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.

Wikipedia is quite reliable these days for an overview and for very specialised subjects such as biographies.
Start with Roman or Viking for instance. King Alfred.
Remember to scroll down the page for book titles and authors that are the sources for the main articles.
On YouTube try Michael Wood or David Starkey and their books.
Dorothy Whitelock is very good.

For fiction and if you like a bit of a detective angle try the Owen Archer series by Candace Robb: set in York in late 14th C.

thanks to everyone for the suggestions - will be checking some out

@ThatOpenSwan Thank you so much for recommending To Calais…. I started it last night and could hardly put it down. What a remarkable book.

I'm so glad, I think it's incredible!

Judith merkle Riley wrote a good trilogy of novels about a medieval woman (14th century) woman who commissioned her own biography, much to everyone’s disapproval - starts with A Vision of Light

Shamelessly placemarking - love this thread, thanks for the recommendations.

Agnes Bowkers Cat not your standard history book but very interesting

New question: Pillars of the Earth - should I read it or watch it? I usually prefer books to TV series, but I'm thinking about watching instead because I have a massive crush on Rufus Sewell.

Alison Weir's Elizabeth of York book is good. She was Henry 8's mum, so spans the end of the Plantagenets into Tudors. She also did a book from the point of view of each of the six wives if you are interested in after medieval history. Only thing there is they shared a time in history, so there is lots of overlap.

If you like Phillipa Gregory, she did a book about normal women through history. I desperately wanted to like it, but can never really get into her writing style.

Both the Pillars of the Earth and Last Kingdom tv adaptations are very good. The guy who play Uthred in Last Kingdom is very easy on the eye too.

Lots of good ones recommended already.

I’ll add ‘The Heaven Tree’ trilogy by Edith Pargeter and ‘The Queen’s Man’ series by Sharon Penman.

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

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.

Elizabeth Chadwick I recommend.

Phillipa Gregory is okay but too much Tudor for me!

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.

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.

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

Cadfael's great!

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.

*Pegg not Peggy sorry

"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.

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.

Definitely agree Pillars of the Earth is brilliant

I have bought Pillars of the Earth.

Have requested a few others for my birthday.

I've also been listening to podcasts - I like Dan Snow's History Hit best.

Gone Medieval also okay. I loved something I found from In Our Time.

I'm finding that because my baseline knowledge is zero, I keep heading off down rabbit holes. I kept hearing, "of course, Bede says XYZ, but how trustworthy is Bede?" (historical chuckle) and I have no idea how trustworthy Bede is (?!) so I have to go off and read all about Bede so I get the reference. (Big Bede fan, btw)

Eleanor of Aquitane was the same. They reference her and assume I know who / when / what she was. I had to do a little E of A detour.

I'm jumping around all over the place, but trying to stay earlier than the Tudors. I also wanted to stay later than the romans, but the rise and 'fall' (? not really) of the roman empire is fascinating so I've strayed a bit.

Now it's Lindisfarne. The historians assume I know what that is. I don't! It's a monastery, I think (Bede studied there), and so did Wilfrid the Warrior Bishop. But it's also a big part of Viking history - was it the first place we know they raided? Unsure. Gaps in knowledge to fill.

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)