I would like to read books about the Middle Ages, or earlier

Company of Liars was an excellent read as was The Owl Killers. I wasn’t so keen on her others - a bit surreal or something.

Neither did I.

Another vote for The Pillars of the Earth. So easy to read and unputdownable.

Oh and The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer. I don't know if there's a modern translation - assume there must be, although it's easy enough to get to grips with the language.

Thanks for this thread, I'll be referring back for reading inspiration!

Some of my favourite reads are:

The White Ship - Charles Spencer (about the loss of Henry I’s heir in the sinking of the White Ship and the impact of that). Really like his style of writing and also liked Killers of the King although it’s a far later period of time (Charles I execution and what happened to the regicides after).

Katherine - Anya Seton (about John of Gaunt’s mistress and later wife Katherine Swynford).

Any of Sharon Penman’s novels.

Shadow of the Crown by Patricia Bracewell is good Anglo Saxon historical fiction, there's a trilogy.

Bernard Cornwell too.

Karen Maitland has written some great books set in the 14th century in Britain
Company of Liars https://g.co/kgs/woqVNWF

Rosemary Sutcliffe and Henry Treece for Romans, Vikings, Bronze Age I read as a teenager/kid but not sure how they will have dated.

There's a series of non fiction books called The Time Travellers Guide to... which I recommend on day to day life in different historical periods. I'm more interested in that side of things than the monarchy personally, but for royal history you can't beat the genius that is Hilary Mantel.

I'm sure I'll think of others!

You should definitely try and go to Lindisfarne (AKA the Holy Isle). I've been twice. It's a lovely place. It's in Northumberland, also a lovely area. You can only drive in at certain times of the day via a causeway which goes under water when the tide is in. The tide times are published each day. There is a large car park on the left as you reach the main area (chargeable but not a fortune). Walk down the road and there's people selling local produce, a little hotel, nice little local shops, a beautiful coastal walk, an old Church and graveyard, visitor centre and more. Not far away is the delightful village of Bamburgh, lovely little hotels and shops (and a famous, imposing castle which has been used in many modern films including the most recent Indiana Jones film). Bamburgh is also where Grace Darling was born (and is buried in a prominent grave). Grace was a lighthouse keeper's daughter who famously saved a ship and its passengers from being shipwrecked. She died not long afterwards aged in her 20s from TB. In short, if you can go, yes, if you're interested in ancient history, I think you'd maybe like Lindisfarne

The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishigiru is one of the best books I've ever read. It's beautiful.

Pillars of the Earth is my favorite book ever. Read everything by Ken Follet but start here.

I’d avoid Ken Follett like the plague. I like my historical fiction but Pillars of the Earth made my eyes bleed - his portrayal of medieval life doesn’t compare to anything else I’ve read. And yes I know, it’s fiction so the author has some license, but his version just doesn’t ring true. Too many sex scenes that add nothing to the whole as well (and I’m no prude).

Kazuo Ishiguro’s 2015 novel The Buried Giant is set in this period, just after the Romans left. I found it a wonderful read with reflections on communities, and also memory.

It’s pure fiction, with some small fantasy elements but very elegant visualisation of the dark ages.

He said it’s a book he’d wanted to write for many decades but had to wait until he’d built up enough credibility in his career (due to the fantasy elements- Arthurian legend)

Definitely agree Pillars of the Earth is brilliant

I second Edward Rutherford's books. Very readable. Plus Ken Follet's.

If I remember correctly, some of Norah Loft's books cover that time frame, although most of hers are later. I think A Wayside Tavern, The Knight's Acre trilogy and I met a Gypsy would cover your brief, but you might want to check for specifics on Fantastic Fiction.

"Michael Wood"

I remember him giving a talk at our university in either 1985 or 1986 (I think it was 1985). He was really quite good looking back then.

Although I do also remember that most people bailed out at the end of the talk and didn't stay for questions as it was near to last orders and many people wanted a drink in the union bar.

*Pegg not Peggy sorry

I've also recently got into this subject. A couple of the best non fiction I've read are Beatrice's Last Smile : A New History of the Middle Ages by Mark Gregory Peggy and Dark Queens by Shelley Puhak. The novels of Elizabeth Chadwick are set in the medieval period. There's an absolutely excellent exhibition about medieval women on at the British Library at the moment too.

Cadfael's great!

Maybe a little late for you but Isolde Martin's novels are very engaging and well researched as are JP Reedman's Medieval Babes series (ignore the naff name - the books are good). Slightly earlier are Joanna Courtney's Queens of Conquest series which are based on the women on both sides of the Norman Conquest - think all of these are available on Kindle Unlimited

Michael Wood: In Search of the Dark Ages

Terry Jones: Medieval Lives

They both made a series to accompany the book, which you can still see on Youtube.

Sharon Penman has a lot of medieval books. Some focused on royalty in the 12-14th century. Some about the Welsh.

Helen Hollick has several books on royal women just before the Norman conquest.

Phillipa Gregory is okay but too much Tudor for me!

Elizabeth Chadwick I recommend.

Just to open up the time frame a little I'd to nominate Pepys, The Unequalled Self by Claire Tomalin.

More than anything it captures so much of the everydayness and ordinaryness of an extraordinary person living in extraordinary times. It's like gossiping with a 390 year old neighbor.

Also, OP, if you are in/near London, this may be of interest!