I was wondering if you could recommend a book for someone who does not have any real knowledge of the history of England. I have looked into it, but there are so many books... i need your guidance.
You may want to check out our booklist in the sidebar.
I took an undergrad survey of British history that had two great books. The first was The Oxford History of Britain, ed. Kenneth O. Morgan, which is apparently "the standard one-volume history of Britain." It is basically ten essays that cover distinct periods, beginning with Julius Caesar's expedition in 55 BC.
The other book I found to be much more accessible, and a fun place to start. It is the D.K. History of Britain & Ireland: The Definitive Visual Guide. It is compiled chronologically like the Oxford book, but it tells the story through pictures of artifacts. It is kind of like a big coffee table book, but actually has a ton of information.
The Oxford book is much more in depth and all encompassing, but the D.K. one is easier to digest. I think it gives you a better sense of the cultural development alongside the history.
I think it would help everyone here if you had a specific time period you're interested in researching, as English history is such a broad topic.
Years ago I read a very interesting novel called London by Edward Rutherfurd. It's fiction, and I'm not a historian so perhaps a flaired user can speak to its historical accuracy, but the book tells the story of a number of different families from various backgrounds and social standing spanning 2000 years of London/English history. Either way, it's a good and surprisingly quick read.
While this is not a history book per se, IIRCC it's highly readable and may help point you towards which specific parts of English history you are most interested in.
M.H. Keen's England in the Later Middle Ages is a very readable history of England that spans from Edward II to the War of the Roses.