Below is a list of books about Oxford or written in

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

, Oxfordshire, England. The city of Oxford has generated and inspired much literature. Many authors have lived in Oxford, especially associated with the

University A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...

. It has also been a setting used in many books.

Overview

The

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

(and

Clarendon Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...

) is the university's own publishing house. It is world-renowned for its

dictionaries A dictionary is a listing of lexemes from the lexicon of one or more specific languages, often arranged Alphabetical order, alphabetically (or by Semitic root, consonantal root for Semitic languages or radical-and-stroke sorting, radical an ...

as well as other

books A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, mo ...

, largely academic in nature. It also publishes the Oxford World's Classics series. Other publishing companies based in the city include David Fickling Books, notable as the first bi-continental publisher of children's books.Kids at Random House: About us
Random House, UK. Leading 20th-century authors at Oxford University include

C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer, literary scholar and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and Magdalen ...

(

works Works may refer to: People * Caddy Works (1896–1982), American college sports coach * John D. Works (1847–1928), California senator and judge * Samuel Works (c. 1781–1868), New York politician Albums * ''Works'' (Pink Floyd album), a Pi ...

including ''

The Chronicles of Narnia ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' is a series of seven portal fantasy novels by British author C. S. Lewis. Illustrated by Pauline Baynes and originally published between 1950 and 1956, the series is set in the fictional realm of Narnia (wor ...

'' series of seven books) and

J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (, 3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works ''The Hobbit'' and ''The Lord of the Rings''. From 1925 to 1945, Tolkien was the Rawlinson ...

(

including Middle-earth books). ''

Inspector Morse Endeavour Morse, GM, is the namesake character of the series of "Morse" detective novels by British author Colin Dexter, a Detective Chief Inspector in the Thames Valley Police in Oxford, England. On television he was portrayed by John ...

'' is a detective book series based in Oxford, by

Colin Dexter Norman Colin Dexter (29 September 1930 – 21 March 2017) was an English crime writer known for his ''Inspector Morse'' series of novels, which were written between 1975 and 1999 and adapted as an ITV (TV network), ITV television series, ''Inspec ...

. It has spawned a successful

television series A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming plat ...

. Other book series associated with Oxford include '' A Staircase in Surrey'', a five-novel series, written between 1974 and 1978 by J. I. M. Stewart, and '' Kate Ivory'' by Veronica Stallwood. ''

His Dark Materials ''His Dark Materials'' is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman consisting of '' Northern Lights'' (1995; published as ''The Golden Compass'' in North America), '' The Subtle Knife'' (1997), and '' The Amber Spyglass'' (2000). It follo ...

'' and '' The Book of Dust'' are trilogies of fantasy novels started by

Philip Pullman Sir Philip Nicholas Outram Pullman (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. He is best known for the fantasy trilogy ''His Dark Materials''. The first volume, ''Northern Lights'' (1995), won the Carnegie Medal

in 1995 and 2017 respectively.

Timeline

;Before 1900 * '' Reginald Dalton'' ( John Gibson Lockhart, 1823) * '' Loss and Gain'' (

John Henry Newman John Henry Newman (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was an English Catholic theologian, academic, philosopher, historian, writer, and poet. He was previously an Anglican priest and after his conversion became a cardinal. He was an ...

, 1848) * '' The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green'' ( Cuthbert M. Bede, in three parts: 1850s) * ''Falconbeck Hall'' ( John Berwick Harwood, 1854) * '' The Old Parish Church: with the Ghost of Merton Hall'' ( John Gibbs, 1861) * '' Tom Brown at Oxford'' (

Thomas Hughes Thomas Hughes (20 October 1822 – 22 March 1896) was an English lawyer, judge, politician and author. He is most famous for his novel ''Tom Brown's School Days'' (1857), a semi-autobiographical work set at Rugby School, which Hughes had atte ...

