Exploring England: 10 books from Shakespeare’s homeland

A list of books to read from England

David Copperfield is the story of a young man’s adventures on his journey from an unhappy and impoverished childhood to the discovery of his vocation as a successful novelist, among a gloriously vivid cast of characters. Dickens descibed this novel as his ‘favourite child’ – and drew revealingly on his own experiences to create one of the most exuberant and enduringly popular works, filled with tragedy and comedy in equal measure. 

The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen’s radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England. Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language.

I had a regular Jane Austen phase a few years ago, and read everything I could get my hands on. Pride and Prejudice remains my favourite. (And the 1995 TV-series remains better than the 2005 movie and I will die on this hill …)

The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing widower Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives, presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

Another one of the great British classics found on every list. And this is one I actually never read.

The story of one man’s Nightmare Odyssey as he pursues a forbidden love affair through a world ruled by warring states and a power structure that controls not only information but also individual thought and memory.

Thought Police, Big Brother, Orwellian – these words have entered our vocabulary because of George Orwell’s classic dystopian novel. A masterpiece of rebellion and imprisonment where war is peace freedom is slavery and Big Brother is watching. Some would say this book is more relevant today than ever before.

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Together they begin a journey through space full of fellow travelers including Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod’s girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone, and Marvin, the chronically depressed robot.

This book will give you the answer to life, the universe and everything. Don’t forget to bring a towel. But skip the movie.

According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter – the world’s only totally reliable guide to the future – the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just after tea.

But people have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. This time though, the armies of Good and Evil really do appear to be massing. The four Bikers of the Apocalypse are hitting the road. But both the angels and demons – well, one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel – would quite like the Rapture not to happen. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist …

In the summer of 1956, Stevens, a long-serving butler at Darlington Hall, decides to take a motoring trip through the West Country. The six-day excursion becomes a journey into the past of Stevens and England, a past that takes in fascism, two world wars, and an unrealised love between the butler and his housekeeper.

I’ve never read this book, but I loved the film. Actually I should rewatch it. Ishiguro also wrote the dystopia Never let me go, which you should definitely read if you enjoy that genre. It is one of my favourite books of all time.

Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow. This improbable story of Christopher’s quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog makes for one of the most captivating, unusual, and widely heralded novels in recent years.

A colleague recommended this to me years ago, and I absolutely adore it.

Spanning four decades, from 1968 onwards, this is the story of a fabulous but flawed family and the slew of ordinary and extraordinary incidents that shape their everyday lives. It is a story about childhood and growing up, loss of innocence, eccentricity, familial ties and friendships, love and life. Stripped down to its bare bones, it’s about the unbreakable bond between a brother and sister.

I also very warmly recommend Sarah Winman’s other novel, Still life, which is one of the best books I ever read. However it does not fit this project, as it is largely set in Florence, Italy. If you don’t care about that, go read it now.

Celebrating her 45th birthday at her local pub, podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie is also celebrating her 45th birthday. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for Alix’s series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life. Alix agrees to a trial interview. Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she can’t quite resist the temptation to keep digging. Slowly Alix realises that Josie is hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life – and into her home. Soon she begins to wonder, who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?

The English do psycological thrillers well. It is not a genre I read often, but a colleague raved about it, and it was voted crime novel of the year 2024.