"Some of these books dip into other parts of the UK, but they're primarily set in what Julian Barnes's England, England calls Anglia. All set following the Second World War, they reflect the sensibilities of a nation less naïve about the horrors of war and colonialism. They're also introspective about England's place in the world, its relationship with the rest of the British Isles, and the deep inequalities within.
This doesn't mean it's all seriousness and gloom, however. There's a recognition here that England punches above its weight in some critical ways—music, academia, football—that ensure the continuing global relevance of what Bill Bryson recognizes is, after all, a small island.
Modern Englishness is complex, of course. Here are some entertaining books that help to make sense of that complexity."
