English literature is not so fun when you have to study it. It is quite fun when you have to read it. Well, I am not getting into the dichotomy between these two terms. I said what I thought. I have experienced both. I studied English literature during my graduation and post-graduation years. I am creating a list of books that I think will be useful for anyone who is studying English literature. BA and MA students will find these books helpful. Anyone else who wants to have a go at understanding English literature may also find this list a handful.

1. Studying Literature, The Essential Companion: This book, which I found during my MA, is a must-have for anyone who is studying English literature. Studying Literature, The Essential Companion will help you navigate the lanes of English literature in a very convenient and useful way. You will learn something about everything in Literature. The ages, the authors, the periods of importance, the trends, the genres, the styles, the forms, the theories, the awards and much more. Grab a copy as soon as you can because this book goes out of stock more than often. Want it now? Check the book on Amazon India – click here to go to the book page.
2. Beginning Theory: Sooner or later, you will have to face it. Literary theories are quite a painful experience when you don’t have any idea about this domain of literature. However, with this must read book, Peter Barry’s Beginning Theory, you will easily understand the basics of all the important literary theories in a go. The book deals with concepts like Deconstruction, Narratology, Structuralism, Formalism and much more. You will have a good time studying the most complex theories in a very convenient manner. Get a copy today! Click here to get one from Amazon India right now.
3. History of English Literature (David Daiches): These two volumes of History of English Literature by David Daiches are truly a life-saver for English Literature students. You may have read other history of English literature books. However, once you start reading this one by David Daiches, you will find it written in a very systematic, orderly, helpful and data-driven manner. The author has made sure that students get the most about the most important points on the timeline we call English literature. This is also a very helpful book for the NET examination. Get a copy now! Amazon link to buy the book
4. Palgrave’s Golden Treasury: Do you love reading poems? Well, it does not matter once you become a student of English literature. You will have no choice but to study poems by various poets. And it truly hurts when you don’t have an idea about the nature of poetry written by different poets, written in different ages and written in various styles. By reading Palgrave’s Golden Treasury of English poems, you can easily learn the style, nature, forms and themes of poems written by many English poets. This is a sure-on-the-table kind of book for any student of literature. Do get a copy today! Buy now from Amazon India
5. History of English Literature by Edward Albert: Are you in a hurry? Do you have examinations at hand but nothing prepared? Well, in such cases, you don’t have the time to study a book from the beginning to the end like that. You will need a book that might help you memorise the important events, dates, persons and books of a certain age. Just get a copy of Edward Albert’s History of English Literature and you are done! Study this book overnight and you may be ready for your paper tomorrow. This book has a wonderful information graphic right at the beginning of all the chapters. Memorise that. And read the chapter. You should be good to go! Get a copy now – click here to go to Amazon’s Book page

Friends, this was the list for today. If you love this list, I will bring more lists of books for more readers. Books for poetry lovers, novel readers, suspense fiction readers and much more. Also, don’t forget to share your opinions about this list. That will help me understand the points to improve and I will surely take all your opinions very welcomingly. All the best to all the English literature students who read this list of books.

Article by Chitra for Books To Read blog