A Month in the CountryA Month in the Country
Score Classic
What it's about
In the summer of 1920, Tom Birkin, a young veteran shaken by the First World War, arrives in a Yorkshire village to uncover a medieval painting hidden under the whitewash in the church. Another veteran is camped in the field next door, searching for a lost grave. Over a golden month of work, friendship and an unspoken love for the vicar's wife, Birkin begins to heal.
Why it's worth reading
It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It's a short, perfect, quietly beautiful novel that readers treasure.
You'll love it if you liked
The Remains of the Day
Testament of Youth: One Woman's Haunting Record of the First World War
GileadGood to know
It's only about a hundred pages. The 1987 film stars Colin Firth and Kenneth Branagh.
By the numbers
- Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller20 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
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Quick answers
Is A Month in the Country worth reading?
Yes. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. It ranks #1,562 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 67.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Month in the Country about?
In the summer of 1920, Tom Birkin, a young veteran shaken by the First World War, arrives in a Yorkshire village to uncover a medieval painting hidden under the whitewash in the church. Another veteran is camped in the field next door, searching for a lost grave. Over a golden month of work, friendship and an unspoken love for the vicar's wife, Birkin begins to heal.
How long does it take to read A Month in the Country?
About 3 hours (128 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Month in the Country?
If you liked it, try The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Testament of Youth: One Woman's Haunting Record of the First World War by Vera Brittain or Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.