"I often passed the village
When going home from school –
And wondered what they did there –
And why it was so still –"
- Emily Dickinson
There is nothing so cozy or as intriguing as a good, old-fashioned, village read.
The varied cast, intertwined with ordinary day-to-day tasks, is often the best recipe for humor and drama to unfold!
Brittany and I have compiled some of our top favorite books featuring village life below!
by Miss Read
- Miss Read, Village Diary: A Novel
by Jan Karon
- Jan Karon
This contemporary, Christian series (1994 - 2017) is filled with a large cast of memorable personalities. Brimming with humor, southern charm, and themes of redemption and faith,
a trip to Mitford is always a good idea!
3: Miss Buncle Books
by D. E. Stevenson
“The village was very much like other villages,
with its pretty cottages, gardens ablaze with flowers, and its gossipy inhabitants.”
- D. E. Stevenson
Once her book is published, the threads that tie the little community together quickly begin to unravel as everyone starts to recognize themselves in the pages of this bestseller!
Set in pre-WWII England, the Miss Buncle series has long been one of our favorite cozy reads. Filled with fantastic characters, hilarious situations, a bit of romance and buttered crumpets galore!!
by Elizabeth Gaskell
“In the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of houses above a certain rent are women. If a married couple come to settle in the town, somehow the gentleman disappears; he is either fairly frightened to death by being the only man in the Cranford parties, or he is accounted for by being with his regiment, his ship, or closely engaged in business all the week in the great neighbouring commercial town of Drumble, distant only twenty miles on a railroad. In short, whatever does become of the gentlemen, they are not at Cranford.”
5: Miss Marple Mysteries
by Agatha Christie
‘Well, my dear,’ said Miss Marple, ‘human nature is much the same everywhere, and, of course, one has opportunities of observing it at closer quarters in a village.’
- Agatha Christie, The Thirteen Problems
Not all village life is cozy comradery, especially when there is an outbreak of murder!
Miss Marple is one of our favorite detectives and she resides in the English village of St Mary Mead. While not every one of her mysteries takes place there, Miss Marple's study of human nature began in this village, and she is able to solve many baffling cases because of the people of St. Mary Mead.
Some our favorite Miss Marple mysteries are:
"Murder at The Vicarage", "Sleeping Murder", "The Moving Finger"
and countless short stories.
by Jane Austen
"He did not doubt there being very pleasant walks in every direction, but if left to him, he should always chuse the same. Highbury, that airy, cheerful, happy-looking Highbury, would be his constant attraction"
- Jane Austen, Emma
Of course we couldn't let a book post go by without tucking in a Jane Austen!
Shop Emma
by James Herriot
“The clever economists who tell us that we don’t need British agriculture and that our farms should be turned into national parks seem to ignore the rather obvious snag that an unfriendly country could starve us into submission in a week. But to me a greater tragedy still would be the loss of a whole community of people.”
- James Herriot, All Things Wise and Wonderful
James Herriot, pen name for James Alfred Wight, wrote these semi-autobiographical accounts of his experience as a vet in the country. These books have a cozy feel, and recount many stories of his animal patients, as well as the country folk and their ways. Our personal favorites have always been his collections of "Favorite Dog Stories" and "Favorite Cat Stories".
Some of the stories in his books can be real tearjerkers, and we would include the caveat that they can be a bit earthy and sometimes describe graphic vet procedures. Also, there is quite a lot of cursing and some drunkenness in his full length books.
However, his Dog and Cat collections are more kid-friendly (no drunkenness or cursing), hence, why they're our favorites! Not to mention the watercolor illustrations by Lesley Holmes are simply stunning!
Shop Favorite Cat Stories
by Anthony Trollope
The Chronicles of Barsetshire is a six book series that revolve around the Victorian, cathedral town of Barchester.
9: Lark Rise to Candleford
by Flora Thompson
“Candleford Green was but a small village and there were fields
Filled with beautiful imagery of days gone by, Lark Rise to Candleford is a semi-autobiographical novel / memoir. Its gentle, narrative style follows the remembrances of Flora Thompson's girlhood in a rural English hamlet.
(Note: We haven't read this entire book yet, and cannot vouch for all of its content. However, from what we have read so far, it appears to be a clean read.)
Shop Lark Rise to Candleford
We hope you enjoy visiting some of these charming villages if you haven't already!
You can find all of the books listed in this article HERE.
Have you ever read any of these titles?
Do you have a favorite story featuring a cozy village setting?
We always love discovering new books feel free to drop a comment down below!
(Disclaimer: as an Amazon Associate we do earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
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