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World » Europe » Britain

Most Recommended Books

King George V by Kenneth Rose

“My principal reason for putting Rose’s study of George V on my list is that I consider it the best royal biography ever written. It is a classic which is full of insight and humanity, along with dry wit and revelation. There had previously been an official biography of George V by Harold Nicolson, and Kenneth Rose was able to get hold of the Nicolson papers, where he discovered quite a lot of material that Nicolson had diplomatically left out.”

Robert Lacey, Biographer

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Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

“We have this tour de force writing where he describes the London fog. It’s grey in the countryside and as it moves closer to the centre of the City of London it gets blacker and blacker.”

Christine L. Corton, Biographer

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The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

“Tina’s book captures Diana with such raciness, charm and insight. The book is based on incredible research. One of Tina’s strengths is that she is a great British journalist, who has been living in America for many years. So she embodies that slightly bemused and admiring attitude of America towards the British monarchy. I think some Americans almost wish they had a monarchy – and, of course, they do. The American president gets selected by an arduous and ludicrously expensive and drawn-out electoral process. Then he – not yet she – is promptly turned into a monarch, complete with a First Family and all the trappings of empire. If you happen to be called Kennedy or Bush you are treated as part of a royal dynasty, and you are entitled to be considered for future succession.”

Robert Lacey, Biographer

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All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain’s Political Class by Tim Shipman

“All Out War and Fallout are consummate insider accounts of the politics of the last few years. These are events we’re still living through, and the third book in the trilogy will be out later this year. Both are really substantive books that I give to my students. They’re very long and very detailed, not lightweight books by any means. He’s got this amazing capacity to marshal the minutiae of what’s going on, but also make his account rich in its personalities and its anecdotes.”

Andrew Hindmoor,

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William Wordsworth: The Major Works by Stephen Gill (editor)

“Resolution and Independence, 1802. I’ve taught Romantic poetry to American undergraduates for more than twenty years and this fascinates my students because the action is all in the young Wordsworth’s mind and emotions. At this time in his life, Wordsworth didn’t have a job or much purpose, and most of his poems are about roaming the countryside and meeting odd people.”

Gillen D'Arcy Wood, Literary Scholar

Read more

Browse book recommendations:

Britain

  • Brexit
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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.

    The Best Crime Fiction of 2019, recommended by Val McDermid

  • Read
    The Best Crime Fiction of 2019 - My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

    1

    My Sister, the Serial Killer
    by Oyinkan Braithwaite

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    The Best Crime Fiction of 2019 - This Mortal Boy by Fiona Kidman

    2

    This Mortal Boy
    by Fiona Kidman

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    The Best Crime Fiction of 2019 - The Lost Man by Jane Harper

    3

    The Lost Man
    by Jane Harper

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    The Best Crime Fiction of 2019 - American by Day by Derek B Miller

    4

    American by Day
    by Derek B Miller

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    The Best Crime Fiction of 2019 - A Dark Matter by Doug Johnstone

    5

    A Dark Matter
    by Doug Johnstone

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 on Modern British History, recommended by Andrew Hindmoor

  • Read
    The best books on Modern British History - All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain’s Political Class by Tim Shipman

    1

    All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain’s Political Class
    by Tim Shipman

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    The best books on Modern British History - Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem by Tim Shipman

    2

    Fall Out: A Year of Political Mayhem
    by Tim Shipman

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    The best books on Modern British History - A History of Britain, Volume III: The Fate of the Empire 1776–2000 by Simon Schama

    3

    A History of Britain, Volume III: The Fate of the Empire 1776–2000
    by Simon Schama

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    The best books on Modern British History - The Time of My Life by Denis Healey

    4

    The Time of My Life
    by Denis Healey

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    The best books on Modern British History - The Road to 1945: British Politics and the Second World War by Paul Addison

    5

    The Road to 1945: British Politics and the Second World War
    by Paul Addison

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    The best books on Modern British History - Things Can Only Get Better: Eighteen Miserable Years in the Life of a Labour Supporter by John O'Farrell

    6

    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

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 books on Brexit, recommended by Boris Starling

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    The best books on Brexit - The Aachen Memorandum by Andrew Roberts

    1

    The Aachen Memorandum
    by Andrew Roberts

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    The best books on Brexit - V For Vendetta by Alan Moore & David Lloyd (illustrator)

    2

    V For Vendetta
    by Alan Moore & David Lloyd (illustrator)

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    The best books on Brexit - All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain’s Political Class by Tim Shipman

    3

    All Out War: The Full Story of How Brexit Sank Britain’s Political Class
    by Tim Shipman

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    The best books on Brexit - After Europe by Ivan Krastev

    4

    After Europe
    by Ivan Krastev

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    The best books on Brexit - Brexit and Ireland by Tony Connelly

    5

    Brexit and Ireland
    by Tony Connelly

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 books on Modern Britain, recommended by Danny Dorling

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    The best books on Modern Britain - The Energy Glut by Ian Roberts with Phil Edwards

    1

    The Energy Glut
    by Ian Roberts with Phil Edwards

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    The best books on Modern Britain - My Shit Life So Far by Frankie Boyle

    2

    My Shit Life So Far
    by Frankie Boyle

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    The best books on Modern Britain - On Roads by Joe Moran

    3

    On Roads
    by Joe Moran

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    The best books on Modern Britain - 44 Letters from the Liquid Modern World by Zygmunt Bauman

    4

    44 Letters from the Liquid Modern World
    by Zygmunt Bauman

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    The best books on Modern Britain - The Northern Clemency by Philip Hensher

    5

    The Northern Clemency
    by Philip Hensher

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.

