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Libraries & Collections Staff Picks

Staff Picks is a regular feature where our Library & Collections staff recommend must-read books and must-watch films from our collection, chosen to captivate your curiosity and spark your imagination.

Sylvia Wynter: On Being Human as Praxis

Selected by Sheneez Sylvia Wynter, O. J., a celebrated and notable alumni of King's College London, is a Jamaican writer whose many essays invite us to rethink and challenge the ways in which we see the world.

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This book, editted by Canadian Professor Katherine McKittrick, is one of only two editted volumes on Wynter's work, and it sees prestigious decolonial scholars from around the world celebrate, comment upon and dialogue with Wynter's ground-breaking ideas. It opens with an epic and extensive chapter co-written by Wynter and McKittrick, that should not be missed by anyone interested in decolonial thought and/or Caribbean philosophy!

In The Dream House

Selected by Red

Wouldn't exactly say it was a pleasurable read but it was definitely an enthralling one. This book is a memoir mostly centred around the author's experience of abuse in a queer relationship. Would describe as raw, heavy, and frightening, but really beautiful writing with an interesting structure, in the way of chapters varying from being just one sentence to written in the style of a 'Choose your own adventure', and so many lines I had to write down to hold onto.

Demon Copperhead

Selected by Louise

A modern re-telling of David Copperfield, exploring the devasting effects of poverty and the opiod crisis in 1990s/early 2000s rural America. Not an easy read in terms of its subject, but an important one.

The Gentrification of the Mind

Selected by Jack

Landlords jack up rents, ruin neighbourhoods, destroy cities and are a big part of why I can’t go watch a play in London anymore because they’re all either rubbish or £50. Read if you are interested in New York, the AIDS crisis, theatre, being gay, making art, or you have a sort of general sense of malaise and unease and you don’t know why. SPOILER: It’s probably capitalism.

Sisterhood of the Squared Circle

Selected by Charlie W

Women's wrestling isn't new, but that is rarely acknowledged or understood by wrestling fans today. The fight to be respected, to be included, to break down the systemic barriers that exist - well, it's better, but it's still ongoing. This biography does a great job in surfacing the history of women's wrestling, the changemakers and the trail blazers.

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There are career profiles of over 100 women wrestlers from throughout history, ranging from Minerva to Manami Toyota to Mae Young to Sasha Banks (or, should I say, Mercedes Moné? CEO! CEO!) There's also good international coverage (although it is US focused). Whether you like wrestling or this is all Brand New Information I'd highly recommend this informative, and easy going read.

When Nietzsche Wept

Selected by Arved

The amount of underlining I have done puts this firmly in the favourite books of all time category. Yalom is one of our most gifted living authors, with an unmatched penetrating kindness. One for all those that tend to often be proven right in hindsight and thus find it hard to let go off projects.

Reading Lists

We have been working with lecturers over the summer of 2020 to switch to eresources for your modules and make them accessible directly through your MyReadingLists:

New to Reading Lists?

Find out how to look up your module reading lists in the Getting Started With the Library - Undergraduates and Taught Postgraduates section of this guide - look for the navigation button in the top left corner!

Online book collections - A&H

These online book collections won't be searched by Library Search but contain thousands of titles on a huge variety of subjects. Check each book collection's description for details of borrowing procedures and limitations.

Don't forget: You can browse the full range of providers with the A-Z link below:

Books and articles in King's libraries - A&H

Libraries & Collections provides a range of print books and journals to support your studies and research. All of our books and most journal articles can be located with Library Search:

New to using Library Search?

Find out how to use Library Search to find the books and items you need in the Getting Started With the Library - Undergraduates and Taught Postgraduates section of this guide - look for the navigation button in the top left corner!

Key classmarks for your subject - A&H

  • PA- for Greek language and literature and Roman language and literature.
  • DE- for the history of the Greco-Roman world.
  • DF- for the history of ancient Greece.
  • DG - for the history of ancient Italy.

