Settle down and enjoy these ten top Lancashire lockdown reads
Many of us have suddenly found ourselves with a lot of spare time on our hands, and there’s no better way to spend a day than by tucking into a good book and getting lost in a whole new world.
Here’s our guide to ten of the best books ever written with a Lancashire flavour. We think there’s something for everyone here, from classic novels to food and humour.
And when you’ve made your way through our reading list, try our top ten Lancashire films to wach. Many bookshops across Lancashire and the Lake District have maintained a presence online although their doors have had to close.
Please support your local businesses as much as possible.
The Road to Wigan Pier, George Orwell
Orwell’s account of working class experiences in the bleakness of industrial Lancashire is accompanied by modern political views and lifelike descriptions of mining and housing conditions prior to World War Two.
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Hard Times, Charles Dickens
This classic novel is thought to be based on 19th century industrial Preston and gives an insight to working conditions in mills and factories throughout the north. Dickens’ imagery shows the drastic differences in society during the 1800s.
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The Loney, Andrew Michael Hurley
A thrilling psychological novel set near the Wyre and the Lune, this first-person experience of the dark side of Lancashire is an eerie exploration into his fictional community.
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Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Jeanette Winterson
A poetic, heart-warming novel following young Jeanette through her Accrington childhood and her experiences in discovering religion, sexuality and how far she’d go for someone she loves. An eye-opening book that will stay with you forever.
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Love on the Dole, Walter Greenwood
A wonderfully constructed political and social novel, which depicts the crisis of unemployment and poverty in northern England in the 1930s, entwined with a profound love story that illustrates the society of the time superbly.
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Mary Barton, Elizabeth Gaskell
A sorrowful but powerful story, based on truth, of a murder in industrial Manchester, and the impact it has on the community, especially Mary Barton, who the story follows through love, marriage and working-class life in Victorian England.
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Pies and Prejudice, Stuart Maconie
A more light hearted option, Wigan-born Maconie travels around the North of England and combines his personal memories with hilarious stories. From Blackpool Tower to Newcastle, his amusing journey is a joy throughout.
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Fell Murder, by ECR Lorac, (real name Edith Caroline Rivett)
A golden age detective story set in the fells above Lancaster during World War Two. She actually lived in the area for some time, and writes about the countryside there, and its people, beautifully. Her books are much more than whodunnits. It’s available on Kindle, a blessing in these times.
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Rhubarb & Black Pudding, by Matthew Fort
A book about Paul Heathcote and his cookery. A nice almost gossipy read, some lovely cameos about his suppliers including the rightly celebrated Mrs Kirkham, and quite a few recipes for very Lancastrian food – think pig’s trotter with ham hock and sage; breast of Goosnargh duckling; black pudding on crushed potatoes – all with a modern take.
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Lancashire, Where Women Die of Love, by Charles Nevin
The former Lancashire Life columnist’s tribute to the red rose county is filled with quirky facts and entertaining stories about Lancashire’s enormous contribution to the wider world along with the many people who have shaped the county and our lives. Funny, silly and, we would say, exactly the kind of read you should be having in these difficult times.
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