The Anglo-Saxon World

The Anglo-Saxon World by Nicholas J. Higham and Martin J. Ryan is a comprehensive overview of life in Anglo Saxon England from the end of the Roman Empire until the Norman Conquest. Information in the book is based on material from original written sources as well as finds from archaeological digs. Sections of the book are written by different authors and at the end of each section there are two articles - sources and issues - with additional information about sources relating to the chapter. The book is well illustrated with photographs from sites as they are today as well as many maps. There is a detailed bibliography and index.

Topics explored in the book include Britain in and out of the Roman Empire, origins of England, from tribal chieftains to Christian kings, Mercian supremacies, Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings - including conquest and changes brought about by invasion, the age of Aethelred and the transformation of Anglo-Saxon England brought about by the Norman Conquest.

Another book on this topic is Building Anglo-Saxon England by John Blair. This book uses results from archaeological excavations to examine the built environment of England during the time of the Anglo Saxons. The author particularly looks at how landscape was changed to accommodate the lifestyle of the Anglo-Saxons in England. There are lots of diagrams accompanying this detailed study.