Below, we've tried to pick out a range of books, maps, guides and what-have-you, relevant to Caversham and - judging by correspondence - our visitors. All of them are are available from Amazon and by buying from this page you are helping to support this web site - we get a very small commission on each sale.

Last Update: Food and Drink guides updated.

» Maps
» Local History
» Family History
» Walks & Visits
» Drink & Food

And if there's nothing you fancy from the products we've picked, you can always shop at Amazon via the link below - and, again, we'll receive a small commission on sales. Thank you. (NB: Amazon links all open in a new window.)

Maps

Reading & Windsor.

A good map is the key to an area - it opens up a place and lets you explore. We reckon the Landranger series is the best, and this is THE local one.

Chiltern Hills West

The Explorer maps are specifically designed for walkers, off-road cyclists, horse riders and anyone else who wants to get outdoors. This one covers the Wallingford-Henley region nicely.

Chiltern Hills East

The Explorer maps are specifically designed for walkers, off-road cyclists, horse riders and anyone else who wants to get outdoors. This one covers the High Wycombe-Maidenhead region nicely.

The Cotswolds

The rather gorgeous Cotswolds area is only just up the road from Caversham, and this map makes exploring it easy. Why travel far when you've all this on your doorstep?

Local History

The Scarlet Runners: A Social History of Queen Anne's School

We've not read this yet but it looks like a must-read for anyone interested in a school that's such an important, long-standing part of the Caversham.

The Reading Festival: Music, Mud and Mayhem

A great read for anyone even vaguely interested - and generously illustrated with good photos too.

A History Of Reading

It does what it says on the label! A chunky and quite recent hardback look at the town.

Reading Pocket Album

If a picture's worth a thousand words ... this collection of old photos, from the Francis Frith collection, makes good sense for anyone interested in Reading.

A Grim Almanac of Berkshire

(No, it's not a commuter's tale.) Every grisly story from the region for 1,500 years, collected. Murders, hangings, bogeymen ... and it's all true.

The Siege of Reading

Probably the best book on Reading and the Civil War that we've found.

Pit of Shame

The truth about Reading Prison and Oscar Wilde. An important element of Reading's overall history.

Historic Inns Along the River Thames

Perfection - history AND pubs AND walking by the Thames. By the same (local) author as the 'Grim Almanac' mentioned above.

Assigned To Listen

A good account of the founding and early years of BBC Monitoring. Not always easy to find but worth tracking down if you can.

Family History

Track Down Your Ancestors.

The title says it all; a well-regarded and inexpensive guide.

Writing Your Family History.

Another straight-forward guide, with an emphasis on practicality.

The Genealogist's Internet.

A good guide to the resources available online. Many people think this is invaluable!

The Greatest Genealogy Tips in the World.

This one has the kind of tips that are often hard to pick up for yourself.

Walks & Visits

50 Walks in Berkshire & Buckinghamshire.

Some 50 walks - 30 fully annotated - of various lengths; this is a useful pocket-sized guide.

Walks Along The Thames Path.

Obviously enough not all the Thames is local, but plenty of it is within easy reach and there are good walks to be had alongside it.

Pub Walks For Motorists (Berks & Oxon).

Purists might howl at the title but in reality that's what most people will do - drive and walk.

The Chilterns: Leisure Walks for All Ages.

An inexpensive guide that's (obviously) good for families - don't forget that the Chilterns are only up the road.

Drink & Food

Good Beer Guide 2010.

The CAMRA bible - but don't let that put you off. You don't have to be a beer fanatic to appreciate a good pub, and by-and-large good beer is found in good pubs.

Good Pub Guide 2010.

However, if the CAMRA aspect does put you off, this one does come at it from a different angle - whether you're looking for a meal or just a pint. Recommended.

Pubs and Inns of England and Wales.

The Alastair Sawday guides are new to us, but they come highly recommended.

British Hotels, Inns and Other Places.

Another recommended Alastair Sawday guide.