In this novel set in the fictitious town of Middlemarch in the Midlands between 1829 and 1832, George Eliot follows the lives of four fascinating characters and their fortunes and misfortunes. A meticulous portrait of provincial life punctuated by brilliant women characters.
Recommendation
Recommendations from
Philippa Gregory
Philippa Gregory is one of the world’s foremost historical novelists. Author of bestselling novels such as The Other Boleyn Girl (2001) and The White Queen (2009), recently she has been working on The Fairmile Series, a trilogy which includes Tidelands (2019), Dark Tides (2020), and the upcoming Dawnlands (2022). Her work has been adapted for TV and cinema. She is a recognised authority on women’s history.
2
Simple Gifts
By Joanne Greenberg
Set in a back-country ranch in Colorado, this novel tells the story of the Fleuris family, who is persuaded by a government agent to turn their farm into a 1880s pioneer homestead for visitors. Funny and poignant, Simple Gifts explores our complex relationship with history and heritage.
3
History Play: The Lives And Afterlife Of Christopher Marlowe
By Rodney Bolt
What if Christopher Marlowe staged his own death, fled to the Continent and went on to write the works we now attribute to Shakespeare? Starting from this controversial assumption, Rodney Bolt playfully imagines a different version of history, one which challenges our quasi-religious deference towards Shakespeare.