English Lit reading list & Uni TBR / what i'm studying this year

[@melanieventer3511]

This just reminds me why I want to study english lit

[@limitless_lagging]

same 😌

[@hwlsgrl]

Genuine question what jobs can u get if u study this course

[@misstonix]

@@hwlsgrl you could work in PR, journalism, marketing, publishing, teaching etc. i think most people do it just because they love it and not necessarily for any promising job aspects, though it seems many find careers adjacent to this field!

[@Anne_fka_XATM038x]

@@hwlsgrl I also studied a "what kind of job can you get with this" study, philosophy, and I generally took some internships within communications/marketing/editing for practical work on my cv and got into that (content marketing right now, and PR/communication before that, although I ended up disliking PR haha). basically both philosophy and literature give you great skills in processing and interpreting large amounts of difficult texts and information, and writing well, so any job that focusses on text can be a great entry job.

[@LauraWard1987]

@@hwlsgrl People I studied English Literature with a few years ago have different jobs. Some are in teaching (not neccessarily English), some in Marketing/ PR and Journalism, some in Management and some went into different sectors like Law and Nursing. I'm currently working full time in Management but will be studying part time to become a tutor of English Literature for ages 14 years and upwards (leaning more towards adult education). My qualification I will receive will entitle me to teach all ages from nursery (or kindergarten) up to adults including in Prisons or Community Education but I will be specialising in Renaissance and Poetry, including Shakespeare. So I think it all depends which direction you want to go in career wise but having an English Literature degree is a very firm basis to build upon. My English with Applied Drama degree and my Postgraduate Certificate in English Literature have allowed me to continue studying towards my dream job.

[@MartinDSmith]

I hope you will be ok Emma,one step at a time!I am about to embark on a poetry journey myself beginning with an adventure into the world of Rilke❤️

[@emmiereads]

Thank you so much - also that is definitely the very best place to start haha hope you love him!

[@MartinDSmith]

@@emmiereads ❤️

[@maanya__742]

Oh I am so excited for the literature and uni content, I hope you have an amazing start to your semester!

[@emmiereads]

Thank you so much💙💙

[@anka2682]

Ok three things: 1. I had to read Beowulf for an online course and didn’t love it, but I really hope you do; 2. It’s great that you have Frankenstein on your list, I have also read this SO many times and love it; and 3. I love your Kiki’s delivery service screensaver :)

[@ellelala39]

Paradise Lost is swoon-worthy. Good luck in your studies this semester and happy reading.

[@pineandsprucebooks]

I also had my head injury in 2019. Recovery can be so strange especially when you're forced to take a step back from the busyness of life to focus on healing. I hope you know your videos provide a lot of people with the space and time for healing and calm. Happy reading to you! King Lear is my absolute favourite Shakespeare play. Edgar's final lines just tear me apart haha. I hope the classes will be fulfilling💚

[@Sthemingway]

I'm excited for you, Emma! Looks like the desk your brother made you is doing its duty.

[@emmiereads]

It is! So happy to have a nice place to work now

[@francescakyanda9182]

I really dig your soft voice and plants, you're like a magical cottagecore librarian. Subbed.

[@venuss18]

this sounds so interesting!!! i’m still in high school, but i’ve been heavily considering studying english literature when I go to college ^__^ have a great semester emma!

[@BookishCasss]

I would love to see an essay writing video! I'm also going back to in-person schooling for English Literature and have always struggled with essay writing

[@londonsars0234]

I am at the very beginner’s level of reading, but your synopsis of Paradise Lost has REALLY intrigued me. I have been out of school for a year and without reading or exposing myself to true knowledge, I feel I am regressing. Thank you for always giving great recommendations! You are brilliant and uni is lucky to have a passionate person like yourself to share your ideas in.

[@th-ks9to]

it's great to see you so happy for your upcoming reads on uni! so many wonderful works to go through!