    The Best Books by Muriel Spark, recommended by Alan Taylor

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    The Best Books by Muriel Spark - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

    1

    The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
    by Muriel Spark

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    The Best Books by Muriel Spark - The Girls of Slender Means by Muriel Spark

    2

    The Girls of Slender Means
    by Muriel Spark

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    The Best Books by Muriel Spark - Symposium by Muriel Spark

    3

    Symposium
    by Muriel Spark

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    The Best Books by Muriel Spark - The Abbess of Crewe by Muriel Spark

    4

    The Abbess of Crewe
    by Muriel Spark

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    The Best Books by Muriel Spark - Curriculum Vitae by Muriel Spark

    5

    Curriculum Vitae
    by Muriel Spark

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

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    The best books on The Glorious Revolution - The History of England from the Accession of James II by Thomas Babington Macaulay

    1

    The History of England from the Accession of James II
    by Thomas Babington Macaulay

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    The best books on The Glorious Revolution - The English Revolution 1688-1689 by GM Trevelyan

    2

    The English Revolution 1688-1689
    by GM Trevelyan

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    The best books on The Glorious Revolution - The Revolution of 1688 in England by JR Jones

    3

    The Revolution of 1688 in England
    by JR Jones

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    The best books on The Glorious Revolution - The Anglo-Dutch Moment by Jonathan Israel

    4

    The Anglo-Dutch Moment
    by Jonathan Israel

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    The best books on The Glorious Revolution - Merchants and Revolution by Robert Brenner

    5

    Merchants and Revolution
    by Robert Brenner

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.

    The best books on Irish Unionism, recommended by Murray Pittock

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    The best books on Irish Unionism - The Identity of Ulster: The Land, the Language and the People by Ian Adamson

    1

    The Identity of Ulster: The Land, the Language and the People
    by Ian Adamson

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    The best books on Irish Unionism - Irish Unionism by Patrick Buckland

    2

    Irish Unionism
    by Patrick Buckland

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    The best books on Irish Unionism - The Faithful Tribe: An Intimate Portrait of the Loyal Institutions by Ruth Dudley Edwards

    3

    The Faithful Tribe: An Intimate Portrait of the Loyal Institutions
    by Ruth Dudley Edwards

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    The best books on Irish Unionism - Home Rule: An Irish History 1800-2000 by Alvin Jackson

    4

    Home Rule: An Irish History 1800-2000
    by Alvin Jackson

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    The best books on Irish Unionism - The Orange Order: A Contemporary Northern Irish History by Eric Kaufmann

    5

    The Orange Order: A Contemporary Northern Irish History
    by Eric Kaufmann

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

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    Nick Clegg on his Favourite Books - On Liberty by John Stuart Mill

    1

    On Liberty
    by John Stuart Mill

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    Nick Clegg on his Favourite Books - The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

    2

    The Master and Margarita
    by Mikhail Bulgakov

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    Nick Clegg on his Favourite Books - The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa

    3

    The Leopard
    by Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa

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    Nick Clegg on his Favourite Books - The Story of San Michele by Axel Munthe

    4

    The Story of San Michele
    by Axel Munthe

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    Nick Clegg on his Favourite Books - Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain Fournier

    5

    Le Grand Meaulnes
    by Alain Fournier

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.

    The best books on The Opium War, recommended by Julia Lovell

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    The best books on The Opium War - Narcotic Culture by Frank Dikotter, Lars Laamann and Zhou Xun

    1

    Narcotic Culture
    by Frank Dikotter, Lars Laamann and Zhou Xun

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    The best books on The Opium War - Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy by Carl Trocki

    2

    Opium, Empire and the Global Political Economy
    by Carl Trocki

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    The best books on The Opium War - The Opium War by Peter Ward Fay

    3

    The Opium War
    by Peter Ward Fay

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    The best books on The Opium War - The Inner Opium War by James Polachek

    4

    The Inner Opium War
    by James Polachek

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    The best books on The Opium War - Britain’s Gulag by Caroline Elkins

    5

    Britain’s Gulag
    by Caroline Elkins

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.

    Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit

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    Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit - What Next: How to get the best from Brexit by Daniel Hannan

    1

    What Next: How to get the best from Brexit
    by Daniel Hannan

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    Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit - Brexit Beckons: Thinking ahead by leading economists by Richard Baldwin (ed)

    2

    Brexit Beckons: Thinking ahead by leading economists
    by Richard Baldwin (ed)

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    Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit - Branching histories of the 2016 referendum and ‘the frogs before the storm’ by Dominic Cummings

    3

    Branching histories of the 2016 referendum and ‘the frogs before the storm’
    by Dominic Cummings

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    Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit - Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union by Harold Clarke, Matthew Goodwin & Paul Whiteley

    4

    Brexit: Why Britain Voted to Leave the European Union
    by Harold Clarke, Matthew Goodwin & Paul Whiteley

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    Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit - Autumn by Ali Smith

