Over the last few years, whilst preparing to study a new English module, I’ve scrutinised the reading list, and have compiled annotated versions (without permission from the various module teams, I must add) to help me to learn more about what I have coming up.
What follows is an annotated reading list for MA English literature part 1. Each text is referenced using the Harvard referencing format (rather than the format used on the OU website). Where possible, links to any digital alternatives that might be available.
This list appears to be intimidating, but the module website offers a bit of guidance: “four of these set books are core texts that all students study. You'll also choose one of three strands of study in each block, with three texts in each strand, which means you'll study 13 of these set books in total.” Students choose different strands from each of the blocks, depending on interests and aspirations. The module materials offers a bit of guidance about the possible choices.
Core texts
Everyone is required to read the following:
Collins, W. (2019) The Moonstone. Oxford World’s Classics. Edited by F. O’Gorman. ISBN 9780198819394.
Also available from Project Gutenberg: The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
Conrad, J. (2016) Heart of Darkness. Norton Critical Edition (5th edition). Edited by Paul B. Armstrong. ISBN 9780393264869.
A version without accompanying critical essays is available from Project Gutenberg: Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.
Desai, A. (2018) The Complete Stories. Vintage Classics. ISBN 9781784706647
Milton, J. (2020) Paradise Lost. Norton Critical Edition (2nd edition). Edited by Gordon Teskey. ISBN 9780393617085.
As with the Conrad text, a version without accompanying critical essays is available from Project Gutenberg: Paradise Lost by John Milton.
When using Amazon to view information about the Norton Critical Editions you might be directed to a Kindle edition. This Kindle edition is different to the Norton editions and does not contain the accompanying essays, as the link might imply.
Block 1: Literature and the Popular
Strand 1: Books and Readers
Eliot, G. (2019) Middlemarch. Oxford World's Classics. Edited by David Carroll and David Russell. ISBN 9780198815518.
Available from Project Gutenberg: Middlemarch by George Eliot.
Gaskell, E. (2008) North and South. Oxford World's Classics. Edited by Angus Easson. ISBN 9780199537006.
Available from Project Gutenberg: North and South by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell.
Hawthorne, N. (2008) Young Goodman Brown and Other Tales. Oxford Word’s Classics. Edited by Brian Harding. ISBN 9780199555154.
The story Young Goodman Brown can be found in Project Gutenberg: Mosses from an old manse by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Other stories can be found in Twice-told tales. The story Ethan Brand can be found in Little Masterpieces.
Strand 2: Form and Genre
Aristotle (2013) Poetics. Oxford Word’s Classics. Edited by Antony Kenny. ISBN 9780199608362.
Available from Project Gutenberg: The Poetics of Aristotle.
Hughes, D.B. (2010) In a Lonely Place. Penguin Modern Classics. ISBN 9780141192314.
Shakespeare, W. (2008) The History of King Lear. Oxford Word’s Classics. Edited by Stanley Wells. ISBN 9780199535828.
Available from Project Gutenberg: King Lear by William Shakespeare along with a version of the complete works.
Strand 3: History and Context
Anonymous (1976) Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An): An Authentic Eighteenth-Century Detective Novel. Dover Publications Inc. Edited by Robert van Gulik. ISBN 9780486233376.
Poe, E. A. (2004) The Selected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe. Norton Critical Edition. Edited by G. R. Thompson. ISBN 9780393972856.
A significant number of eBooks are available on Project Gutenberg: Books by Poe, Edgar Allan.
Christie, A. (2010) The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. HarperCollins.
Available from Project Gutenberg: The murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.
The ISBN that was specified for the Christie novel unexpectedly refers to the Turkish edition which appears to be unobtainable. I have no idea whether this is deliberate or unintentional. Alternative versions are, of course, available.
Block 2: Literature and Revolution
Strand 1: Books and Readers
Gibson, W. (2011) Pattern Recognition. Penguin. ISBN 9780241953532.
von Goethe, J. W. (1989) The Sorrows of Young Werther. Penguin Classics. Translated by Michael Hulse. ISBN 9780140445039.
Available from Project Gutenberg: The Sorrows of Young Werther by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Since this is a translation, it is worth noting that this version is likely to be substantially different from the recommended text.
