# The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth

3 Hacker News commenters recommended The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 2 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** Recommended for its apocalyptic take on the Norman Conquest, told in a markedly different language suited to the subject.

## Why people recommend it

- Unusual language suited to its subject (1 comments): "treats the Norman Conquest in apocalyptic terms using a language markedly different and appropriate" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47102478))
- Apocalyptic take on the Norman Conquest (1 comments): "treats the Norman Conquest in apocalyptic terms using a language markedly different and appropriate" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47102478))
- Interesting review on a literary substack (1 comments): "There is an interesting review of The Wake on the PSmiths literary substack" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47102600))
- Moved a wish list item into cart (1 comments): "That has moved it out of a wish list and into my cart for my next purchase." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47103467))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/crime-and-punishment.md): 39 recommend
- [The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://hackerapproved.com/p/brothers-karamazov.md): 28 recommend
- [Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace](https://hackerapproved.com/p/infinite-jest.md): 26 recommend
- [The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://hackerapproved.com/p/great-gatsby.md): 24 recommend
- [Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand](https://hackerapproved.com/p/atlas-shrugged.md): 23 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/0571322271?tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/130825/9780571322275) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "The Wake by Paul Kingsnorth", https://hackerapproved.com/p/wake/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).