[@cathedrale]

hi emma, i just started my semester (as a literature major) and ive been feeling so demotivated both with coursework and reading in my free time. watching this video has given me some motivation again and i feel so antsy to get to my work. thank you so much!! also i had never heard of Memorial but it sounds so amazing and i need to read it!!!

[@annagyorsa8100]

First I was just like *OMG WHAT A SUPER CUTE AESTHETIC ROOM* then I noticed you put out the postcard I sent you 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

[@emmiereads]

Yes!! Thank you so much, what you said on the back was even more gorgeous, hopefully my postcard reaches you soon!💙

[@annagyorsa8100]

@@emmiereads omg no way 😭 this is so sweet 😍

[@insidelaurensbrain3833]

I used to have a turtle and I would take my turtle to the porch and read the turtle Beowulf.

[@limeparticle]

I just read King Lear today! It is so amazing. Oh and I know it sounds kind of weird to say I read it today, but I’ve been on vacation for the past four weeks and decided to spend my time off reading as much Shakespeare as I possibly could, so I’ve now read 16 plays, written 75 pages of notes and watched 18 hours of lectures… it’s been total immersion, and so much fun! I don’t know how I’m going adapt to going back to work tomorrow 😂

[@goodvibes6487]

I'm loving the vibe here

[@authorgreene]

I'm so excited for you! Best of luck. Self-care first.

[@ozymandias5446]

I get so excited when you post a new video, your content is always refreshing !! I hope you enjoy the books and have a good semester 🤍

[@badwolftina8716]

I'm going back to uni in October to study English and Communication Studies, 17 years after graduating for the first time. My first degree was in Stage Management and I was living in Scotland at the time. Now I'm in Germany, it's a totally different system and quite daunting! I'm really looking forward to it but I'm terrified at the same time. I look forward to your videos, can't wait to hear your opinions about those books! :)

[@just_ella17]

The wallpaper, the plants, the wall art, the hair The vibes in this video are astronomical

[@summitsp]

I've missed your academic reading & reflection as well. Looking forward to reading/rereading some of these with you!

[@CarrieBarrieintheDesert]

My son is in 8th grade and Utopia is one of the books he's reading this semester on his honors English class. We're excited to see your thoughts on it! I think I might pick it up and read along with him.

[@nahyanameen7155]

I will be doing my thesis on Frankenstein by Mary Shelley this coming semester. What a coincidence! I will be writing about technological utopianism the posthuman and the Adamic (using the essay from The Madwoman in the Attic by Gilbert and Gubar, how Paradise Lost is related). It's going to be so hard!!! I hope I get through. I look forward to following your vlogs trying to survive. Thanks sooo much for the video!

[@OldGamerMegara]

This is wonderful! I had a graduate course on Milton and Spenser, and it was one of the best things ever. You’re in for such a treat. I firmly believe that Spenser is the greatest English language poet ever. Oh, I’m jelly! I now want to go back to school and take more Lit classes, but college has gotten so expensive, and night classes while working are kind of a pain.

[@shiela.7927]

I studied Education (teaching) major in English, and we studied almost all of the books you've discussed, I loved Utopia and Paradise Lost! I miss studying so much 😩 Good luck on your new semester, Emma! ❤️

[@wiktor5016]

I recently read Frankenstein for the first time and it got me motivated to begin reading Paradise Lost. I love it when a book lead me to read another book. Good luck with the courses!

[@am13007]

Comment sections of booktubers always make me smile. Especially videos like these. Just a bunch of wannabe literature majors (some are already literature majors) uniting because of their love of the subject 💗🥺like don't mind us we just crawled out of our cottagecore nooks stuffed with books and plants to meet other creatures of our species 🥺🥺

[@artvandelay7236]

Brings back great memories of reading most of these in my English Lit class as a freshman. The Faerie Queen, Paradise Lost and Frankenstein were my favorites.