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • PA5000-5660 - Byzantine and modern Greek literature
  • PN45-57 - Theory
  • PN80-99 - Criticism
  • PN801-820 - Romance Literature
  • PN821-840 - Germanic Literature
  • PN851-884 - Comparative Literature
  • PN1010-1525 - Poetry
  • PN1600-3307 - Drama
  • PN3311-3503 - Prose
  • PQ1-3999 - French literature
  • PQ6001-6726 - Spanish literature
  • PQ7081-8560 - Spanish American literature
  • PQ9000-9326 - Portuguese literature
  • PQ9500-9796 - Brazilian literature
  • PQ9900-9948 - Portuguese African literature
  • PR1-9680 - English literature
  • PS1-3576 - American literature
  • PT1-4897 - German literature

Books on your subject can be found at:

Arts (General) - Room 2.44

  • NX420-430 - Exhibitions
  • NX440-632 - History of the Arts
  • NX700-750 - Patronage
  • NX760-770 - Administration
  • NX798-820 - Centres and Facilities

Museums (General) - Room 1.58

  • AM111-160 - Museology
  • AM200-501 - Collectors and Collecting

Visual Arts - Room 2.45

  • N61-72 - Theory

Museums and Galleries - Room 2.45

  • N4390-5098 - Exhibitions
  • N5198-5299 - Private Collections
  • N5300-7418 - History
  • N8350-8356 - Art as a Profession
  • N8600-8675 - Economics of Art
  • N8700-9165 - Public Art

Books on your subject can be found at:

Books on English can be found between PR1 and  PR9680, with a selection of specific sections below:

  • PR1-56 English Literary History and Criticism
  • PR111-116 Women Authors
  • PR500-614 Poetry
  • PR908 Diaries
  • PR951-981 Folk literature

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • JN101-1371 - British Politics
  • JN1187-1371 - Scottish Politics
  • JN2301-3007 - French Politics
  • JN3201-4980 - German Politics
  • JN5001-5191 - Greek Politics
  • JN8101-8399 - Spanish Politics
  • JN8423-8661 - Portuguese Politics

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • PN1993 - for film guides such as Halliwell's or Time Out Film Guide
  • PN1993.5 - National cinema movements and guides to film from particular countries
  • PN1994/1995 - film theory and criticism.
  • PN1995.9 - specific genres and themes such as documentary, film noir, horror and sexuality.
  • PN1997 - BFI guides on specific films
  • PN1998 - criticism and commentaries on the films and careers of key directors.

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • DC1-947 - French history
  • JN2301-3007 - French politics
  • PC2001-3761 - French language
  • PN1993 - French film
  • PQ1-3999 - French literature

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • DD1-905 - German history
  • JN3201-4980 - German politics
  • PF3001-5999 - German language
  • PN1993 - German film
  • PT1-4897 - German literature

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • DF501-649 - Greek History (Byzantine empire, 323-1453). 
    Room 1M.72
  • DF701-951 - Greek History (modern). 
    Rooms 1M.71 & 1M.72
  • JN5001-5191 - Greek Politics. 
    Room 2.47
  • PA1000-1179 - Medieval and modern Greek language. 
    Room 2M.43
  • PA5000-5660 - Byzantine and modern Greek literature. 
    Rooms 2M.46-2M.49.

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • BL-BX- for Religion and Religious History
  • D- for European and World History
  • E & F- for the History of the Americas
  • HC-HD- for Economic History
  • JC & JN - for Political Theory and Institutions.

Books on your subject can be found at:

Books on your subject can be found at:

For books about music:

  • ML - which covers literature on music
  • MT - which covers music instruction and study

For scores:

  • M1-3 - Collections and Manuscripts
  • M5-1490 - Instrumental Music, begins with solo instruments and finishes with large orchestral groups
  • M1497-1998 - Secular Vocal Music
  • M1999-2199 - Sacred Vocal Music

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • B1-5739- Philosophy (General)
  • BC1-199 - Logic
  • BC200- Language and Philosophy
  • BD10-701- Speculative Psychology
  • BF1-990- Psychology
  • BH1-301- Aesthetics
  • BJ1-1725 - Ethics

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • DP1-402 - Spanish history
  • DP501-900.22 - Portuguese history
  • F1201-3799 - Latin American history 
  • JN8101-8399 - Spanish politics
  • JN8423-8661 - Portuguese politics
  • JL1200-2499 - Latin American politics
  • PC4001-4977 - Spanish language 
  • PC5001-5498 - Portuguese language 
  • PQ6001-6726 - Spanish literature
  • PQ7081-8560 - Spanish American literature
  • PQ9000-9326 - Portuguese literature
  • PQ9500-9796 - Brazilian literature

Books on your subject can be found at:

  • BL1-2790- Religions, mythology, rationalism
  • BM1-990- Judaism
  • BP 1-605- Islam, Bahaism, theosophy
  • BQ1-9800- Buddhism
  • BR1-1725- Christianity
  • BS1-2970- The Bible
  • BT1-1480- Doctrinal Theology
  • BV1-5099- Practical Theology
  • BX1-9999 - Denominations and sects

Books on your subject can be found at: