Living in a city, it’s perhaps unsurprising that I’ve been fascinated with something that doesn’t exist in my very Asian, very urban hometown: cottagecore. According to the BBC’s article on Cottagecore, such impulses may be due to a desire for simplicity and anti-modernity (though this is acted out on the Internet). But at any rate, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of books that give me a cottagecore vibe, organised by genre! There’s no real method to this madness, I just went through books that I have read and added those that I thought had a cottagecore vibe to the list.

Note before we begin: I know that my reading skews very, very British in this list. I’m not sure why but I suppose it’s because I’ve always associated cottages with England? I have tried to add in books from non-Western places, but as you can see, my knowledge is limited! So if you have diverse suggestions, please let me know in the comments!

Fiction

Fairacre Series by Miss Read – I absolutely adore this series set in the British countryside (and it’s the British countryside, how much more cottagecore can you get?). This is a gentle, heart-warming series from the perspective of the headmistress of a rural school. (My reviews)

Miss Marple Mysteries by Agatha Christie – I’ve not read as many Miss Marple mysteries as I have Poirot, but I’m picking her for this list because she, like Miss Read of the Fairacre series, embodies cottagecore. It’s all rural British countryside – with a murder.

Jeeves and Wooster by P.G. Wodehouse – For something a bit funnier but still very charming and a bit removed from reality, try the Jeeves and Wooster series. Bertie Wooster is a rich young man who somehow always gets into scrapes (especially with ex-fiances) while Jeeves is the butler who helps him out of them. (My reviews)

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett – A timeless story, The Secret Garden speaks to the healing power of nature. I mean, two grumpy children becoming happier after coming in contact with a magical garden and the Yorkshire moors? If this doesn’t tell you that nature can be healing, I don’t know what will.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri – Suggested by Jennifer from Out of Babel, Heidi is the story of a girl who goes to live in the Swiss Alps and pretty much leads a cottagecore life until she is taken away to the city.

A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter – Another book suggested by Jennifer, who says this is similar to Anne of Green Gables but set in Indiana. Sounds really fun!

The Kampung Boy by Lat – The third book suggested by Jennifer, this is Malaysian cottagecore. I don’t know why I didn’t think about the kampong and kampong life earlier (especially since the loss of the kampong spirit is often lamented about in Singapore) but this is definitely a SEA take on the cottagecore aesthetic.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Can’t believe I missed this out, but Anne (with an “e”) and her stories celebrate the power of storytelling, friendship, and the beauty of nature.

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson – This is suggested by Em from The Geeky Jock and she says that “[m]uch of this book takes place in nature. I’m reminded of bluebell forests and outdoor parties.”

Books by Coralie Bickford-Smith – Also suggested by Em, who got me to put these on my TBR list by describing them in this way: “There’s this lovely, quiet rhythm about them. And they’re very nature-focused. Very cottage.”

Nonfiction

I don’t know why, but there are so many nonfiction books out there that give me cottagecore vibes that I had to split them into sections! This first section covers the books that didn’t quite fit into my subcategories.

The History of English Teacups by Cha Tea – This is perfect for those who like tea and Japan (and are learning Japanese). Cha Tea has come up with a lavishly illustrated book that covers the history of English topics. (Read my review + summary)

A Lake District Grand Tour by Mike Carden – I will never cycle around the Lake District because that is too much exercise for me, but Mike Carden’s cycling adventures was a fun read AND increased my TBR pile. (My review)

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady – I’ve not written a review for this because this is not a book you read in one sitting. A reproduction of Edith Holden’s journal, this is filled with poems, pictures, and little observations about the countryside. Thoroughly charming and cottagecore before cottagecore was a thing.