[@CarrieBarrieintheDesert]

Just want to say your videos bring lots of joy and inspiration for me. You remind me so much of my younger self, like my alter ego. I recently showed a video of yours to a friend (specifically bc we'd both just picked up The Dark Interval by Rilke and I wanted her to hear your thoughts on it) and she said "whoa, she reminds me a lot of you in your 20s. Her place even looks like our old apt!" Thank you for putting your adorable, inspirational vibes out to the world. They are appreciated 💕

[@XxunforgottenxXxlove]

Wow. While I don't miss being in school and dealing with tests/essays. I miss being in English classes. The class discussions were always so fun to listen to. Good luck with your semester!!

[@KatieManring]

Awww this warms my English major heart. Faerie Queen 👸 is massive! And I have that same copy but Way More beat up. We didn’t read it all either. It’s tough to impact but delicious

[@martasgreatlibrary]

ohhhhh looks like it's gonna be a good uni year!!! frankenstein is such a cool book to study! i wanna read endgame so bad at uni but somehow every time i study beckett the professor chooses waiting for godot as the book to study 😂i love it though the faerie queene would be a good one for a lecture like video

[@Bridget-oi8gd]

I also had a brain injury that stopped me from reading for over a year so I'm always super pleased to hear about other people recovering from them and going on to thrive. Glad you're feeling well enough to go back to university ☺️

[@berf.2276]

hi emma i just got accepted to my dream uni, gonna be studying eng lit and i can’t be more excited, i still can’t believe it, it feels so surreal, just wanna say you’ve been a huge inspiration for me thank you for everything ✨🖤

[@aprilhawkins6406]

I wish i could go back to uni and study literature, but i threw my life away and now i'm dying from cancer, so i'm living through you vicariously. Your videos bring me so much joy.

[@insidelaurensbrain3833]

Hey. I just wanted to let you know that I have been going through a difficult month or so. Your videos and calming voice help me a lot.

[@benbyrne3478]

I had a class that Mike McCormac taught last year in my English course in university. According to him he writes all of his books by lying down on the floor in an empty room and looking at the ceiling for hours on end lol. He's a very nice man.

[@lawunnsoso7586]

I hope you're coping well. Nth but the best for you emmie. Don't forget you give positive energy to a bunch of people here so.... Couple weeks ago my parents got sick and I've been taking care, making everything for them and at night I was in this jaded state and your lake house video and a bunch others of yours helped me calm down. Thank you. Have a nice week 🥰

[@musa-vl6ol]

AHH I’m so excited for you to go back. I hope you thrive! This semester I’m studying the Pentateuch as literature, with additional readings inspired by the Pentateuch. 💞

[@bethk-94]

Solar Bones is one of my favourite books of all time, I read it a few years ago and it's stuck with me ever since

[@monicagyves960]

I'm so excited for you going back to school...you're such a breath of fresh air on KZbin..I'm reading solar bones now you're going to love it!!

[@kanej1567]

I hope you have an amazing semester ♡

[@potterhead394louise]

Hi Emma!! I really love your video it's so interesting to see what people study in English Lit. Just one small thing, I'm Irish so it jumped out at me and although I'm sure you know about our history with Britain I just wanted to make sure you knew this as I know how careful and caring you are towards different cultures and histories. Ireland is not part of the UK/Great Britain, so of course as our literature is mostly discussed in tangent with them it's just important to discuss them as separate countries and states as it is still to this day a very real and tumultuous relationship that affects us very deeply and our current politics as Ireland is still occupied. I really adore your videos and they bring a wonderful peace in my life and so often watch them to unwind, hope you've a great day xx

[@yamira13able]

I really like Beowulf. My teacher said that it is sort of like San Guo in Chinese literature, both of them include fierce and strong heroes and some values to convey. Reading literature for myself instead of essays or classes is a totally different experience. I tried to read some texts in class this summer vacation and I was charmed by the words and the stories. Thank you for lightening up my passion!

[@matth_ew_k]

Beowulf was the first text I read this semester and I really liked it. It's really interesting how many texts from the middle ages were told orally rather than written down. Especially with how long it is, it's impressive that it was just remembered for centuries potentially changing slightly through time. With texts that old it's wild to think of all of the people that have heard the story with different language/translation, of course.

