One of the questions we’re most frequently asked by students who will be joining us as first years in the autumn term is ‘”What reading do we need to do to prepare for the course?” All of the modules that you will be taking in the first year have reading lists, of course, but the vast majority of material on them is part of a publishers’ package purchased by the university library that you will only have access to after you start university. So, to get you going, our Admissions Tutor Dr Katy Gibbons has written the following blog offering guidance on things you can read or listen to to over the summer months. Whatever area or period of history you’re interested in, there’s lots here to peak your interests!
If you’re looking for some history-related reading/listening for the summer, you’ve come to the right place! You’ll find here some suggestions from the UoP History team of things that we have enjoyed, and that can spark some thinking and reflecting on history, and on the connections between the past and the present. If you read/listen carefully, you might also spot some of the historians who will be teaching you in September!
Happy reading – and enjoy your summer!
General Reading
https://aeon.co/society/history
https://theconversation.com/uk (you might spot articles by some of your History lecturers here!)
More Specialised Blogs:
https://thesocialhistorian.wordpress.com
https://manyheadedmonster.com/
Podcasts
Not just the Tudors: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/not-just-the-tudors/id1564113869
History Extra: https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/rebuilding-europe-after-ww2-paul-betts-podcast/
Histories of the Unexpected: https://historiesoftheunexpected.com/podcasts/
In Our Time: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qykl
History Unplugged: https://podcasts.apple.com/al/podcast/history-unplugged-podcast/id1237796990
Historical Association: https://www.history.org.uk/podcasts/list
Novels
These novels engage with the past in a number of different ways. They also cover topics and themes that you will come across in the course of your degree.
Please note – you are not obliged or expected to buy any of these, but if you are interested, perhaps you could look out for a second hand copy, or visit your local public library!
This Lovely City by Louise Hare https://uk.bookshop.org/books/this-lovely-city/9780008332600
The Little Wartime Library by Kate Thompson (our very own Rob James advised on the research for this!)
https://uk.bookshop.org/books/the-little-wartime-library/9781529348712
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
https://uk.bookshop.org/books/homegoing-9781101971062/9780241975237
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Rizzio by Denise Mina
https://uk.bookshop.org/books/rizzio-darkland-tales/9781846976094
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry
A Book of Secrets by Kate Morrison
https://uk.bookshop.org/books/a-book-of-secrets/9781913090678
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