, 1861) * ''

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (also known as ''Alice in Wonderland'') is an 1865 English Children's literature, children's novel by Lewis Carroll, a mathematics university don, don at the University of Oxford. It details the story of a ...

'' (

Lewis Carroll Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (27 January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, poet, mathematician, photographer and reluctant Anglicanism, Anglican deacon. His most notable works are ''Alice ...

, 1865) * ''

Through the Looking-Glass ''Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There'' is a novel published in December 1871 by Lewis Carroll, the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, a mathematics lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford, Christ Church, University of Oxford. I ...

'' (Lewis Carroll, 1871) * '' Cripps the Carrier'' ( Richard Doddridge Blackmore, 1876) – author of '' Lorna Doone'' * '' Robert Elsmere'' ( Mrs Humphry Ward, 1888) * ''

Three Men in a Boat ''Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)'',The Penguin edition punctuates the title differently: ''Three Men in a Boat: To Say Nothing of the Dog!'' published in 1889, is a humorous novel by English writer Jerome K. Jerome describing ...

'' ( Jerome K. Jerome, 1889) – a journey on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

from Kingston to Oxford * '' A Young Oxford Maid'' ( Sarah Tytler, 1890) * '' Jude the Obscure'' (

Thomas Hardy Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Literary realism, Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry ...

, 1895) – Oxford is called "Christminster" ;1900-1949 * '' A Clerk of Oxford'' ( Evelyn Everett-Green, 1900) * ''

The Wind in the Willows ''The Wind in the Willows'' is a children's novel by the British novelist Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. It details the story of Mole, Ratty, and Badger as they try to help Mr. Toad, after he becomes obsessed with motorcars and get ...

'' (

Kenneth Grahame Kenneth Grahame ( ; 8 March 1859 – 6 July 1932) was a British writer. He is best remembered for the classic of children's literature ''The Wind in the Willows'' (1908). Born in Scotland, he spent most of his childhood with his grandmother in ...

, 1908) – Grahame is buried in

Holywell Cemetery Holywell Cemetery lies behind St Cross Church, Oxford, St Cross Church in St Cross Road, Oxford, England, south of Holywell Manor on Manor Road, Oxford, Manor Road and north of Longwall Street, in the parish of Holywell, Oxford, Holywell. Histo ...

, Oxford, beside his son, for whom the book was written * '' Zuleika Dobson'' (

Max Beerbohm Sir Henry Maximilian Beerbohm (24 August 1872 – 20 May 1956) was an English essayist, Parody, parodist and Caricature, caricaturist under the signature Max. He first became known in the 1890s as a dandy and a humorist. He was the theatre crit ...

, 1911) * '' Sinister Street'' (

Compton Mackenzie Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie, (17 January 1883 – 30 November 1972) was a Scottish writer of fiction, biography, histories and a memoir, as well as a cultural commentator, raconteur and lifelong Scottish nationalist. He was one of t ...

, 1913–14) * '' The Charm of Oxford'' ( Joseph Wells, 1920) – Warden of

Wadham College, Oxford Wadham College ( ) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is located in the centre of Oxford, at the intersection of Broad Street, Oxford, Broad Street and Parks Road ...

* '' Decline and Fall'' (

Evelyn Waugh Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh (; 28 October 1903 – 10 April 1966) was an English writer of novels, biographies, and travel books; he was also a prolific journalist and book reviewer. His most famous works include the early satires ''Decli ...

, 1928) * ''The Oxford Murders'' ('Adam Broome' (Godfrey James), 1929) * '' A Storm in Oxford'' ( E. Tangye Lean, 1932) * '' Testament of Youth'' (

Vera Brittain Vera Mary Brittain (29 December 1893 – 29 March 1970) was an English Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse, writer, feminist, socialist and pacifist. Her best-selling 1933 memoir '' Testament of Youth'' recounted her experiences during the Fir ...