[@bailey9099]

it may be cheesy, but sometimes i get insecure about wanting to pursue a degree in english/literature and whenever i watch your videos it reminds me why i picked it in the first place. your joy for reading is infectious and it makes me excited for my degree :))

[@honeysuckle888]

I 'm so excited to start uni the same year as you, Emma! I took a few gap years myself but I'm sure that only made our love for English stronger. Anyways many, many congrats on your new journey with English Lit. My sem might start late around October but I'm so excited and looking forward to my own syllabus in English Literature and in the meantime I'll be watching you talk about yours because it's always an absolute delight. 😊

[@annaj323]

i'm going back to school for the first time in a long time as well (been out of school for two years for a couple of reasons, health issues surrounding brain damage being a big one--so your situation is surprisingly relatable haha) and i'm doing some kind of "prep" year so i can start studying english at uni in 2022 (the way this all works is kinda complicated cos i'm a special case, and because dutch school systems are weird lol). but i've been getting very excited about going back to school and about everything surrounding studying english, so this video couldn't have had a better timing for me! :) hope you'll have a good year back at uni, wish u all the best of luck

[@Odairheisz]

Samuel Beckett is fantastic! I studied him for art history and a conv English class for uni and I truly enjoyed a lot of his works.

[@KaraToNihongo]

I read Memorial for class and it was so interesting. It was essentially a list of all the people who died thus the title~ I think you're really going to love it!

[@josephsantillan3817]

Good luck with your new school year, Emma, hope you enjoy it.

[@bookishlylola]

i remember reading beowulf my senior year of high school a few years back, i didn’t like it a ton, but i think it was the atmosphere of the class since no one else liked it. hopefully you enjoy it!!!

[@bekytg9393]

You seem like you have a spring in your step, since you have moved into your new home. I wish you so much joy going back to uni, and doing what you enjoy.

[@spiritedmai]

ok first of all u and ur new background look soooo pretty!!! i love the desk space it ended up looking so cozy and lovely

[@annisaaa657]

I hope you get better on your recovery and also good luck with your study! I wish I could persevere my education in literature just like you

[@Toosimoo]

Super nice to meet you too. Your videos are always a welcome respite from the book I'm currently struggling with.

[@jamiedianne6778]

I LOVE the background of this video with all the plants and your desk and all the wall art 😍👌 I think you’re going to love Alice Oswald! My favorite thing by her is “Dart” …it’s a masterpiece. ✨

[@joychalaby]

This is an incredible reading list, Emma! I'm currently doing my Honours year in Literature and am examining both Spenser's The Faerie Queene and Milton's Paradise Lost in relation to Lewis's literary scholarship on the sixteenth century, and seeing how his views on them are explored in his science fiction writing. But the thing is, I never had either Milton or Spenser put on my uni reading lists and engaging with them now is such a bigger challenge because of it but I am also loving trying to overcome them and grapple with their work. I hope you have an incredible semester of uni and really enjoy getting back into the swing of classes and essays and literary analysis. English Lit really rocks haha :). Also absolutely love your new desk and background - such a happy background!

[@LauraWard1987]

Endgame is amazing. See if you can find a version to watch once you have read it and made some beautiful notes. Also loved Paradise Lost and Frankenstein. I've read the whole of The Faerie Queene and it is so intense but really quite interesting once you break through understanding the language used. Faustus and The Spanish Tragedy are two others you may enjoy. Ooh I'm excited for you. And you have such a beautiful aesthetic too 💞 Good Luck, you got this 🥰 xxx

[@torih230]

Good luck at uni! I had a rennaisance lit class two years ago and we had to read I believe the first part of The Faerie Queene....I did not understand a single word of it haha. That was a pretty difficult class but we learned some interesting stuff. We read Dr. Faustus in that class as well. (Which was far easier to understand) I also read Beowulf in another class that focused on medieval themed fantasy lit.