    5

    Autumn
    by Ali Smith

Jonathan Portes recommends the best things to read on Brexit

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 Transnational Literature, recommended by Mohsin Hamid

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    The Best Transnational Literature - No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe

    1

    No Longer at Ease
    by Chinua Achebe

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    The Best Transnational Literature - A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

    2

    A Moveable Feast
    by Ernest Hemingway

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    The Best Transnational Literature - Meatless Days: A Memoir by Sara Suleri

    3

    Meatless Days: A Memoir
    by Sara Suleri

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    The Best Transnational Literature - The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka

    4

    The Buddha in the Attic
    by Julie Otsuka

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    The Best Transnational Literature - Fictions by Jorge Luis Borges

    5

    Fictions
    by Jorge Luis Borges

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 Adam Smith Books, recommended by Dennis Rasmussen

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    The Best Adam Smith Books - Adam Smith in His Time and Ours by Jerry Muller

    1

    Adam Smith in His Time and Ours
    by Jerry Muller

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    The Best Adam Smith Books - The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith

    2

    The Theory of Moral Sentiments
    by Adam Smith

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    The Best Adam Smith Books - Adam Smith and the Virtues of Enlightenment by Charles Griswold

    3

    Adam Smith and the Virtues of Enlightenment
    by Charles Griswold

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    The Best Adam Smith Books - The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith

    4

    The Wealth of Nations
    by Adam Smith

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    The Best Adam Smith Books - On Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations": A Philosophical Companion by Samuel Fleischacker

    5

    On Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations": A Philosophical Companion
    by Samuel Fleischacker

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 Jacobitism, recommended by Murray Pittock

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    The best books on Jacobitism - English Society 1660-1832 by Jonathan Clark

    1

    English Society 1660-1832
    by Jonathan Clark

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    The best books on Jacobitism - The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1715-1754 by Romney Sedgwick ed.

    2

    The History of Parliament: The House of Commons, 1715-1754
    by Romney Sedgwick ed.

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    The best books on Jacobitism - Jacobitism and the English People, 1688-1788 by Paul Monod

    3

    Jacobitism and the English People, 1688-1788
    by Paul Monod

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    The best books on Jacobitism - 1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion by Daniel Szechi

    4

    1715: The Great Jacobite Rebellion
    by Daniel Szechi

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    The best books on Jacobitism - France and the Jacobite Rising of 1745 by Frank McLynn

    5

    France and the Jacobite Rising of 1745
    by Frank McLynn

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.

    The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary, recommended by Peter Gilliver

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    The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary - Caught in the Web of Words: James Murray and the Oxford English Dictionary by K. M. Elisabeth Murray

    1

    Caught in the Web of Words: James Murray and the Oxford English Dictionary
    by K. M. Elisabeth Murray

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    The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary - The Collected Papers of Henry Bradley by Robert Bridges

    2

    The Collected Papers of Henry Bradley
    by Robert Bridges

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    The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary - The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester

    3

    The Surgeon of Crowthorne: A Tale of Murder, Madness and the Oxford English Dictionary
    by Simon Winchester

  • Read
    The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary - The Study of Language in England, 1780-1860 by Hans Aarsleff

    4

    The Study of Language in England, 1780-1860
    by Hans Aarsleff

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    The best books on The Oxford English Dictionary - The Scholar's Daughter by Beatrice Harraden

    5

    The Scholar's Daughter
    by Beatrice Harraden

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.

    Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays

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    Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays - King Lear by William Shakespeare

    1

    King Lear
    by William Shakespeare

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    Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays - A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

    2

    A Midsummer Night’s Dream
    by William Shakespeare

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    Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays - The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare

    3

    The Winter's Tale
    by William Shakespeare

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    Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays - Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

    4

    Antony and Cleopatra
    by William Shakespeare

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    Stanley Wells recommends the best of Shakespeare’s Plays - Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

    5

    Twelfth Night
    by William Shakespeare

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 Greatest Romantic Poems, recommended by Gillen D'Arcy Wood

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    The Greatest Romantic Poems - William Wordsworth: The Major Works by Stephen Gill (editor)

    1

    William Wordsworth: The Major Works
    by Stephen Gill (editor)

  • Read
    The Greatest Romantic Poems - Samuel Taylor Coleridge: The Major Works by H. J. Jackson (Editor)

    2

    Samuel Taylor Coleridge: The Major Works
    by H. J. Jackson (Editor)

  • Read
    The Greatest Romantic Poems - Willam Blake: Selected Poetry by Nicholas Shrimpton & William Blake

    3

    Willam Blake: Selected Poetry
    by Nicholas Shrimpton & William Blake

  • Read
    The Greatest Romantic Poems - Percy Bysshe Shelley: The Major Works by Michael O'Neill (Editor) & Zachary Leader (Editor)

    4

    Percy Bysshe Shelley: The Major Works
    by Michael O'Neill (Editor) & Zachary Leader (Editor)

  • Read
    The Greatest Romantic Poems - John Keats: The Major Works by Elizabeth Cook (Editor)

    5

    John Keats: The Major Works
    by Elizabeth Cook (Editor)

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 books on Academia, recommended by Les Back

  • Read
    The best books on Academia - Killing Thinking: The Death of the Universities by Mary Evans

