Marie Hartley and Joan Ingilby lived in the Dales for many years. They produced a number of books which record the history and old ways of life.

'Life and Tradition in the Yorkshire Dales', is "a magnificent collection of 261 photographs forming a remarkable picture of life as it was lived up to the arrival of motor transport, electricity and modern farm machinery."

Many more of their books and others, may be searched on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk.

Currently lists, (amongst others)

Richmond Then and Now - the town in 1845 and fifty years
By Jane Hatcher.
Gunnerside Chapel & Gunnerside Folk, also by Margaret Batty. Dr. Batty was wife of the Methodist minister of Reeth and she wrote several booklets about several of the local parishes. Full of historical information and anecdotes.

The Character of the Country. The diary of James L. Broderick who visited many Dales' emigrants to Iowa and neighbouring states in 1876-77.

Swaledale, The Spririt Speaks Loud. by Sandra Wood. all 3 volumes
These books are a little hard to follow and are not indexed, but there is a wealth of information and lots of photographs of places and people.

Regular bookstores in which you may find copies of in-print books, or new ones when published include in the UK, Waterstones, - see, 'Barns of the Yorkshire Dales' by Andy Singleton, David Joy, Bill Bryson. This book tells the story of the history of these stone barns, and how many are now being converted into country homes.
Another which might appeal to hikers, is 'The Yorkshire Dales - North and East; Swaledale, Wensleydale, Nidderdale' by Dennis R. Kelsall, Jan Kelsall.
"With a total of 42 walks, this book seeks out the best of the northern and eastern sections of this magnificent walking region. Spectacular waterfalls, dramatic gorges, expansive heather moors, rich woodlands and colourful flower meadows are just some of the natural delights encountered along the way, while elsewhere intriguing relics of lead mining and quarrying scatter remote valleys and lonely hilltops."