Rupert Gavin shares his favourite books

The theatre impresario's recent co-productions include the award-winning "Oedipus" and "The Years". His book, "Amorous or Loving: The Highly Peculiar Tale of English and the English" is out on 7 May.

The Years

Annie Ernaux, 2018

As co-producer of "The Years" in the West End, I've spent a lot of time re-reading Ernaux's work. This beautiful piece of autobiographical writing gives such an insight into female psychology and the development of women's roles over the past 80 years.

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Henry V

Dan Jones, 2024

I think Jones has really broken ground in understanding Henry V, opening up his formative years and scotching the myths of the Shakespeare plays. What is particularly important to me is that Henry V was the first king to officially adopt English as his language of record, which he did in 1417. And from that point we've never looked back.

Letter from a Lost Generation

Vera Brittain, 2008

I was chairman of Historic Royal Palaces for the Poppies Commemorations at the Tower of London, and this book was a touchstone in being a way to see WWI as not just a historic event, but a personal, emotional story of immense relevance. I think it's one of the most moving books ever written.

Coming to England

Floella Benjamin, 1997

A terribly important book about how someone of the Windrush generation came to this country and tackled the welcome, or lack of it, on arriving here. It's a story of real hope and positivity – a bit like Floella herself, who has embraced, engaged and championed her background, and shown what can be achieved in a sophisticated, multicultural country like England.

La langue anglaise n'existe pas

Bernard Cerquiglini, 2024

My final, tongue-in-cheek choice is this wonderful book by a French professor who has worked out that there are some 70,000 words in the English language derived from French, and concluded that English is therefore a mangled version of French and doesn't really exist.