    1

    Killing Thinking: The Death of the Universities
    by Mary Evans

  • Read
    The best books on Academia - Representations of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Lectures by Edward Said

    2

    Representations of the Intellectual: The 1993 Reith Lectures
    by Edward Said

  • Read
    The best books on Academia - The Great University Gamble: Money, Markets and the Future of Higher Education by Andrew McGettigan

    3

    The Great University Gamble: Money, Markets and the Future of Higher Education
    by Andrew McGettigan

  • Read
    The best books on Academia - Faculty Towers: The Academic Novel and Its Discontents by Elaine Showalter

    4

    Faculty Towers: The Academic Novel and Its Discontents
    by Elaine Showalter

  • Read
    The best books on Academia - Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom by bell hooks

    5

    Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom
    by bell hooks

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

  • Read
    The best books on Immigration - Bloody Foreigners by Robert Winder

    1

    Bloody Foreigners
    by Robert Winder

  • Read
    The best books on Immigration - Borderless Economics by Robert Guest

    2

    Borderless Economics
    by Robert Guest

  • Read
    The best books on Immigration - The Age of Migration by Hein de Haas, Mark J. Miller & Stephen Castles

    3

    The Age of Migration
    by Hein de Haas, Mark J. Miller & Stephen Castles

  • Read
    The best books on Immigration - The Age of Mass Migration by Jeffrey G. Williamson & Timothy J. Hatton

    4

    The Age of Mass Migration
    by Jeffrey G. Williamson & Timothy J. Hatton

  • Read
    The best books on Immigration - A Man of Good Hope by Jonny Steinberg

    5

    A Man of Good Hope
    by Jonny Steinberg

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

  • Read
    The best books on London Fog - Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

    1

    Our Mutual Friend
    by Charles Dickens

  • Read
    The best books on London Fog - New Grub Street by George Gissing

    2

    New Grub Street
    by George Gissing

  • Read
    The best books on London Fog - The Lodger by Marie Belloc Lowndes

    3

    The Lodger
    by Marie Belloc Lowndes

  • Read
    The best books on London Fog - Party Going by Henry Green

    4

    Party Going
    by Henry Green

  • Read
    The best books on London Fog - The Lonely Londoners by Sam Selvon

    5

    The Lonely Londoners
    by Sam Selvon

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 William and Dorothy Wordsworth, recommended by Lucy Newlyn

  • Read
    The best books on William and Dorothy Wordsworth - William Wordsworth: The Major Works by Stephen Gill (editor)

    1

    William Wordsworth: The Major Works
    by Stephen Gill (editor)

  • Read
    The best books on William and Dorothy Wordsworth - The Grasmere and Alfoxden Journals by Pamela Woof (editor)

    2

    The Grasmere and Alfoxden Journals
    by Pamela Woof (editor)

  • Read
    The best books on William and Dorothy Wordsworth - The Gang by John Worthen

    3

    The Gang
    by John Worthen

  • Read
    The best books on William and Dorothy Wordsworth - The Gift by Lewis Hyde

    4

    The Gift
    by Lewis Hyde

  • Read
    The best books on William and Dorothy Wordsworth - Dorothy Wordsworth, Writer by Pamela Woof

    5

    Dorothy Wordsworth, Writer
    by Pamela Woof

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 London’s Addictions, recommended by Dr Matthew Green

  • Read
    The best books on London’s Addictions - The True History of Chocolate by Sophie and Michael Coe

    1

    The True History of Chocolate
    by Sophie and Michael Coe

  • Read
    The best books on London’s Addictions - The Smoke of the Gods: A Social History of Tobacco by Eric Burns

    2

    The Smoke of the Gods: A Social History of Tobacco
    by Eric Burns

  • Read
    The best books on London’s Addictions - The Diary of Dudley Ryder, 1715-1716 by Dudley Ryder

    3

    The Diary of Dudley Ryder, 1715-1716
    by Dudley Ryder

  • Read
    The best books on London’s Addictions - Samuel Johnson: The Major Works by ed. by Donald Green

    4

    Samuel Johnson: The Major Works
    by ed. by Donald Green

  • Read
    The best books on London’s Addictions - London Calling by Barry Miles

    5

    London Calling
    by Barry Miles

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 books on Modern Day British Royals, recommended by Katie Nicholl

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words by Andrew Morton

    1

    Diana: Her True Story — In Her Own Words
    by Andrew Morton

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - The Housekeeper's Diary by Wendy Berry

    2

    The Housekeeper's Diary
    by Wendy Berry

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Kate by Claudia Joseph

    3

    Kate
    by Claudia Joseph

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair by Gyles Brandreth

    4

    Charles and Camilla Portrait of A Love Affair
    by Gyles Brandreth

  • Read
    The best books on Modern Day British Royals - William and Harry by Ingrid Seward

    5

    William and Harry
    by Ingrid Seward

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.