The Little Book of Ikigai by Ken Mogi – Do you want to spring out of bed? Do you want to have a bit more purpose in your life? Ken Mogi has written a short and practical guide to the Japanese concept of Ikigai. I really loved the fact that your ikigai doesn’t have to be some grand, ambitious goal; it can be just about the small pleasures in life. (My review)

Nonfiction (Food)

The titles here are focused more about the history of food, but for some cosy treats, I find the National Trust cookbooks to be very beginner friendly (and the illustrations give me cottagecore vibes). Try their Book of Scones if you want to get this one thing and its many, many variations down, or try their Book of Afternoon Tea if you want a more varied collection of recipes.

A History of English Food by Clarissa Dickson Wright – This chatty and informal book contains the history of British food starting from the medieval period and going all the way to modern Britain. You will come away from this have learnt a lot and feeling rather hungry. (My review)

Cheddar Gorge by John Squire – It’s okay if you’re lactose intolerant because books don’t contain dairy, even if they’re all about cheese. Cheddar Gorge hails from the 1930s and is a wonderful collection of the various reasons why people love their cheese. Look out for the illustrations, which were done by EH Shephard, the man who also drew for Winnie the Pooh. (My review)

Nonfiction (Memoir)

Wilding by Isabella Tree – Part-memoir, but also part-call-to-action and inspiration, Wilding tells the story of how Knepp estate turned from a commercial farm into a natural habitat that was good for the environment and profitable. (My full review)

My Good Life in France by Janine Marsh – If you’ve ever wanted to uproot yourself and move to some cottage in the country, it may help to know that you won’t be the first. Janine shares her adventures in the French countryside as she and her husband try to fix the run-down house they impulsively bought! (My review)

The Dun Cow Rib by John Lister-Kaye – English naturalist and conservationist John Lister-Kaye shares his story about how he fell in love with animals and ended up doing what he’s doing. His passion is infectious and I love the descriptions of the countryside. (Full review)

A Year in Japan by Kate T. Williamson – A gorgeously illustrated book of Kate’s year in the land of the rising sun. It makes me miss my time in Japan and has really calm vibes.

The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon – This book is from the Heian period of Japan, which means they were all into poetry (especially poetry about the natural world and love). Sounds pretty cottagecore to me!

Totto-Chan by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi – While not strictly a novel about living in nature, Totto-chan’s childhood at Tomoe Gakuen is one where nature is very much present in poems and nature walks. I have loved this since I was a child and own two copies – one in English and one in Japanese.

Fairy-tale Related

Last but definitely not least, the fairytale section! Fairytales can be quite dark (just look at the first edition of The Brother’s Grimm) but these tales are less “murderous children” and more “countryside tales” in terms of vibe.

Forgotten Yorkshire Folk and Fairy Tales by Andrew Walsh – This is for people who love hyperlocal folktales! Andrew has collected tales from the Yorkshire region and honestly, I’ve not heard of many of them. It was so fun reading all these new stories. (Full review)

Forgotten Lancashire Folk and Fairy Tales by Andrew Walsh – Another book by Andrew Walsh, this one focuses on tales from Lancashire. It works as a great accompaniment to the Yorkshire tales as you can see how different regions within one country can have different stories. (Full review)

Skye: The Island and It’s Legends by Otta Swire – This timeless book is a tour of the island of Skye and the legends of it. Otta Swire shares with us tales from her family history, common legends, and legends rooted in fact. I absolutely enjoyed it and would definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to visit Skye/has visited Skye. (Full review)

Scottish Folk and Fairy Tales by Gordon Jarvie – If you need more Scottish folklore (other than Skye), then look for this book because it has both stories and poems! The Tam Lin tale made a huge impression on me and I really enjoyed the whole collection. (Full review)

Plant Lore & Legend by Ruth Binney – We are firmly in cottagecore territory with this one because it combines folklore + plants! This beautiful and slim book is divided into three parts: ‘The Wonder of Flowers’, ‘The Lore of Trees’, and ‘The Power of Plants’ and has lots of information about the ways plants have been viewed and used throughout the ages. (Full review)

Do you have any other suggestions? Let me know because I will be periodically updating this list!

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the list! If you do, please consider supporting me via ko-fi or just check out some of the stories I have for sale there (one is available for free!)