5 History Books for Modern Britain
History is always repeating itself. Here are 5 history books essential for understanding our modern society.
People say that history repeats itself because nobody was listening the first time. In today’s busy world, it’s more likely that we were too busy reading something else.
It can feel impossible to find something worth reading when the latest political problems and the last eviction on Love Island sit side-by-side in the news. The best of what’s on offer is buried under mountains of articles, thinkpieces, and the commentary of the comments section.
Before you get lost in another new article, we’ve found the books worth your time for really understanding modern Britain. For the people, places, and the most important events that have made Britain as we know it, read on.
A History of the British Isles by Jeremy Black
How much do you really know about Britain? There’s a lot to learn about a nation state that marries the diversity of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Jeremy Black’s thorough and extensive guide to the nation will introduce readers to a wealth of history about Britain and Ireland.
The book travels through Britain from its earliest, pre-Roman age to our daily lives today, covering everything from the major epochs of history to the regional accents you’ll hear across the country. Black’s impressive overview of Britain is an excellent text to brush-up your understanding of how the country came to be.
The Suffragette by Sylvia Pankhurst
Although winning the right to vote can seem like long-gone history in this country, the legacy of the suffragettes remains to this day. After 100 years of women’s suffrage in the UK, the campaign for women’s rights and equality for all continues — now is the perfect time to read about where it started.
Written by Sylvia Pankhurst, daughter of the Women’s Social and Political Union founder Emmeline Pankhurst, The Suffragette offers a personal look into the union that called on “deeds not words,” to make history. This book, with its shocking descriptions of protest and punishment, will remind its readers of the importance of feminism and what we owe to the women who came before us. Supplement your series binge of The Handmaid’s Tale with this!
The Making of the English Working Class by E.P. Thompson
The Making of the English Working Class is a staggeringly relevant text. Written in 1963, the book examines the years 1780–1832 and attempts to identify the roots of wealth inequality in England. E.P Thompson’s masterpiece of social history remains one of the most thorough investigations of the class system to date.
More than an investigation into wealth distribution, the text also is critical of how history is made — a theme we are all becoming increasingly alert to in the era of fake news. Thompson shines a light on the forgotten movements of London and, more importantly, the forgotten lives of the working class. Thoughtful and empathetic, this book reminds us that our society is anything but inevitable.
Nightwalking by Matthew Beaumont
Do you think you know London? Before you’ve read Nightwalking, you only know half the story. Matthew Beaumont weaves history in and out of the shadowed, lesser-known streets of the capital to introduce readers to an alternative history of English literature.
This book reveals the underbelly of London to the modern reader. Fully packed chapters trail writers from Chaucer to Dickens through the nocturnal city and explain how the night has inspired writers across generations. Both literary criticism and social history, Beaumont also introduces his audience to the shadier characters who roamed the streets at night. Beware — this book might tempt you to stay up late.
A Party with Socialists In It by Simon Hannah
Jeremy Corbyn set the scene of British politics ablaze when he won the Labour party leadership in 2016. Since then, he has continued to be a controversial political leader, though you might forget that when hearing chants of, “Oh, Jeremy Corbyn!” somewhere near your local pub.
Simon Hannah’s history of the British left couldn’t be more relevant now. Providing concise summaries of Labour governments and the major world events surrounding them, along with the party’s periods of dissent in opposition, Hannah reviews Labour’s highs and lows. A must read for making sense of the current political scene and anticipating what we can expect from Corbyn’s Labour party.
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