Books

The 12 architecture books you should read in 2025, by our architectural editor John Goodall

John Goodall assembles a shortlist of his favourite architecture books published recently.

The story of how 007 creator Ian Fleming came to write Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang

Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang, our fine four-fendered friend, turns 60 on October 22nd. Mary Miers relives the adventures of the magical flying car and reveals the little-known story of its creation by Ian Fleming, as the writer turned his attention from the world of 007 to a children's tale.

London as you've never seen it — and as you'll never see it again

The East End of London has changed rapidly in recent years, but photographer Paul Trevor chronicled it from the 1970s to the 1990s. His images have been collected in a new book, Market Day.

'It may be vain to think that the past was a cleaner, quieter and kinder place, but it felt pretty decent when you knew your GP and your GP knew you, and milk in glass bottles was delivered every morning'

Carla Carlisle is homesick for the olden days, when we didn’t know we had it so good.

Poems about pies, the foul-mouthed parrot upstaging Margaret Atwood and starting World War III via Desert Island Discs: Ian McMillan on the Country Life Podcast

Poet, broadcaster and writer Ian McMillan joins the Country Life Podcast.

The 'holy grail' of JRR Tolkien's letters are up for sale, showing his anger at his editors and the 'priggery' of Sherlock Holmes

Bayliss Books are selling the biggest collection of Tolkien first editions and personal letters to come up for sale in twenty years. Annunciata Elwes takes a look.

'The Swiss Army Knife of foods': Untangling the truth and lies around milk

Milk's reputation has seen plenty of ups and downs in recent years, but the farmer, chef and writer Matthew Evans is trying to put the record straight. Scottish farmer — and regular Country Life columnist — Jamie Blackett takes a look at Evans's new book, 'Milk: The truth, the lies and the unbelievable story of the original superfood'.

Patrick Galbraith: We are a brilliant and terrible species who messed it up a long time ago — and that means we have to do things we don't want to

Our columnist laments the painful decisions on culling wild animals which he argues have to be taken if we're to manage the countryside and maintain biodiversity.

The Badminton Horse trials at 75

Country Life's Kate Green joins the podcast to talk about the tale of how the world's best three-day eventing competition came to be.

A look inside Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage

A new book by the photographer Gilbert McCarragher will give readers a first-look inside Derek Jarman's famous home on the shingle of Dungeness.

'From the first page until the last, I was in another country, another world... It was like falling in love'

'There is beauty and there is poverty, order and corruption' — Carla Carlisle on Karen Blixen and Kenya.

Think what you got for Christmas was bad? The worst presents in literature will cheer you up...

A diamond-encrusted tortoise, a humble pencil case tied up with string and a cursed jewel: Felicity Day unwraps some of the best and worst presents given in literature

The Wisdom of Sheep, by Rosamund Young: An exclusive extract for Country Life

Rosamund Young, best-selling author of 'The Secret Life of Cows', has a new book out book called 'The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals'. We have an exclusive extract for Country Life readers.

Carla Carlisle: 'Seamus Heaney deserves a sainthood, as well as his Nobel Prize'

Carla Carlisle applauds The Letters of Seamus Heaney and shares how she couldn't wait until Christmas to devour the collection from the late Irish poet

Are these the seven best independent bookshops in Britain? A writer makes her case

Carla Carlisle on Martin Amis: The 'passionate, graceful, fierce' writer who scared us, challenged us, and brought us understanding

Carla Carlisle pays tribute to the late Martin Amis, who died last month.

J.R.R. Tolkien: The life and times of the lord of the books

From a sentence born of an exhausting teaching job, J. R. R. Tolkien crafted a series of fantastical novels that, 50 years on from his death, still loom as large in our imagination as Sauron’s all-seeing eye, says Matthew Dennison.

Carla Carlisle: 'Edit your one and precious life. Prepare for Judgement Day. Do it Now.'

Carla has been having a bit of a New Year clear-out — albeit one which started last August, and which is NOT going particularly well...

Jason Goodwin's books of the year 2022

Our columnist Jason Goodwin shares the books that have entertained and enlightened him this year.

'By the time I reached chapter seven I was nauseated by the sheer volume of stuff I owned'

Jonathan Self's chance encounter with a book shifts the way he sees his belongings... but how long will his urge to declutter last?