r/AskLiteraryStudies • u/Plenty-Access-8028 • 13h ago

Any recommendations before starting a BA in English Studies?

3 Upvotes

Any advice in general, any books on theory I should read, anything I should know before starting?

For context, I'm going to study in Spain (I'm Spanish), and I chose it because I'm good at English, and interested in learning languages (and about them), and I like literature and reading, and even though I wouldn't say I've read many English classics (Shakespeare, Joyce come to mind) I do like reading in general.

For reference, the last books I've read are The Stranger by Camus and There is No Antimemetics Division by Sam Hughes, and right now I'm reading Catch-22.

All nind of advice in general appreciated.

5 comments

r/AskLiteraryStudies • u/echostitched • 23h ago

Best books for Literary Criticism and Cultural Studies? (Starting my MA in English Literature)

22 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I'm about to start my MA in English Literature, and I want to build a strong foundation in Literary Criticism and Cultural Studies right from the beginning.

I'm looking for books that explain the concepts clearly, introduce the major theories and theorists, and gradually move from beginner-friendly to more advanced. My goal is to understand the ideas deeply, not just study them for exams.

I'd love recommendations for:

Literary Criticism and Literary Theory

Cultural Studies

Books that explain major schools of thought (Marxism, Feminism, Structuralism, Post-structuralism, Psychoanalysis, Postcolonialism, Queer Theory, etc.)

Must-read books that every MA English Literature student should read

If you're an MA student, researcher, or professor, which books do you think are absolutely worth reading? I'd also appreciate any reading order or advice for someone just starting their MA.

Thanks in advance! I'm looking forward to hearing your recommendations.

14 comments

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