    The best books on Life in the Tudor Era, recommended by Ian Mortimer

  • Read
    The best books on Life in the Tudor Era - Before the Mast: Life and Death Aboard the Mary Rose

    1

    Before the Mast: Life and Death Aboard the Mary Rose

  • Read
    The best books on Life in the Tudor Era - Plenti and Grase by Mark Dawson

    2

    Plenti and Grase
    by Mark Dawson

  • Read
    The best books on Life in the Tudor Era - Shakespeare: A Compact Documentary Life by Samuel Schoenbaum

    3

    Shakespeare: A Compact Documentary Life
    by Samuel Schoenbaum

  • Read
    The best books on Life in the Tudor Era - Shogun by James Clavell

    4

    Shogun
    by James Clavell

  • Read
    The best books on Life in the Tudor Era - A Traveller in Time by Alison Uttley

    5

    A Traveller in Time
    by Alison Uttley

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 London Books, recommended by Peter Ackroyd

  • Read
    The Best London Books - A Survey of London: Written in the Year 1598 by John Stow

    1

    A Survey of London: Written in the Year 1598
    by John Stow

  • Read
    The Best London Books - Bleak House by Charles Dickens

    2

    Bleak House
    by Charles Dickens

  • Read
    The Best London Books - Prehistoric London: Its Mounds and Circles by EO Gordon

    3

    Prehistoric London: Its Mounds and Circles
    by EO Gordon

  • Read
    The Best London Books - The Diary of Samuel Pepys by Samuel Pepys

    4

    The Diary of Samuel Pepys
    by Samuel Pepys

  • Read
    The Best London Books - London: A Pilgrimage by Blanchard Jerrold and Gustave Doré

    5

    London: A Pilgrimage
    by Blanchard Jerrold and Gustave Doré

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

  • Read
    The best books on The Truth Behind the Headlines - Buried by the Times by Laurel Leff

    1

    Buried by the Times
    by Laurel Leff

  • Read
    The best books on The Truth Behind the Headlines - Public Opinion by Walter Lippmann

    2

    Public Opinion
    by Walter Lippmann

  • Read
    The best books on The Truth Behind the Headlines - Covering Islam by Edward W Said

    3

    Covering Islam
    by Edward W Said

  • Read
    The best books on The Truth Behind the Headlines - The Journalist and the Murderer by Janet Malcolm

    4

    The Journalist and the Murderer
    by Janet Malcolm

  • Read
    The best books on The Truth Behind the Headlines - Now They Tell Us by Michael Massing

    5

    Now They Tell Us
    by Michael Massing

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

    The best books on Atlantic History, recommended by Bernard Bailyn

  • Read
    The best books on Atlantic History - Atlantic History by Bernard Bailyn

    1

    Atlantic History
    by Bernard Bailyn

  • Read
    The best books on Atlantic History - Empires of the Atlantic World by JH Elliott

    2

    Empires of the Atlantic World
    by JH Elliott

  • Read
    The best books on Atlantic History - Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade by David Eltis and David Richardson

    3

    Atlas of the Transatlantic Slave Trade
    by David Eltis and David Richardson

  • Read
    The best books on Atlantic History - The British Atlantic World, 1500-1800 by David Armitage and Michael J Braddick (editors)

    4

    The British Atlantic World, 1500-1800
    by David Armitage and Michael J Braddick (editors)

  • Read
    The best books on Atlantic History - Soundings in Atlantic History by Bernard Bailyn (editor)

    5

    Soundings in Atlantic History
    by Bernard Bailyn (editor)

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 Britishness, recommended by Matthew Engel

  • Read
    The best books on Britishness - The Kingdom by the Sea by Paul Theroux

    1

    The Kingdom by the Sea
    by Paul Theroux

  • Read
    The best books on Britishness - Waterland by Graham Swift

    2

    Waterland
    by Graham Swift

  • Read
    The best books on Britishness - The British Common People by GDH Cole and Raymond Postgate

    3

    The British Common People
    by GDH Cole and Raymond Postgate

  • Read
    The best books on Britishness - Farewell the Trumpets by James Morris

    4

    Farewell the Trumpets
    by James Morris

  • Read
    The best books on Britishness - Collected Poems by John Betjeman

    5

    Collected Poems
    by John Betjeman

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 The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot

    1

    The English Constitution
    by Walter Bagehot

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - King George V by Kenneth Rose

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - Edward VIII by Frances Donaldson

    3

    Edward VIII
    by Frances Donaldson

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - Crown and People by Philip Ziegler

    4

    Crown and People
    by Philip Ziegler

  • Read
    The best books on The Queen - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

    5

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

The best books on The Queen, recommended by Robert Lacey

The royal biographer Robert Lacey considers Queen Elizabeth II, her legacy, her family history, and her ambivalent relationship with Princess Diana.

    The best books on British Prime Ministers, recommended by Anthony Seldon

  • Read
    The best books on British Prime Ministers - Baldwin by Keith Middlemas and John Barnes

    1

    Baldwin
    by Keith Middlemas and John Barnes

  • Read
    The best books on British Prime Ministers - Lloyd George by John Grigg

    2

    Lloyd George
    by John Grigg

  • Read
    The best books on British Prime Ministers - Winston S Churchill by Martin Gilbert

    3

    Winston S Churchill
    by Martin Gilbert

  • Read
    The best books on British Prime Ministers - Supermac by DR Thorpe

    4

    Supermac
    by DR Thorpe

  • Read
    The best books on British Prime Ministers - Margaret Thatcher by John Campbell

    5

    Margaret Thatcher
    by John Campbell

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

    The best books on British Empire, recommended by David Cannadine

  • Read
    The best books on British Empire - Understanding the British Empire by Ronald Hyam

