Reading list for Oxford university.

Hi, I am looking to study English literature at Oxford university. Obviously, extensive reading is a key part of preparation for application. Does anyone know of a reading list or can recommend books that will help me get in? I know that you will be asked about a wide variety of books in your interview so I want to be prepared for that.

Reply 1

xyz1234567

What English tutors want is people who read widely for pleasure and interest and read well beyond any set list or school curriculum. There is not a set reading list or special group of books.

So I would recommend doing just that - try different genres and periods so you have experienced different styles of literature. If there are authors from school you like, read other works by them, not just the ones on the curriculum.

Just following your own interests and showing depth and breadth of reading will be far more useful than any set list a stranger on the internet can give you. And what is important is that your own ideas and passion comes through and that you can talk about what you got from these books and why you were motivated to read them.

Reply 2

Stiffy Byng

Some ideas for reading -

Katherine Rundell, Super-Infinite, The Transformations of John Donne
John Sutherland, Is Heathcliffe a Murderer? (and its two sequels)
John Carey, Sunday Best, 80 Great Books From A Lifetime Of Reviews
Rick Gekowski, Tolkien's Gown, and other stories of great authors and rare books
Seamus Heaney, Beowulf: A New Verse Translation

https://www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2020/04/john-carey-last-public-critic

https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/60328/lips-and-ledges-the-writings-of-john-carey

And have some Old English -

Oft him ānhaga
āre gebīdeð,
Metudes miltse,
þēah þe hē mōdcearig
geond lagulāde
longe sceolde
hrēran mid hondum
hrīmcealde sǣ,
wadan wræclāstas.
Wyrd bið ful ārǣd.

Intrigued? More here (translation included)

https://oldenglishpoetry.camden.rutgers.edu/the-wanderer/

http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=text&id=Wdr

Want to hear what the language sounds like? Try this -

https://youtu.be/cYI0sxUhdIY

Reply 3

claraaa375

Original post

by xyz1234567

What English tutors want is people who read widely for pleasure and interest and read well beyond any set list or school curriculum. There is not a set reading list or special group of books.
So I would recommend doing just that - try different genres and periods so you have experienced different styles of literature. If there are authors from school you like, read other works by them, not just the ones on the curriculum.
Just following your own interests and showing depth and breadth of reading will be far more useful than any set list a stranger on the internet can give you. And what is important is that your own ideas and passion comes through and that you can talk about what you got from these books and why you were motivated to read them.

Thank you so much! I 100% agree- reading for pleasure is important, only at the moment I feel like I am not getting too much variety. I am just unsure of where to start for wider reading and exploring multiple genres, periods, etc. But your point that my own ideas and passions should shine through provided me with a fresh perspective- the thought of my application is quite daunting; it's very easy to be distracted from the true point in reading!