Top Ten British Books (from a True Brit)

Hey guys,

I have this smartypants Brit for a friend who studied history at ~university~ and hasn't stopped reading since her parents bought her bifocals. Her name is Holly, and I risked forcing her to become a representative for her entire culture by asking: What are the top ten British Books of all time? Shakespeare, Dickens, Rowling - Doyle? Tolkien? See what made the list below - and follow Holly's writer instagram @whenhollywrites!

-Luke

I may be a little biased, but Britain has churned out some incredible literature throughout history. Never underestimate a tiny island who has given the world the Queen, Ed Sheeran and afternoon tea. I hope you find some new favourites in this post, whether familiar or otherwise, and can appreciate the gems of the place that I will always call home.


Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
My all-time favourite book. Dickens is very hit or miss with most people but I urge you to give this one a go, especially if your only experience with, arguably, the Victorian-era’s greatest novelist was a high school English class. Take your time and don’t over-analyse every word. Just read it. Soak in the details of the opening graveyard scene, the eccentricity of Miss Havisham and the growth of the main character, Pip. This is a somewhat-classic “rags to riches” story but not quite in the way that you would think. Nothing sums up this novel better than the words of the man himself: “a very fine, new and grotesque idea.”


Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
Did you really expect to get through a top British books list without this being mentioned? I’ll be honest, I was not a fan of these books growing up. I finished Prisoner of Azkaban and left them alone for several years. But once I caught back up, I couldn’t put them down. Maybe it was because I was the same age as the characters when the films were being released that made it feel a little bit more special. Maybe it’s because I really enjoy a good literary fight scene and intelligent female characters. Either way, there’s no doubt that the Harry Potter franchise will go down in history as one of the most beloved series’ of all time.


Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Few opening lines in literature have immediately commanded the attention of the reader than this. The wit and critical-eye that Austen has in every one of her novels is why I love her books so much. In a time when women’s roles were narrowly defined, Austen pushed all of the boundaries that she could (remaining unmarried being the most obvious) and redefined how her generation thought about their own society. She doesn’t shy away from making her lead characters simultaneously likable and unlikable, and I challenge you to not fall in love with at least one person in this story.


The Bloody Chamber - Angela Carter
I’m usually not one for short stories but this collection, after studying it in English class, completely changed that for me. A late-1970s retelling of classic folk and fairy tales, Carter expertly marries feminist ideas of the mid-20th century with traditional Gothic tropes that made the originals so compelling. The Courtship of Mr Lyon, a play on Beauty and the Beast, is probably my favourite in this collection. If you’re uncomfortable with intermittent sexual content, you may want to avoid some of the individual stories, but I’d still recommend those that are less graphic.


Kensuke’s Kingdom - Michael Morpurgo
Michael Morpurgo may be better known for War Horse, but this children’s story remains one of my favourites, even a couple of decades after I first read it. There are plenty of “on a boat, get thrown overboard, wash up on an island and try to survive” stories out there but the magic of this book is in the relationship between the main character, Michael, and Kensuke, an elderly Japanese man who lives on the island. There’s enough history in this to keep parents interested and to discuss with a more inquisitively-minded child. I really think that this is one of Morpurgo’s best, and most overlooked, stories.


Othello - William Shakespeare
No top British books list can be complete without some Shakespeare, although I like to think that this is a slightly less obvious selection. I read this in my final couple of years of school (and recently discovered that copy, complete with 17-year-old-Holly’s notes) and have seen it on-stage a couple of times. I cannot get enough of this story. Iago’s devious ways and Othello’s blind trust in everyone around him; it’s everything that a good hero-villain story needs but with the blurring of lines between who the actual hero is. There’s been plenty of debate over the years on this point and I certainly lean more towards the ambiguous side of the argument than the classic Othello vs. Iago split, but give this one a try and draw your own conclusions!


Dr Faustus - Christopher Marlowe
My fellow Brits may recoil in horror at this next statement, but I actually prefer Marlowe’s work to the Bard himself. This story has everything that fascinates me about this period of history: the battle between good and evil/Heaven and Hell, the struggle in understanding new science and where this falls in line with theology, the reflections of Calvinism and ideas on the spiritual world. Marlowe was really the first to explore these themes in great detail and, I would argue, marks a change in literary explorations of these big concepts. As a contemporary of Shakespeare, you’ll want to pick this one up if you’ve enjoyed any Elizabethan plays in the past.


Matilda - Roald Dahl
Another children’s classic that everyone should read at some point in their life (and watch the movie with Mara Wilson after you’ve read it!). Miss Trunchbull is one of those literary figures who stays with you forever and fits the villain stereotype so well, yet also in entirely unexpected ways. One thing that I have always appreciated about this story is the detail that Dahl goes into to describe Miss Trunchbull’s background. Most stories, particularly aimed at children, never reveal this much on the villain, usually to keep them very one-dimensional and entirely unlikable. Dahl masterly crafts this character to be unappealing, whilst still maintaining her humanity; a great age-appropriate reflection on how good people can go bad.


The Six Wives of Henry VIII - David Starkey
I was a History major, so I have to throw a bit of non-fiction into this list! Starkey’s classic work on one of our most famous monarchs is the perfect starter for anyone looking to dive into this time period. My love for the Tudors knows no end and, while several years of studying have given me a much more critical eye over this book, this is always my go-to when I need a break from fiction. Starkey’s exploration of the six women at the centre of Henry’s life weaves an intriguing tale of romance, and religious and political upheaval. It continues to amaze me that, in a time where women were little more than a baby-making factory, the influence of six very different individuals could have such a monumental impact on the course of English history.

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Brontë

Finally, we come to another classic, albeit one that I don’t particularly enjoy. Despite my personal reservations on this one, it’s difficult to argue the prominence in classic British literature of this book. Jane Eyre really did revolutionise fiction, with Brontë often referred to as the “first historian of the private consciousness” and, although heavily set within the moral Christian context, can be seen as an early exploration of class and gender roles. Autonomy is a theme that runs deep throughout the story, in many different contexts, and really unpins much of what happens to Jane as her character develops. It’s important to note, however, that Brontë remains firm in fulfilling societal norms throughout the story, even with a significant amount of questioning. While I understand that this is to be expected, given the context of when she was writing, I still found this to be a frustrating part of the novel. But it’s worth a read if classics are your thing, especially for the one Hollywood-movie moment towards the end.

I’d love to know if you’ve read any of these and what you thought of them. Thanks to Luke for letting me take over his blog for the day!