, 1933) * ''Death on the Cherwell'' ( Mavis Doriel Hay, 1935) * '' Gaudy Night'' ( Dorothy L. Sayers, 1935) * '' Death at the President's Lodging'' ( Michael Innes, 1936) * ''

The Hobbit ''The Hobbit, or There and Back Again'' is a children's fantasy novel by the English author J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published in 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the ...

'' (

, 1937) – written at 20 Northmoor Road,

North Oxford North Oxford is a suburban part of the city of Oxford in England. It was owned for many centuries largely by St John's College, Oxford and many of the area's Victorian architecture, Victorian houses were initially sold on leasehold by the co ...

* '' An Oxford University Chest'' (

John Betjeman Sir John Betjeman, (; 28 August 190619 May 1984) was an English poet, writer, and broadcaster. He was Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death. He was a founding member of The Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architect ...

, 1938) * '' Towers in the Mist'' ( Elizabeth Goudge, 1938) * '' Michaelmas Term at St Bride's'' ( Philip Larkin, 1943) * '' The Case of the Gilded Fly'' ( Edmund Crispin, 1944) * '' The Silent Traveller in Oxford'' ( Chiang Yee, 1944) * ''

Brideshead Revisited ''Brideshead Revisited: The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder'' is a novel by the English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945. It follows, from the 1920s to the early 1940s, the life and romances of Charles Ryder, esp ...

'' (

, 1945) * '' Folly Bridge: A Romantic Tale'' ( David Leslie Murray, 1945) * ''

The Notion Club Papers ''The Notion Club Papers'' is an abandoned novel by J. R. R. Tolkien, written in 1945 and published posthumously in ''Sauron Defeated'', the 9th volume of ''The History of Middle-earth''. It is a time travel story, written while ''The Lord of the ...

'' (J. R. R. Tolkien, written 1945–46, published 1992) – written in Oxford and set there * '' Jill'' (Philip Larkin, 1946) * '' The Moving Toyshop'' ( Edmund Crispin, 1946) ;1950-89 * ''

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' is a portal fantasy novel written by British author C. S. Lewis, published by Geoffrey Bles in 1950. It is the first published and best known of seven novels in ''The Chronicles of Narnia'' (1950–1956 ...

'' (C. S. Lewis, 1950) – first book in ''

'' series * ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...

'' (J. R. R. Tolkien, three volumes: 1954–55; also

film series A film series or movie series is a collection of related films in succession that share the same fictional universe, or are marketed as a series. It is a type of series fiction. This article explains what film series are and gives brief examples ...

) — mostly written at 20 Northmoor Road * '' Landscape with Dead Dons'' ( Robert Robinson, 1956) * '' Summoned by Bells'' (

, 1960) – verse autobiography * '' Dame's Delight'' ( Margaret Forster, 1964) * ''

Accident An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not deliberately caused by humans. The term ''accident'' implies that the event may have been caused by Risk assessment, unrecognized or unaddressed risks. Many researchers, insurers ...

'' ( Nicholas Mosley), 1965 * '' The Game'' ( A. S. Byatt, 1967) * '' Last Boat to Folly Bridge'' ( Eric C. Hiscock, 1970) * '' The House in Norham Gardens'' ( Penelope Lively, 1974) – set in Norham Gardens,

* '' A Staircase in Surrey'' (J. I. M. Stewart, 1974–78) – a five-novel series * ''

Last Bus to Woodstock ''Last Bus to Woodstock'' is a Crime fiction, crime novel by Colin Dexter, the first of 13 novels in his ''Inspector Morse'' series. Plot summary Two young women are waiting in Oxford for a bus to the nearby town of Woodstock, Oxfordshire, Woo ...

'' (Colin Dexter, 1977) – first book in the Inspector Morse series * '' The Alchemists'' ( Margaret Doody, 1980) * '' Death of a Don'' ( Howard Shaw, 1981) * '' The Book and the Brotherhood'' (

Iris Murdoch Dame Jean Iris Murdoch ( ; 15 July 1919 – 8 February 1999) was an Irish and British novelist and philosopher. Murdoch is best known for her novels about good and evil, sexual relationships, morality, and the power of the unconscious. Her fi ...

