Do I NEED to buy all the books for my English Literature course?

I haven't been sent my reading list yet, but I've seen 2nd year students advertising on our freshers page selling 1st year books. However, some anthologies are being described as 'barely used', so could I just get some from the library? Or would it be more beneficial to buy them second hand? It's going to cost so much money which is making me worry...

Reply 1

Cubone-r

21

Original post by shuutupcharli

I haven't been sent my reading list yet, but I've seen 2nd year students advertising on our freshers page selling 1st year books. However, some anthologies are being described as 'barely used', so could I just get some from the library? Or would it be more beneficial to buy them second hand? It's going to cost so much money which is making me worry...

My flatmate did English Lit - she did a bit of both, she got some from the library when she needed them and for other books she got a second hand copy of them so she could make notes in the text and underline things, etc...

Reply 2

summer1311

18

I study eng lit and I largely bought the books I needed second hand. Some of the big anthologies are super expensive so if you can get them from the library then do so, but there are usually less than 10 copies and there could be a couple hundred people on your course who all need the same book- you will find it very hard to get the books from the library unless you make it the first task you do. Even then there's no guarantee and some of the most in demand books will be short loan (a few days) or unable to be taken out of the library building. Hope you enjoy your course!

Reply 3

The Empire Odyssey

21

Original post by shuutupcharli

I haven't been sent my reading list yet, but I've seen 2nd year students advertising on our freshers page selling 1st year books. However, some anthologies are being described as 'barely used', so could I just get some from the library? Or would it be more beneficial to buy them second hand? It's going to cost so much money which is making me worry...

If the you need the anthologies for say, a whole year, then it would be worth getting your own year. But getting a big massive one for just one semester isn't worth it. Especially if it's poetry as you can get most famous poems online; here or there anyway.

If I were you, I would get novels and plays just because it is a lot easier knowing you have and not having to scramble one at the library. You might not finish that particular text and then have to bring it back to the library because it's in high demand.

However, I'd be surprised if your uni doesn't do a book bundle for your modules.

If they don't I say just get books that sound most interesting, and that you would enjoy. Then you know A) you will read them and B) you will write your essays on them.