Books on Britain
What books to pack in your suitcase or back pack before your trip to Britain? You might also want to consider the latest e-books for your Kindle, phone or tablet.
We run our eye over some of the best UK travel guides on the market.
Guide Books
The big names in guide books also have frequently updated editions on Britain and its regions.
The Lonely Planet Great Britain (Travel Guide) has over 1,000 pages of info, photographs and maps. Regional LP editions include Lonely Planet London, Lonely Planet Pocket London, Lonely Planet Scotland, Lonely Planet Wales and Lonely Planet England.
The Rough Guide to Britain is equally jam-packed with travel information within its 1100 plus pages. Rough Guide also publishes the slightly shorter and cheaper Rough Guide to England. Other regional Rough Guides include the Rough Guide to Scotland, the Rough Guide to London, the Rough Guide to Yorkshire, the Rough Guide to Devon & Cornwall and the Rough Guide to the Lake District.
DK Eyewitness Travel Guides are also recommended if you want less text and more images and illustrations. DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Great Britain, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Scotland and DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: London are all excellent guides.
Books on London
Other specialized guides worth purchasing include Time Out London from the capital's magazine of the same name. Time Out also have guides to Eating & Drinking in London, Cheap Eats and 1000 Things to Do in London all useful insights to this most intriguing of cities whether you are a short-term visitor, ex-pat or long-term resident Londoner.
With all the apps available getting around London couldn't be easier but a London A-Z Street Atlas is still a great reference to have at home and in your car.
Books on British Food & Drink
A growing genre, books on British food now span pub food, baking, vegetarian as well as titles on real ale and drinking guides to various cities, with London well to the fore in that category.
Britain's cast of celebrity chefs are also well-represented with numerous books on sale from Gordon Ramsey, Marco Pierre White, Nigella Lawson, Mary Berry, Jamie Oliver and even Hairy Bikers.
If you are a fan of British beer, the annual Camra's Good Beer Guide is a must on your travels. Though there are still many good pubs that don't make the list, this guide should help you avoid disappointment on your beer-drinking peregrinations across the British Isles.
Maps of Britain
Whether it's the latest Sat-Nav or a paper version a good road map of Britain is essential especially if you are driving. The AA publish a variety of high quality road maps with competition coming from other map publishers including Collins, Philips and A-Z.
Britain's History & Culture
This is a huge topic with many 1000's of books to choose from. For people interested in British history the DVD set Simon Schama: A History of Britain - The Complete BBC Series is a good place to start. A Short History of England by Simon Jenkins is equally good, in this case, in book form. For a concise and positive view of the British Empire, Scottish historian, Niall Ferguson's Empire covers the subject in only 400 pages. The classic Castles of Britain & Ireland is a must if you are visiting a number of the British Isles' historic fortresses as is British Gardens in Time: The Greatest Gardens and the People Who Shaped Them, a book that accompanies a BBC series. The latter only covers four gardens, however, Stowe, Great Dixter, Biddulph Grange and Nymans, so the more comprehensive Gardens of the National Trust is a useful supplement.
Books on Britain For Children
For younger readers and the young at heart we recommend the excellent Usborne History of Britain as a first general history primer. Bill Bryson's A Really Short History of Nearly Everything is great for kids interested in science and how things work.
Shop at Amazon
Buy books on Britain, souvenirs and other Britain related goods from Amazon US, Amazon UK and Amazon Japan.