The Student Room Group

A Reading List for English Applicants

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Reply 40
Ars Ludicra
Does that makes two coconuts? :ahee:

Edit: And I think I would consider Waiting for Godot a translation since, as far as I remember, the differences are not so great. They seemed to be differences relating to the staging rather than anything else. I'm not fond of Beckett, though, so I may have blocked the significant changes from my memory. :cute:

Perhaps I'm getting muddled with Endgame. Even so, I believe the point still stands, but, yes, you get two.

Ploop
Surprised you went with Heart of Darkness by the way, as so many seem to loathe it, but I think it's a pretty good choice.

As I said, they're all wrong. But, in seriousness, I think its significance, in terms of how it fits at the root of Modernism, is enough to outweigh any aesthetic superiority ascribed to his other novels. (And I like it.)
Reply 41
This is great MSB.

I don't recall mentioning any authors in my personal statement. :s-smilie:

Spoiler



:eek:
UHH I've read a grand total of...2 of those books! Plus I've seen the film version of Atonement, does that count?! :biggrin:
I've just mentioned Alan Bennett, Sylvia Plath, Angela Carter, Evelyn Waugh and Noel Coward in my personal statement! :o:
LostHorizons

Spoiler


I do hope that list is (and I don't doubt) a load of crap.
When I went on an open day to St John's Oxford the English tutor kept on and on saying that they really don't care what it is that you've read before you apply, as long as you've thought carefully about the stuff you have read. Which sounds far more logical than saying 'here is a magical list of books that will guarantee you consideration'. I've hardly read any of the books off that list, and don't really plan to before I apply =/

Edit: 35mm, I'm pretty darn sure it is absolute tosh. I'd be amazed if the university would willingly give someone a list of books they 'should' read. It would just seem weird.
Reply 45
LostHorizons
When I went on an open day to St John's Oxford the English tutor kept on and on saying that they really don't care what it is that you've read before you apply, as long as you've thought carefully about the stuff you have read. Which sounds far more logical than saying 'here is a magical list of books that will guarantee you consideration'. I've hardly read any of the books off that list, and don't really plan to before I apply =/

Edit: 35mm, I'm pretty darn sure it is absolute tosh. I'd be amazed if the university would willingly give someone a list of books they 'should' read. It would just seem weird.

I suspect the confusion comes in what the list was for. As it stands, its not a bad set of suggestions (if not as good as mine...), so perhaps it was sent to your friend's friend as suggestions, but they misconstrued its purpose.

EDIT: UCL has a list here of 'recommended reading' for prospective applicants, so it may have been given as something similar.
I suspect it's perhaps more a 'if you're really stuck for what to read, perhaps try these' rather than a 'you MUST have read all of these'. It also seems weird that they would list so many novels, then quickly tag onto the end 'oh, maybe read a poem or two as well'.
I've been using that UCL 16-18 list for a while now. I quite like the selection and it's led to much wider reading around the books I've enjoyed the most.

So, apart from this list of course ( :smile: ), UCL's seem a pretty good starting point for suggestions.
Reply 48
I think that's an excellent list because I've read all but three of the books on there. I'd agree about intentionally veering away from the predictable on a PS too. Even if you're genuinely enthused by 1984, you'll probably still (rather unfairly) disadvantage your application because it's one of those classics that 'pretenders' will go on about endlessly. Or, at least, you won't be advantaging your application as much as you could by picking a less obvious & banal choice.
Also, have any of my fellow 2010 applicants been brave enough to dip into any Old English yet?

I have The Battle of Maldon on my book-shelf, but...
Reply 50
Ascient
I think that's an excellent list because I've read all but three of the books on there. I'd agree about intentionally veering away from the predictable on a PS too. Even if you're genuinely enthused by 1984, you'll probably still (rather unfairly) disadvantage your application because it's one of those classics that 'pretenders' will go on about endlessly. Or, at least, you won't be advantaging your application as much as you could by picking a less obvious & banal choice.

Ploop will perhaps defend the opposing viewpoint better than myself, but I think it can be daft to risk the dangers of "intentionally veering away from the predictable" when you could 'do' "the predictable" better.

35mm_
Also, have any of my fellow 2010 applicants been brave enough to dip into any Old English yet?

I have The Battle of Maldon on my book-shelf, but...

That reminds me, I must edit my list.
Reply 51
Ah, well, if I can put it in a spoiler:

Spoiler



Ergh. That list of books to have read before applying...haven't read half of them. I might count 'em up now.
Reply 52
ChocolateFish
:eek:
UHH I've read a grand total of...2 of those books! Plus I've seen the film version of Atonement, does that count?! :biggrin:
I've just mentioned Alan Bennett, Sylvia Plath, Angela Carter, Evelyn Waugh and Noel Coward in my personal statement! :o:

I've read 28 - I'm amazed they allowed me to graduate.:eek3:

Seriously, though, that's clearly just a list of suggestions.
35mm_
Also, have any of my fellow 2010 applicants been brave enough to dip into any Old English yet?

I have The Battle of Maldon on my book-shelf, but...


I'm gonna attempt Beowulf soon, since I think it's quite short :ninja:

Also, I'm dubious about automatically ruling out mentioning certain books just because they're 'predictable'. I think mentioning things you genuinely love, whether they're commonly mentioned or not, is the best way of going about it.
Reply 54

I've read 15 of those books. What larks!
Dionysia
Ah, well, if I can put it in a spoiler:

Spoiler



Ergh. That list of books to have read before applying...haven't read half of them. I might count 'em up now.


O_O

Is that a universal list for all new English applicants, or do each college give slightly different ones?
Reply 56
Dionysia
Ah, well, if I can put it in a spoiler...

Sounds about right for a list of what you'll be reading during first year. It's really not so bad if you keep in mind that you won't actually be having tutorials on *all* of those authors.
Reply 57
Different college, different list. Oh, but Vic/Modern list, pick three authors - don't have to read the whole thing. And hobnob, you're right. The list is fine. I've read about 70% of what I'm supposed to, which I don't think is bad at all.

Also can I just say for the record, horizons, NMH = best. Ever.
Reply 58
LostHorizons
O_O

Is that a universal list for all new English applicants, or do each college give slightly different ones?

I got a slightly different list back in the day (apparently it's still in use, though), but the texts and topics are roughly the same and they're similar in length.
Reply 59
MSB
Ploop will perhaps defend the opposing viewpoint better than myself, but I think it can be daft to risk the dangers of "intentionally veering away from the predictable" when you could 'do' "the predictable" better.


Perhaps, and though this argument will now veer into murky territory of trying to quantify the probably unquantifiable, I do think talking about, say, The Lonely Londoners and Post-Colonial theory at 90% of what you can 'do' is probably going to be more impressive than 1984 at 100%.

Of course, it's only a danger if you don't have anything else to talk about, in which case you should stick to 1984 and it would be daft to do anything but.

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