[Vixxen]

I've heard the yorks notes for Of Mice And men and Seamus Heaney/Gillian Clarke are good, but is there any point in me buying them when the exams only a few days away and I have other exams to revise in those days too?
How long roughly are the yorks books and would I be able to read them in one day?

I have the CGP revision book for hte pre-1914 poems, heaney & clarke poems, but tbh they don't go into much detail and state the obvious and don't explain the reasons for using certain language. For of mice and men I've just relied on my class notes (not that great really) and bitesize website, I think I have the main points like the themes (isolation, broken dreams, harshness of ranch life, prejudice against characters) but more could help, but then again over revising can be bad too

So is it worth buying them, or which is likely to help most?

[m8nmina0h4]

I got them from my school library and didn;t think they helped too much, but it might help you!

[Jayjayjay]

Why don't you come up with your own ideas....
Originality will stand out from the crowd and hopefully help you to gain top marks. Remember grammar and structure is important too.

[player2704]

To be honest I too have the CGP guide for the Duffy, Armitage and Pre - 1914 poems, but it lacks critical analysis and perception of the poem and I too would love to own the York Notes, but unfortunately I cant seems to find any in stock (hopefully tomorrow I can get my hands on one). I've heard such good reviews on it and too be honest my opinion is to go there and get one. But English really relies on what you think and how you interpret a piece of texts, so in my case its helpful, but to a certain extent.

HOPE THAT HELPS..

[Vixxen]

Originally Posted by Jayjayjay

Why don't you come up with your own ideas....
Originality will stand out from the crowd and hopefully help you to gain top marks. Remember grammar and structure is important too.

sounds like a lot of effort hehe But then again, its amazing what you can come up with in the exam with a fresh copy of the anthology/novel in front of you. my anthology and of mice and men book are so filled with notes and annotations that they kind of cloud the actual text, so I don't think outside the box

[Lulu*et*Moi]

YES YES YES! I read the whole book in 2 days and improved 2 grades..
I know it sounds impossible but its not..

[andy_cole2]

get the york notes books for sure they are perfect i literally see it as impossible to do badly in english if you had them. they were the best revision notes i've ever had and i'm now at uni so i've got through a fair few sets

[Vixxen]

Originally Posted by Lulu*et*Moi

YES YES YES! I read the whole book in 2 days and improved 2 grades..
I know it sounds impossible but its not..

which book was it, the poems one, or of mice and men?

[riiight.]

I think waiting until 3 days before the exam could be cutting it a bit fine when looking for a revision guide.

However, they will undoubtedly help you. Let's just hope you're a fast reader.

[emilina]

of mice and men is quite an easy exam (i sat it a couple of years ago). . . and if its only in a few days i dont think its worth the money.

however if you think you are in desperate need of the extra help, go ahead.

good luck with it though have you seen the video? or the play of it at the theatre? lol made us all jump when they shot the dog, even though we were expecting it

[Jayjayjay]

Originally Posted by Vixxen

sounds like a lot of effort hehe But then again, its amazing what you can come up with in the exam with a fresh copy of the anthology/novel in front of you. my anthology and of mice and men book are so filled with notes and annotations that they kind of cloud the actual text, so I don't think outside the box

That is a good point. Maybe go to a bookshop/library and have a quick flick through it and see if it mentions themes or ideas you have yet to consider. I think, especially with English you can over revise so when you get to the exam itself you can end up feeling a little empty...

[Lulu*et*Moi]

Originally Posted by Vixxen

which book was it, the poems one, or of mice and men?

Of mice and men...didnt get the poems. But its worth a try good luck!!

[Jayjayjay]

Originally Posted by andy_cole2

get the york notes books for sure they are perfect i literally see it as impossible to do badly in english if you had them. they were the best revision notes i've ever had and i'm now at uni so i've got through a fair few sets

I've seen people fail English at GCSE and A' Level with them.
There was a girl in my tutortial with one a few weeks ago and she still didn't have a clue...

[andy_cole2]

yeh my post was probs ambiguous i only used york notes for gcse i meant in general terms of the notes i used later on. In fact for IB i used sparknotes the online version and they were pretty good as well.

[vioxx]

York Notes are alright... read it for a day and then threw the book back in the closet.

[Vixxen]

darn they are both out of stock everywhere amazon delivery won't be here by tuesday either oh well

[m8nmina0h4]

Originally Posted by Vixxen

darn they are both out of stock everywhere amazon delivery won't be here by tuesday either oh well

Try a local Whsmith, actually go in and check! I was in one a few days ago for a French book and they had them all there.

[nothingspek]

I don't think they're much help at all, and they'll cloud your own interpretations of what you're doing.
Type whatever text you're studying into google, and sit back in amazement at the hundreds of sites on them, and most will be at a far higher level than York Notes.

[Formula 1]

go on the http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/site and reap the benefits of free education!!! On a serious note the site is actually very useful

[Lychee]

Don't bother. Use spark notes online. Just as good and free, Got me through my degree!

http://www.sparknotes.com/