My love for all things British started early and I stoke it regularly by reading. If you share my devotion to this little island, check out this collection of books for Anglophiles. I’m sure you’ll find something to add to your reading list.
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BOOKS FOR ANGLOPHILES
While I’m not certain where my love for France originated, I DO know where my Anglophile leanings began. My third grade teacher read The Secret Garden aloud to our class and I was smitten. I later checked it out of the library and read it myself again.
Sometime later, perhaps in 4th grade, I happened to see the book, A Little Princess, while shopping with my mom and asked for it. This was actually unusual for me as I generally didn’t ask for things. Both of my parents were generous and I had everything I needed. But for some reason, I just HAD to have that book. As I read it, I was reminded of The Secret Garden and that was perhaps the first time I had paid much attention to the author of a book. I was delighted to discover that Frances Hodgson Burnett wrote both of these childhood favorites of mine.
Those two books were the beginning of a lifelong love of British literature and no doubt influenced my choice of a major in college – English. I continue to enjoy books written by British authors and/or set in Great Britain.
Here is a collection of books for my fellow Anglophiles. Enjoy!
Let’s start with a few children’s books but they can certainly be enjoyed by adults, as well.
Swallows and Amazons – I read this to my daughter when she was a young teenager and we both loved it. This is the first in a series.
Adult fiction…
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Jeeves series by P.G. Wodehouse
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel by Rachel Joyce
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym
Notes From a Small Island by Bill Bryson
Village School by Miss Read (The first of 12 books in this Fairacre series)
The Girls of Mulberry Lane by Rosie Clarke (There are 10 books in this delightful series.)
A House in the Country by Ruth Adam
Old Herbaceous by Reginald Arkell
Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher (All of her books are a delight.)
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot (Complete box set of all 8 books in this series)
Which of these have you read? Any other British favorites to suggest? Share your recommendations in the comments, please!
The 100 greatest British Novels
Among the wonderful classics of The Secret Garden and others there’s a few hear that I’ve never heard of, but I look forward to finding at some old book stores! Thanks for sharing!
I hope you find a few you enjoy!
I Have also read everything that Rosamunde Pilcher has written. I’m a huge fan of her work.
Her books are just so cozy.