Recs if you like The Book of Margery Kempe...

As much medieval-era literature as I can possibly gather into one list! Largely focused on romances, lais, Arthuriana, &c.

Overlooked, lesser known classics from all over the world and of many genres.

This list also exists as a book club on Fable under the same name.

Your pre-1900 British & Irish lit starter pack from a bonafide English PhD

I have been collecting (and reading) a long list of memoirs, autobiographies and biographies about women who had fascinating lives. I thought I might as well make it a list! A lot of them I have read and enjoyed, some are from my TBR. I am especially fascinated by 18th-19th century women's stories, so there will be a lot of those. And women from diverse backgrounds. Open to suggestions!

A list of medieval classics for those who are new to the genre. This list isn’t fully finished; recommendations welcome!

A study of the past

core texts from the medieval period (anglo and franco focus)

Texts and books from the Middle Ages

Mainly non fiction and women

Stories of mothers and daughters tangled in love, grief, and ruin.

Jeremy O’Harris for Vanity Fair April 1st 2026: “If you’re like me and the world has been overwhelming you with emails and countless deadlines, getting arrested in Japan for accidentally having MDMA in your toiletry bag, resulting in a 23-day confinement, will be your chance to turn off the world if you so choose. In the quiet of my cell, I read 23 books and turned in an outline for a movie at a major studio, all while realizing how loud my normal life had become. Here is a list of the books I read, in the order that I read them…”

(Auto)biographies, diaries, or memoirs of historical women that I've read and given at least 3 stars. Happy reading!