    1

    Understanding the British Empire
    by Ronald Hyam

  • Read
    The best books on British Empire - The Inner Life of Empires by Emma Rothschild

    2

    The Inner Life of Empires
    by Emma Rothschild

  • Read
    The best books on British Empire - To the Ends of the Earth by TM Devine

    3

    To the Ends of the Earth
    by TM Devine

  • Read
    The best books on British Empire - Commissions High by Roy MacLaren

    4

    Commissions High
    by Roy MacLaren

  • Read
    The best books on British Empire - The Empire Project by John Darwin

    5

    The Empire Project
    by John Darwin

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 books on 1930s Britain, recommended by Juliet Gardiner

  • Read
    The best books on 1930s Britain - A Writer’s Diary by Virginia Woolf

    1

    A Writer’s Diary
    by Virginia Woolf

  • Read
    The best books on 1930s Britain - The Fortnight in September by RC Sherriff

    2

    The Fortnight in September
    by RC Sherriff

  • Read
    The best books on 1930s Britain - Modernism by Christopher Wilk

    3

    Modernism
    by Christopher Wilk

  • Read
    The best books on 1930s Britain - The Freedoms of Suburbia by Paul Barker

    4

    The Freedoms of Suburbia
    by Paul Barker

  • Read
    The best books on 1930s Britain - Queer London by Matt Houlbrook

    5

    Queer London
    by Matt Houlbrook

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

    The best books on Henry VII, recommended by Thomas Penn

  • Read
    The best books on Henry VII - The King’s Mother by Michael K Jones and Malcolm G Underwood

    1

    The King’s Mother
    by Michael K Jones and Malcolm G Underwood

  • Read
    The best books on Henry VII - Perkin by Ann Wroe

    2

    Perkin
    by Ann Wroe

  • Read
    The best books on Henry VII - The History of the Reign of Henry VII by Francis Bacon

    3

    The History of the Reign of Henry VII
    by Francis Bacon

  • Read
    The best books on Henry VII - A Daughter's Love by John Guy

    4

    A Daughter's Love
    by John Guy

  • Read
    The best books on Henry VII - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

    5

    Wolf Hall
    by Hilary Mantel

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

    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History by Thomas Barfield

    1

    Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History
    by Thomas Barfield

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - Heroes of the Age by David B Edwards

    2

    Heroes of the Age
    by David B Edwards

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - Before Taliban by David B Edwards

    3

    Before Taliban
    by David B Edwards

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - The Logic of Violence in Civil War by Stathis N Kalyvas

    4

    The Logic of Violence in Civil War
    by Stathis N Kalyvas

  • Read
    Andrew Exum recommends the best books for Understanding the War in Afghanistan - On War by Carl von Clausewitz

    5

    On War
    by Carl von Clausewitz

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

  • Read
    The best books on Queens and Power - The Empress Matilda by Helen Castor & Marjorie Chibnall

    1

    The Empress Matilda
    by Helen Castor & Marjorie Chibnall

  • Read
    The best books on Queens and Power - My Heart Is My Own by John Guy

    2

    My Heart Is My Own
    by John Guy

  • Read
    The best books on Queens and Power - The Weaker Vessel by Antonia Fraser

    3

    The Weaker Vessel
    by Antonia Fraser

  • Read
    The best books on Queens and Power - Monuments and Maidens by Marina Warner

    4

    Monuments and Maidens
    by Marina Warner

  • Read
    The best books on Queens and Power - The King’s Two Bodies by Ernst Kantorowicz

    5

    The King’s Two Bodies
    by Ernst Kantorowicz

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

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Cromwell Our Chief of Men by Antonia Fraser

    1

    Cromwell Our Chief of Men
    by Antonia Fraser

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Oliver Cromwell by Barry Coward

    2

    Oliver Cromwell
    by Barry Coward

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - God’s Executioner by Micheál Ó Siochrú

    3

    God’s Executioner
    by Micheál Ó Siochrú

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Oliver Cromwell: New Perspectives by Patrick Little

    4

    Oliver Cromwell: New Perspectives
    by Patrick Little

  • Read
    The best books on Oliver Cromwell - Cromwell’s Head by Jonathan Fitzgibbons

    5

    Cromwell’s Head
    by Jonathan Fitzgibbons

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 Royal Biographies, recommended by Hugo Vickers

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - Queen Mary by James Pope-Hennessy

    1

    Queen Mary
    by James Pope-Hennessy

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - King George V by Kenneth Rose

    2

    King George V
    by Kenneth Rose

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - The Memoirs of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester by Princess Alice

    3

    The Memoirs of Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
    by Princess Alice

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - Ask Sir James by Michaela Reid

    4

    Ask Sir James
    by Michaela Reid

  • Read
    The Best Royal Biographies - Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon by Sir Henry Channon

    5

    Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon
    by Sir Henry Channon

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

    The best books on The Regency Period, recommended by Stella Tillyard

  • Read
    The best books on The Regency Period - War and Peace (Book) by Leo Tolstoy

    1

    War and Peace (Book)
    by Leo Tolstoy

  • Read
    The best books on The Regency Period - Frankenstein (Book) by Mary Shelley

    2

    Frankenstein (Book)
    by Mary Shelley

  • Read
    The best books on The Regency Period - Emma by Jane Austen

    3

    Emma
    by Jane Austen

  • Read
    The best books on The Regency Period - Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

