I find a special joy in this type of hardback medieval history book published by UK houses between perhaps 1980 and 2000: the topic, of course (see contents below), and the expertise of the academic authors, but also the format and design (fonts, illustrations, layout). That feeling is surely due to the particular books on Medieval England that I found in my public and school libraries as a youth and is therefore infused with nostalgia. This book is a supreme example: both interesting and beautiful.

Contents:
1. Medievel England: Identity, Politics, and Society by Nigel Saul
2. Anglo-Saxon England, c.500-1066 by Janet L. Nelson
3. Conquered England, 1066-1215 by George Garnett
4. Late Medieval England, 1215-1485 by Chris Given-Wilson
5. The Economy and Society by Christopher Dyer
6. Piety, Religion, and the Church by Henrietta Leyser
7. The Visual Arts by Nicola Coldstream
8. Language and Literature by Derek Pearsall
Editor's Postscript
Further Reading
Chronology
Family Trees
Illustration Sources
Index ( )

Richly illustrated introduction to English history, of the quality one would expect from the Oxford University Press. It gives an overview of English history from the departure of the Roman legions to the Battle of Bosworth, covering all the main political and cultural developments; the contributors are some very familiar names from the field of medieval history. I used it to good effect for speedy revision during undergrad finals. ( )

Another fine Oxford addition. Wealth of information on the medieval period of British history. ( )