebrity biographer Andrew Morton recommends the best books on the British royal family and the publishing of his own book, Diana, Her True Story—In Her Own Words, viewed by many as the definitive book on Princess Diana.
The best books on US and UK English, recommended by Robert McCrum
McCrum looks at three stages of evolution in the English language. The first British, the second American and then the third – the globish stage – the one in which English is used as international default position
The best books on British Buildings, recommended by Harry Mount
Bestselling author Harry Mount thinks that the British sell themselves short when they fail to appreciate their architecture. He also expresses his thanks that Christopher Wren didn’t redesign London on a Parisian/New York grid system following the 1666 fire.