    4

    Vanity Fair
    by William Makepeace Thackeray

  • Read
    The best books on The Regency Period - The Spanish Bride by Georgette Heyer

    5

    The Spanish Bride
    by Georgette Heyer

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 London Novels, recommended by Iain Sinclair

  • Read
    The Best London Novels - London Bridge by Louis-Ferdinand Céline

    1

    London Bridge
    by Louis-Ferdinand Céline

  • Read
    The Best London Novels - Mother London by Michael Moorcock

    2

    Mother London
    by Michael Moorcock

  • Read
    The Best London Novels - Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

    3

    Our Mutual Friend
    by Charles Dickens

  • Read
    The Best London Novels - Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton

    4

    Hangover Square
    by Patrick Hamilton

  • Read
    The Best London Novels - The Secret Agent by Joseph Conrad

    5

    The Secret Agent
    by Joseph Conrad

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.

    The best books on British Royalty, recommended by Andrew Morton

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - George VI by Sarah Bradford

    1

    George VI
    by Sarah Bradford

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy by Ben Pimlott

    2

    The Queen: Elizabeth II and the Monarchy
    by Ben Pimlott

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - The Diana Chronicles by Tina Brown

    3

    The Diana Chronicles
    by Tina Brown

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - Shadows of a Princess by Patrick Jephson

    4

    Shadows of a Princess
    by Patrick Jephson

  • Read
    The best books on British Royalty - England Under the Tudors by G R Elton

    5

    England Under the Tudors
    by G R Elton

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

  • Read
    The best books on US and UK English - Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary

    1

    Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary

  • Read
    The best books on US and UK English - The American Language by HL Mencken

    2

    The American Language
    by HL Mencken

  • Read
    The best books on US and UK English - The World Is Flat by Thomas L Friedman

    3

    The World Is Flat
    by Thomas L Friedman

  • Read
    The best books on US and UK English - Dreams From my Father by Barack Obama

    4

    Dreams From my Father
    by Barack Obama

  • Read
    The best books on US and UK English - The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

    5

    The White Tiger
    by Aravind Adiga

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

  • Read
    The best books on British Buildings - Summoned by Bells by John Betjeman

    1

    Summoned by Bells
    by John Betjeman

  • Read
    The best books on British Buildings - Pillar to Post by Osbert Lancaster

    2

    Pillar to Post
    by Osbert Lancaster

  • Read
    The best books on British Buildings - The Pattern of English Building by Alec Clifton-Taylor

    3

    The Pattern of English Building
    by Alec Clifton-Taylor

  • Read
    The best books on British Buildings - Architecture in Britain 1530 to 1830 by John Summerson

    4

    Architecture in Britain 1530 to 1830
    by John Summerson

  • Read
    The best books on British Buildings - The Pevsner Guide to London 4 by Nikolaus Pevsner and Bridget Cherry

    5

    The Pevsner Guide to London 4
    by Nikolaus Pevsner and Bridget Cherry

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.

    The best books on The English Countryside, recommended by Paul Brassley

  • Read
    The best books on The English Countryside - The Making of the English Landscape by W G Hoskins

    1

    The Making of the English Landscape
    by W G Hoskins

  • Read
    The best books on The English Countryside - Alternative Agriculture by Joan Thirsk

    2

    Alternative Agriculture
    by Joan Thirsk

  • Read
    The best books on The English Countryside - Ask the Fellows who Cut the Hay by George Ewart Evans

    3

    Ask the Fellows who Cut the Hay
    by George Ewart Evans

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    The best books on The English Countryside - Akenfield by Ronald Blythe

    4

    Akenfield
    by Ronald Blythe

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    The best books on The English Countryside - The Death of Rural England by Alun Howkins

    5

    The Death of Rural England
    by Alun Howkins

The best books on The English Countryside, recommended by Paul Brassley

The English countryside on a sunny summer’s day is one of the most beguiling places in the world to be. But how has it changed since the Black Death? Is there still a meaningful difference between urban and rural society? Rural historian Paul Brassley talks us through the best books to get a fuller understanding of England’s green and pleasant land.

    The best books on British Democracy, recommended by Peter Kellner

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    The best books on British Democracy - The Penguin Essays of George Orwell by George Orwell

    1

    The Penguin Essays of George Orwell
    by George Orwell

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    The best books on British Democracy - The British General Election of. . .(Nuffield Series) by Various authors

    2

    The British General Election of. . .(Nuffield Series)
    by Various authors

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    The best books on British Democracy - Essays in Persuasion by John Maynard Keynes

    3

    Essays in Persuasion
    by John Maynard Keynes

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    The best books on British Democracy - Microcosmographia Academica by F M Cornford

    4

    Microcosmographia Academica
    by F M Cornford

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    The best books on British Democracy - Our Nation’s Archive by Edited by Erik Bruun and Jay Crosby

    5

    Our Nation’s Archive
    by Edited by Erik Bruun and Jay Crosby

The best books on British Democracy, recommended by Peter Kellner

Political commentator and President of YouGov.com chooses older books from both sides of the Atlantic to show what really matters in politics.