Strand 2: Form and Genre
Dickinson, E. (2016) Poems as She Preserved Them. Harvard University Press. Edited by Christine Miller. ISBN 9780674737969.
Available from Project Gutenberg: Books by Dickinson, Emily.
Harrison, T. (2013) Selected Poems. Penguin. ISBN 9780241964842.
Strand 3: History and Context
James, C. L. R. (2012) Toussaint Louverture. The Story of the Only Successful Slave Revolt in History. A Play in Three Acts. Duke University Press. Edited by Christian Høgsbjerg. ISBN 9780822353140.
This is a critical edition. A related resource appears on Project Gutenberg: St. Domingo, its revolution and its hero, Toussaint Louverture.
Wordsworth, W. (1979) The Prelude: 1799, 1805, 1850. ISBN 9780393090710. Norton Critical Edition. Edited by M. H. Abrams and Stephen Gill.
A version of the Prelude is available in the following Project Gutenberg resource: The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 3 (of 8) by William Wordsworth. The Norton edition is likely to be significant since I understand from earlier studies that there were different editions of the text.
Godwin, W. (2009) Caleb Williams. Oxford World Classics. Edited by Pamela Clemit. ISBN 9780199232062.
Available from Project Gutenberg: Caleb Williams; Or, Things as They Are by William Godwin.
Block 3: Literature and the Global
Strand 1: Books and Readers
Barbusse, H. (2014) Under Fire. Penguin Modern Classics. ISBN 9780141393438.
Available from Project Gutenberg: Under Fire: The Story of a Squad by Henri Barbusse. This version may be different from the Penguin version, since the text is a translation.
Ngugi wa Thiong'o (2002) A Grain of Wheat. Penguin Modern Classics. ISBN 9780141186993.
Strand 2: Form and Genre
Chekhov, A. (2008) About Love and Other Stories. Translated from Russian by Rosamund Bartlett. Oxford World’s Classics. ISBN 9780199536689.
Available from Project Gutenberg: Love, and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov. As with other texts, this version is likely to be different to the officially recommended version.
Levi, P. (2012) The Periodic Table. Penguin Essentials. ISBN 9780241956816.
Adichie, C. N. (2017) The Thing Around Your Neck. Fourth Estate. ISBN 9780007306213.
Strand 3: History and Context
Clare, J. (2008) Major Works. Edited by Eric Robinson, David Powell and Tom Paulin. Oxford World’s Classics. ISBN 9780199549795.
There appear to be three collections of Clare’s poetry available from Project Gutenberg, including an audio version, and Poems by John Clare.
Shamsie, K. (2018) Home Fire. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781408886793.
Reflections
The strands that are summarised above don’t appear to be complete. I’m not exactly sure why this is the case. Spenser is mentioned in the module preamble, but not within the reading list. I guess we’ll find out.
Over the summer, I’m going to try to get through the core texts, probably leaving the Collins text until the end of my holiday (since it’s quite a big one). I might also look into whether there’s an audio book version to keep me company on long drives.
When looking for low priced texts, I start with big online bookstore such as Worldofbooks, followed by eBay (where you can just copy/paste the ISBN number into the search bar), followed by Amazon. I think might Google the ISBN number, which then might take me to a publisher’s site.
Whilst I was an undergraduate, I sometimes used a combination of digital and paper texts. On a number of occasions, I’ve used both. When it comes to electronic texts, I’ve always found the Project Gutenberg texts particularly helpful. The printed Norton Critical Editions are also very helpful.
At a first glance, this reading list looks terrifying. It is also one that offers a diverse set of riches. I’m intrigued by the inclusion of a Gibson text. I was in my late teens when I first discovered Gibson’s most famous novel, Neuromancer, which I have since hauled between flats and houses, it’s pages now yellowed.
All the strands look interesting, but some look more interesting than others. I’m drawn to the Forms and Genre strand, but since I’m interested in early modern writing, I’m also attracted to the History and Context strand. This said, I really don’t like Wordsworth’s Prelude, having been introduced to it in a previous module. Which way will I jump? I think I’ll look to the preferred path, and figure it all out from there.
Acknowledgements
This reading list has been edited from the information that is available on the A893 module summary page.
What follows is a disclaimer: I have no connection with the module team, and it is entirely possible that this reading list may change at any point. Always rely on the recommendations from module teams and tutors, rather than anything that I say on any of my blogs.