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

[floorchid]

This is a very new interest so I'm not entirely sure what I'm asking. I think early Middle Ages first because chronological learning appeals to me - just after the Roman's left perhaps? And then I can go on with anything up to the Norman conquest? But perhaps onwards too?

I'm interested in realistic historical fiction, easy-to-read nonfiction, or biographies. Nothing too dry or hardgoing. I'm just dipping my toe.

But actually, maybe I also want to know about the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They were before the Romans, weren't they?

And I want to read about the monarchy too.

I think my question is, where do I start?

What have you read that you would recommend?

Thank you.

If you’re after the early Medieval period (the current academic term for the period after the Romans) some good non-fiction reads are:
Britain After Rome by Robin Fleming
The Anglo-Saxons by Marc Morris
Empires and Barbarians by Peter Heather (this has more of a wider European focus)

For fiction, Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles series (begins with The Winter King) are very popular although I’ve never read them. They are set in the period of the (mythical) King Arthur. He also wrote the Saxon Stories series (starts with The Last Kingdom I think) which are set a bit later, in the time of Alfred and the Vikings.

Hi, I love history and am a bookseller and am trying to think of books to get you started- I’m not at work today otherwise I’d have a good look at the shelves, but off the top of my head here are some great books:
A Time Traveller’s Guide to the Middle Ages by Ian Mortimer (accessible, has a series of them - Elizabethan, Regency etc)
there’s a newish book A Time Travel Guide to the Middle Ages by Anthony Bale but I don’t know much about that one.
The Middle Ages might be too ‘late’ as it were (more medieval), maybe books on the Anglo Saxons might be worth a look?
The Bone Chests by Cat Jarman is an accessible one.
Unruly by David Mitchell (yes the comedian) is a brilliant book on kings and queens as is Gimson’s Kings & Queens. They might be a good place to start? There’s also a book on Kings & Queens by Plantagenet Somerset Fry (great name) which I think is still available and is also very good.
Hope these are useful suggestions!

Thank you both. Great place to start. I'll have a look at your suggestions and choose something.

There's a book called 'The Year 1000' which goes through a rare piece of written work from this time - an almanac. That was quite readable.

And in terms of fiction - it's late for the period you are looking at, but Tracy Chevalier, 'The Lady and the Unicorn', would be one to look out for.

Anthony Bale’s book A Travel Guide to the Middle Ages is great (non fiction)
Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett is an extraordinary piece of fiction set in the 1100’s (it’s really long, my Kindle estimated it would take me 28 hours to read. A novel usually takes me about 4!)

For historical fiction, Sharon Penman is brilliant. Try her books on the Angevins and Plantagenets.

Angles Saxons and Jutes came after the Romans! I've started getting interested in all this too.

This is an interesting book covering the 14th century. I think.there are a couple of other sequels that cover different periods

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Time_Traveller%27s_Guide_to_Medieval_England#:~:text=The%20Time%20Traveller's%20Guide%20to%20Medieval%20England%3A%20A%20Handbook%20for,released%20on%2029%20February%202012.

Fiction - The Evening and The Morning by Ken Follet. Set around the year 1000AD. It’s a prequel to Pillars of the Earth, mentioned above.

I really enjoyed Dark Earth by Rebecca Stott. It's set mainly around London just after the Romans left. The idea came from a brooch ( I think) that was found and is now in the Museum of London. And it mentions the Temple of Mithras that you can now visit ( in the City, under the Bloomberg building) that is fabulous and has lots of other finds, like ancient shoes.

Just saying thanks OP for starting this thread as many of these books will be of interest to me too.

Pillars of the Earth is a fantastic book and there are several sequels and at least one prequel. I was really ill for several months a few years ago and reading was a great distraction.

Fiction - Edward Rutherford’s Sarum which IIRC is set near Stonehenge over hundreds of years and he’s written one set in London too as well as others in China and Russia.
And Patricia Wright - I Am England.
For monarchies, Philippa Gregory has written a lot about the Tudors.

Joanna Hickson is good for the Tudors too.
And I haven’t heard Hilary Mantle yet but people rave about Wolf Hall.

Haven’t read Hilary Mantle, that should say

Love this thread and love historical fiction. One of my favourite books every is Medieval Woman: Village Life in the Middle Ages by Ann Baer. Its so readable and its is fascinating and very realistic

Also for Plantagenet anything Sharon Penman. The sunne in splendor is an incredible book.

I am currently reading The Anglo-Saxons by Marc Morris and really enjoying it.

I also recently read Britain After Rome by Robyn Fleming which covers the same period in more detail but is a much heavier read.

Just to say I agree with previous posters - anything from Bernard Cornwell (particularly the Saxon series) and Ken Follett are amazing books - really immersive

Just came to recommend this as I also love it. I reread it over summer and think about it a lot. It's unclear in the book exactly when or where it is set which is realistic. A woman living in a small.village wouldn't know the wider geography of England. I get the feeling it's between 1100 and 1300. It's just so vivid in it's depiction of her life and the villagers.

Also recommended the Pillars of Earth Series, the first two books in the series especially. Again totally engrossing and you can feel as if you're there. Ken Follett is quite fond of a quivering bosom as I recall but the overall plotting and world building is amazing

'1215 The Year of Magna Carta' by Danny Danziger & John Gillingham is very easy to read and informative. It's non-fiction, but I enjoyed it a lot.

Unruly by David Mitchell covers this - readable and witty non fiction.

King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett is set in the 11th century and is based on the historical record rather than on Shakespeare's Macbeth.

A couple of centuries later Kristin Lavrandatter by Sigrid Undset is the life of a fictional noble woman in 14th century Norway.

If.you don't mind fiction aimed at older children rather than adults, Rosemary Sutcliff's The Shining Company is a good read. It's set in around 600 AD, and is about the post-Roman Britains fighting Saxon invaders.

For the Anglo Saxon period, I'd second Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom. Also, if it's still in print, Avalon by Anya Seaton. It's a bit dated, very enjoyable.