[@Sages_and_Pages]

Great video! I now want to read so many of these. I’d love to see you go more in depth into ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Paradise Lost’

[@msshipwreck817]

I recently found your channel and i have been binge watching since! the way you speak is so nice and warm and you have totally pulled me out of my reader's block! also you are very pretty!

[@marnieholdsworthgreen8449]

I start sixth form next week and the other day I started my prep work for English Lit and I’m so so so excited for it. I’m currently doing research into the Greek origin of Tragedy (as the first aspect of our course is looking at literature through the tragic lens), and I also love learning about Greek things as part of English Lit. It’s the first time I’ve actually been able to delve into Greek Mythology because I’ve never known where to start 😭

[@katiemynette4285]

Heart of Kentucky. Hi sweetheart I said a prayer for you to have a complete recovery. I hope you have a beautiful time at school Katie

[@Wolfhailstorm]

Good luck to you with going back into study! I hope you enjoy it! I'm excited for the vlogs. I'm not going into study but I've recently transitioned into a new job that's in education, so it's fun to see the student perspective again

[@estadoagridulce]

idk what would be the name degree of my degree but i think it would be something like hispanic and latin american literature, i graduated in 2017 and watching you kind of remains me of my early 20 year old student that i was, one of the best years of my life for sure. Enjoy the ride Emma, i’m definitely putting some of these books on my personal tbr, because i’m from Chile so what i studied was mainly latino literature in general, although there are books of universal literature that i read as well (beowulf, utopia and frankenstein to name a few). Good luck on this semester 😌💓.

[@hyemiyah]

paradise lost is bible fan fiction indeed! really excited for you going back to college, emma. hope you have a great semestre ♡

[@normmansor1313]

Looks like you're all settled into your new place. Awesome. Keep those videos coming. Cant imagine going through any week without one of your videos.

[@2009ashmi]

Good luck with your studies this year. Don't push or put too much pressure in yourself. Just enjoy and take care of you! Hugs! 🥰🥰🥰🌺🌺🌺

[@mia_aaa_]

I remember that the first video I watched from you was a What an English student has to read video, it inspired me so much, and I am aiming at becoming one in the future! I subscribed and have watched your videos religiously since then LMAO, love this video Emmie! And also side note, your desk set up is SO CUTE.

[@michaelsommers2356]

_The Faerie Queen_ was first published in 1590, so it is written in Early Modern English, not Middle English. Spencer was a contemporary of Marlowe and Shakespeare.

[@AkaHeiwa]

You inspire me a lot Emmie, thank you for the unique content you create 💛

[@selenalee5654]

ahh the start of a new chapter, im excited 🥰

[@sowmyamekala2533]

Could you please do a video on what is the syllabus of a English lit student from first year till now and what all the test process they go through! And a big fan you are an inspiration I love how you take time to read and explore more about what you love. I think we have quite a lot of mutual tatses.

[@villinaudasi5418]

Hey Emma! This is a video to which I much relate to right now. Due to the pandemic and some other reasons I couldn't join Masters. But now I can and I am so excited and nervous about going back to college! Even though the lectures are still gonna be online,I am eager to read and learn more about literature. You really give such good vibes!! Thank you foe posting this video! Really, really needed it! 🌸🌸

[@Tiffany-lo6hc]

I'm so excited for you that it's finally time to go back!!

[@kyrichr4656]

About to start my third year as well. We read Paradise Lost in the first semester of my second year. Loved it. Happy reading, good luck and take care.

[@Noa-cc9ur]

Did you ever explained how you sustained this brain injury? I heard you talking about it quite a lot but don't remember you mentioning how it happened. Would love to hear about it if you care to share.

[@emmiereads]

It’s quite hard for me to talk about so I don’t think I’m ready to share but maybe in the future

[@GarfieldLover22]

@@emmiereads totally understandable. Good luck back at Uni, Emmie! You got this!

[@Noa-cc9ur]

@@emmiereads totally understandable, if you ever want to share i'm here to listen, even on a more private manner. anyway good luck on your 3rd year at Uni.

[@turaieszter]

Dear Emmie, I'm a new member of your amazing chanel but I love it so much!!! I wish you all the best for the new semester and you're gonna be amazing!