    Great British Thrillers, recommended by Matt Lynn

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    Great British Thrillers - Journey into Fear by Eric Ambler

    1

    Journey into Fear
    by Eric Ambler

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    Great British Thrillers - The Wreck of the Mary Deare by Hammond Innes

    2

    The Wreck of the Mary Deare
    by Hammond Innes

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    Great British Thrillers - Ice Station Zebra by Alistair MacLean

    3

    Ice Station Zebra
    by Alistair MacLean

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    Great British Thrillers - Berlin Game by Len Deighton

    4

    Berlin Game
    by Len Deighton

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    Great British Thrillers - The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth

    5

    The Odessa File
    by Frederick Forsyth

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 Samuel Johnson, recommended by Peter Lilley

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    The best books on Samuel Johnson - The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell

    1

    The Life of Samuel Johnson
    by James Boswell

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    The best books on Samuel Johnson - Samuel Johnson by John Wain

    2

    Samuel Johnson
    by John Wain

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    The best books on Samuel Johnson - Samuel Johnson by Walter Jackson Bate

    3

    Samuel Johnson
    by Walter Jackson Bate

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    The best books on Samuel Johnson - Dr Johnson and Mr Savage - a biographical mystery by Richard Holmes

    4

    Dr Johnson and Mr Savage - a biographical mystery
    by Richard Holmes

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    The best books on Samuel Johnson - The Politics of Dr Johnson by Donald Greene

    5

    The Politics of Dr Johnson
    by Donald Greene

The best books on Samuel Johnson, recommended by Peter Lilley

Samuel Johnson, author of the 1755 A Dictionary of the English Language, was not a hard-hearted Tory caricature, but a champion of the poor and enslaved, according to Margaret Thatcher’s Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Peter Lilley.

    The best books on British Cinema, recommended by Brian McFarlane

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    The best books on British Cinema - Realism and Tinsel by Robert Murphy

    1

    Realism and Tinsel
    by Robert Murphy

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    The best books on British Cinema - Ealing Studios by Charles Barr

    2

    Ealing Studios
    by Charles Barr

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    The best books on British Cinema - David Lean by Kevin Brownlow

    3

    David Lean
    by Kevin Brownlow

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    The best books on British Cinema - The Finest Years by Charles Drazin

    4

    The Finest Years
    by Charles Drazin

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    The best books on British Cinema - Typical Men by Andrew Spicer

    5

    Typical Men
    by Andrew Spicer

The best books on British Cinema, recommended by Brian McFarlane

The editor of the Encyclopaedia of British Film talks about Britain’s cinematic offerings. ‘I love Brief Encounter – I cry from the moment Celia Johnson speaks until the credits come up at the end.’

    The best books on British Politics, recommended by David Lipsey

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    The best books on British Politics - Tony Crosland by Susan Crosland

    1

    Tony Crosland
    by Susan Crosland

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    The best books on British Politics - The Heat of the Kitchen by Bernard Donoughue

    2

    The Heat of the Kitchen
    by Bernard Donoughue

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    The best books on British Politics - The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjørn Lomborg

    3

    The Skeptical Environmentalist
    by Bjørn Lomborg

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    The best books on British Politics - Cooking in a Bedsitter by Katharine Whitehorn

    4

    Cooking in a Bedsitter
    by Katharine Whitehorn

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    The best books on British Politics - The English Constitution by Walter Bagehot

    5

    The English Constitution
    by Walter Bagehot

The best books on British Politics, recommended by David Lipsey

The journalist and Labour peer, formerly adviser to British Prime Minister James Callaghan, explains his selection of five books about British Politics. Touches on subjects from climate change to the British constitution

    The best books on Constitutional Reform, recommended by David Owen

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    The best books on Constitutional Reform - Unlocking Democracy by Peter Facey

    1

    Unlocking Democracy
    by Peter Facey

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    The best books on Constitutional Reform - The New Constitution by Vernon Bogdanor

    2

    The New Constitution
    by Vernon Bogdanor

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    The best books on Constitutional Reform - The Accidental Constitution by Peter Norman

    3

    The Accidental Constitution
    by Peter Norman

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    The best books on Constitutional Reform - A Stranger In Europe by Stephen Wall

    4

    A Stranger In Europe
    by Stephen Wall

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    The best books on Constitutional Reform - The House of Lords by Donald Shell

    5

    The House of Lords
    by Donald Shell

The best books on Constitutional Reform, recommended by David Owen

The founder of the British Social Democratic Party (SDP) says that the House of Lords should be a fully elected body, and that Tony Blair’s careerism is a disgrace. He selects five books on constitutional reform

    The best books on The Highland Clearances, recommended by James Hunter

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    The best books on The Highland Clearances - Patrick Sellar and the Highland Clearances by Eric Richards

    1

    Patrick Sellar and the Highland Clearances
    by Eric Richards

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    The best books on The Highland Clearances - Patrick Sellar and the Highland Clearances by Eric Richards

    2

    Patrick Sellar and the Highland Clearances
    by Eric Richards

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    The best books on The Highland Clearances - Adventurers and Exiles by Marjory Harper

    3

    Adventurers and Exiles
    by Marjory Harper

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    The best books on The Highland Clearances - No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod

    4

    No Great Mischief
    by Alistair MacLeod

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    The best books on The Highland Clearances - From Wood to Ridge by Sorley MacLean

    5

    From Wood to Ridge
    by Sorley MacLean

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

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