, 1983) * '' Oxford Blood'' (

Antonia Fraser Lady Antonia Margaret Caroline Fraser, (; born 27 August 1932) is a British author of history, novels, biographies and detective fiction. She is the widow of the 2005 Nobel Laureate in Literature, Harold Pinter (1930–2008), and prior to h ...

, 1985) * '' Where the Rivers Meet'' ( John Wain, 1988) ;1990s * '' Dirty Tricks'' ( Michael Dibdin, 1991) * '' The Children of Men'' (

P. D. James Phyllis Dorothy James White, Baroness James of Holland Park (3 August 1920 – 27 November 2014), known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuri ...

, 1992) * '' Doomsday Book'' ( Connie Willis, 1992) * '' The Men and the Girls'' ( Joanna Trollope, 1992) * '' Afternoon Raag'' ( Amit Chaudhuri, 1993) * '' Adrian Mole: The Wilderness Years'' (

Sue Townsend Susan Lillian Townsend (; 2 April 194610 April 2014) was an English writer and humorist whose work encompasses novels, plays and works of journalism. She was best known for creating the character Adrian Mole. After writing in secret from the a ...

, 1993) * '' Dancing to the Pipers'' ( Kate Fenton, 1993) * ''

Juggling Juggling is a physical skill, performed by a juggler, involving the manipulation of objects for recreation, entertainment, art or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling. Juggling can be the manipulation of one object o ...

'' (Barbara Trapido, 1994) * ''

'' (

, trilogy: 1995, 1997, 2000) * ''The Devil's Hunt'' (Paul C. Doherty, Paul Doherty, 1997) * ''An Instance of the Fingerpost'' (Iain Pears, 1997) * ''To Say Nothing of the Dog'' ( Connie Willis, 1997) * ''The Greatest Sorrow'' (Keith Ovenden, 1998) ;2000s * ''The Remorseful Day'' (Colin Dexter, 2000) – last book in the Inspector Morse series * ''Another Kind of Cinderella'' (Angela Huth, 2002) * ''Any Human Heart'' (William Boyd (writer), William Boyd, 2002) * ''Bleak Midwinter (book), Bleak Midwinter'' (Peter Millar (journalist), Peter Millar, 2002) * ''Lyra's Oxford'' (Philip Pullman, 2003) * ''The Oxford Murders (novel), The Oxford Murders'' (Guillermo Martínez (writer), Guillermo Martínez, 2003) – also a 2008 The Oxford Murders (film), film * ''Endymion Spring'' (Matthew Skelton, 2006) * ''Restless (novel), Restless'' (William Boyd, 2006) * ''The September Society'' (Charles Finch, 2008) ;2010s * ''The Lessons'' (Naomi Alderman, 2010) * ''A Discovery of Witches'' (Deborah Harkness, 2011) – first novel in the ''All Souls'' trilogy * ''The Professor of Poetry'' (Grace McCleen, 2013) * ''The Last Enchantments ''(Charles Finch, 2014) * ''La Belle Sauvage'' (Philip Pullman, 2017) * ''The Secret Commonwealth'' (Philip Pullman, 2019) ;2020s * ''The Sandpit'' (Nicholas Shakespeare, 2020) * ''The Oxford Brotherhood'' (Guillermo Martínez (writer), Guillermo Martínez, 2021) * ''Babel'' (R.F. Kuang, 2022)

References

External links

* Rowley, Richard
Oxford novels: a selected reading list
*
A-Z of Literary Oxford
' exhibition at the Museum of Oxford, 10 February – 8 July 2007. {{DEFAULTSORT:Oxford, books Lists of books Oxford-related lists, Books University of Oxford in fiction, *Books Oxford in fiction, *Books Literature of England Books about Oxford, List Literature timelines Bibliographies of cities, oxford University of Oxford-related lists, Books

Overview

Timeline

See also

References

Further reading

External links