The University of Oxford by Laurence Brockliss

The University of Oxford by Laurence Brockliss – A Brief History is a short, less than 150 pages book with lots of pictures. He also wrote a history that has 871 pages, which must be very interesting indeed. This brief history is so well written, a delight to read.

The University of Oxford by Laurence Brockliss

This is a history of the university as a whole, so the colleges are mentioned, but the focus is on how the university evolved and changed during the time. It is the third university in the world and the first in the English-speaking world. With a history of 800 years, there are so many things to cover. I liked that Brockliss explores the reasoning for keeping the tutorial system even when other universities opened. The 1930s was another turning point in Oxford’s history and made it into what it is today.

The timeline is at the end of the book, which ends with Blavatnik School of Government opening in 2015. The new colleges are less covered which is to be expected in a book so short. This is a must read if you are interested in the university, of course. The photos are beautiful and complement the book nicely. I should have read this book earlier. I’m not sure why I didn’t.

The University of Oxford by Laurence Brockliss

Details about the picture: I used my Oxford mug
My rating: 5/5 Stars
Would I recommend it: yes
Published by: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
Year it was published:
Format: Paperback
Genre(s): 2019
Pages: 144

About the author: Professor Laurence Brockliss is an Emeritus at Oxford University, where he works on the history of education, science and medicine in early modern France and Britain.
Website & Social Media Links: –



4 thoughts on “The University of Oxford by Laurence Brockliss”

    • I think you would like it. At what college did you study? I’m not sure if I asked you about this before.

      • We were at University College which was a great location for getting around Oxford. There was a place down the High Street where we attended group lectures, but our lodgings, meals, and sessions with our tutors were in the college. There’s a well-known statue of Shelley that I remember walking past to get to my room, but when I looked it up on Wiki, I don’t remember the setting looking like what’s pictured. That was more than 40 years ago!
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