Books about England
English History
This selection of books about England history will be lengthy, getting longer as time goes on. But if you love history as much as I do, then I'm sure you won't mind that.
There's something about history that's always held my fascination. I don't know if it's the glimpse into someone else's life that intrigues me so much, or or if it's the choices some of history's protagonists were forced to make that catch my imagination, but I simply cannot pass by a bookshelf with books about England and its history.
You can find books about England history for any historical period and to suit any specialty. Whether you want to learn about prehistoric food, the Princes in the Tower, Henry VIII's six wives, Richard the Lionheart's crusade or life during the Black Death - you're bound to find a book or two here to keep you amused.
Books about Prehistoric England
If you always wanted to go back right to the beginning, then this is the right place for you.
Find out about Stonehenge, Avebury, the great hill forts, white horses and truly marvellous photos.
Kings and Queens of England
A lovely little pocket-sized guide to England's many rulers and their sometimes surprising antics.
It's great as a starting point when learning about English history ... and an excellent stocking filler for any history enthusiast. And despite its diminutive size, it manages to pack in a great deal of interesting information.
The Domesday Book
If you've just won yourself a kingdom, you really need to know how much it's worth. So, at least, thought William the Conqueror when he ordered his staff to compile this book.
And while you may think me crazy for recommending you read what's effectively a tax collector's report, Domesday is marvellous in it's very detail.
What I find equally amazing is the fact that it has survived for almost a thousand years. Isn't bureaucracy wonderful?
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was unusual in many ways: she lived to eighty at a time when forty was old, she was queen of both France and England, though not at the same time. She went on crusade and ruled England for her son when he did the same. She was reviled for not providing her first husband with a male heir, and went on to bear her second husband four sons.
Men tried to abduct her and minstrels sang about her. She was the original celebrity! And I wish I'd met her.
Medieval Lives
Have you ever thought about living like a king, or a knight, or a monk ... or would you rather be a lady or a peasant?
What effect would your status have on your food, your clothes, your health, the way your spent your workdays and your holidays, and the way you saw the world?
Some books about England history can be a bit dull. This one certainly isn't!
The Princes in the Tower
No list of books about England can be without Medieval England's most famous mystery. What happened to the sons of King Edward IV? Was Richard III really the wicked uncle that both Thomas More and William Shakespeare made him out to be? Or were there others who would have benefited handsomely once the princes were out of the way?
Henry Tudor, the later King Henry VII, springs to mind in the latter role. But does he make a more convincing suspect in the - possible - murder case?
Karl Woodbury's England is Truly a Magical Place
If your children need convincing that history can be fun, try reading them this book at bedtime. It will have you looking at history in a completely new way!
Karl Woodbury does not slavishly chain his story to a specific historical period. Neither does he argue causes and effects. Instead, you're taken on a magical journey across England, exploring places, events and the deeds of famous people. Rather than a dry history lesson, it's a treasure hunt for curious children and adults alike.
Well, here's a quick start to books about England's long and varied history. If you could see my bookshelves you'd know that there's plenty more where that came from! And I keep finding interesting books about England history. Just recently I've added The Normans and The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England to my collection. And in a second-hand bookshop in Wales I've found a marvellous biography of the Black Prince that reads in places as if it could feature on the six o'clock news....
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