[@emmiereads]

Hi hi! So nice to meet you, thank you dear!

[@alexandraramz]

happy to see you going back to school !! love seeing you excited and i hope it all goes well ❤️ best of luck

[@MarNieves]

I’m soooooo excited for uni vlogs! I hope everything goes well and I wish you the best! ❤️🧡💫

[@emmiereads]

Me too!!! Thank you dear, sending you the best too💕

[@ginafrslidpettersen7711]

I love this video soooo much! Can’t wait to read some of the books you showed us! Hope you have a great year

[@SpringboardThought]

The new translation of Beowulf was one of my favourite books of last year. Was so good.

[@glorymaeswift8513]

Hi Emma! My school is starting on September (i know, it's already near) so I wanna send goodlucks to all the students out here including you Emmie! I really hope this school year would be a lot easier and fun than it was last year. I love you!

[@sj3530]

Thanks Emma for sharing ❤ I read the yellow wallpaper after watching your last uni vlog. It was amazing. So glad I got to read it.

[@red.carnation]

I'm reading the Beowulf for uni too! I was able to get my hands on a 1934 edition, it's a tome but it's stunning!

[@rehabyasser2990]

ohh hey just realized this is the new desk ! looks amazing wow good job

[@Wolfhailstorm]

I just read Beowulf for the first time! I adored it! It was so epic and amazing! I read the Seamus Heaney translation. I find it interesting that I never studied this at school (I'm from the UK), but maybe it's because they didn't do it at GCSE level... would have loved to though

[@Brand0nCA7]

That memorial of the Iliad looks so interesting. I'm studying Literature too (in spanish though) and it's beautiful, the things I've learned about the importance of history telling and language for humans is priceless. Good luck on your courses!

[@melanieandbookstacks]

All the best. I hope you have a wonderful time being back at uni x

[@anweshadash418]

Have a great semester ahead!! It would be so fun if you take us through an essay writing process!!

[@Anne_fka_XATM038x]

ahhh I saw Samuel Beckett on a recommended list by Alexandra Kleeman yesterday and became utterly excited by the wiki entry on him and his work. My favorite bookstore didn't really carry a lot of him when I went looking today so............ and ah, have so much fun at uni! I majored in philosophy years back but am a bit sad I didn't also take literature, although I couldn't really do more at the time since I had depressionnnnnnn well, watching your videos on literature is also great! I might look into taking some classes next to my job sometime, that might be fun!

[@kaoc799]

Would love a video on how you go about writing an essay. Best of Lück with the new year at uni!!!

[@caitlynsalter1885]

Thank you for another lovely video! I've been a bit behind on your videos lately and I've missed them! I'm also studying King Lear this year, but for A Levels not uni hahaha. I'm also very glad that we'll have your videos to go into the school year with, I'm weirdly anxious about going back this year after some less-than-great exam results, but I think this will be nice and encouraging!

[@chelseaseashell22]

Oh I would love a video on your essay writing process! It would give me the inspiration I need to get my own essays done :) Good luck going back to school! We can all suffer a little bit from the anxiety together.

[@beckawoodard6425]

Ugh I wanted to get an English lit degree so bad but it didn't work out because of reasons. Glad to live vicariously through you!

[@2BOLD4U]

In college, I wanted to do a minor in English but I decided against it because I saw the classes that I needed to take. So I love that you posted this video so I can kind of get an idea of the books that an English major would read. I'd read Beowulf my freshman year of college and I'd wrote an amazing role on the women in that book. I'd wish that I had still have it because I wasn't confident in the essay and my professor made me feel a lot better by his reaction.

[@LuluST-nc6us]

I would love to see some back to uni content!

[@bookishming5771]

Oooo I love your Kiki wallpaper! Btw what's your fave Studio Ghibli movie, if you have one? Also, is the Norton anthology a compilation of different literary works? Ah I have so many questions about what it's like being a literature student so I'm totes looking forward to your back to school vlogs!!