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Stories of Ourselves: The University of Cambridge International Examinations Anthology of Stories in English
This series contains poetry and prose anthologies composed of writers from across the English-speaking world. Stories of Ourselves is a set text for the Cambridge Literature in English courses at IGCSE, O Level, AS and A Level. The anthology contains stories by writers from many different countries and cultures.
450 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2008
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414 people want to read
About the author
University of Cambridge
1,167 books79 followersThe University of Cambridge (informally Cambridge University or Cambridge) is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world (after the University of Oxford), and the seventh-oldest globally. In post-nominals the university's name is abbreviated as Cantab, a shortened form of Cantabrigiensis (an adjective derived from Cantabrigia, the Latinised form of Cambridge).
The university grew out of an association of scholars in the city of Cambridge that was formed in 1209, early records suggest, by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute with townsfolk. The two "ancient universities" have many common features and are often jointly referred to as Oxbridge. In addition to cultural and practical associations as a historic part of British society, they have a long history of rivalry with each other.
Cambridge ranks first in the world in both the 2010 and 2011 QS World University Rankings, sixth in the world in the 2011 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and fifth in the world (and first in Europe) in the 2011 Academic Ranking of World Universities. Cambridge regularly contends with Oxford for first place in UK league tables. In the most recently published ranking of UK universities, published by The Guardian newspaper, Cambridge was ranked first.
Graduates of the university have won a total of 65 Nobel Prizes, the most of any university in the world. In 2009, the marketing consultancy World Brand Lab rated Cambridge University as the 50th most influential brand in the world, and the 4th most influential university brand, behind only Harvard, MIT and Stanford University, while in 2011, Cambridge ranked third, after Harvard and MIT, in The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, which reflect the reputation of universities for educational and research excellence based on a survey of academics worldwide.
Cambridge is a member of the Coimbra Group, the G5, the International Alliance of Research Universities, the League of European Research Universities and the Russell Group of research-led British universities. It forms part of the 'Golden Triangle' of British universities.
The university grew out of an association of scholars in the city of Cambridge that was formed in 1209, early records suggest, by scholars leaving Oxford after a dispute with townsfolk. The two "ancient universities" have many common features and are often jointly referred to as Oxbridge. In addition to cultural and practical associations as a historic part of British society, they have a long history of rivalry with each other.
Cambridge ranks first in the world in both the 2010 and 2011 QS World University Rankings, sixth in the world in the 2011 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and fifth in the world (and first in Europe) in the 2011 Academic Ranking of World Universities. Cambridge regularly contends with Oxford for first place in UK league tables. In the most recently published ranking of UK universities, published by The Guardian newspaper, Cambridge was ranked first.
Graduates of the university have won a total of 65 Nobel Prizes, the most of any university in the world. In 2009, the marketing consultancy World Brand Lab rated Cambridge University as the 50th most influential brand in the world, and the 4th most influential university brand, behind only Harvard, MIT and Stanford University, while in 2011, Cambridge ranked third, after Harvard and MIT, in The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings, which reflect the reputation of universities for educational and research excellence based on a survey of academics worldwide.
Cambridge is a member of the Coimbra Group, the G5, the International Alliance of Research Universities, the League of European Research Universities and the Russell Group of research-led British universities. It forms part of the 'Golden Triangle' of British universities.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 28, 2024
'nick' by christina rossetti: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the woman's rose' by olive schreiner: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the black ball' by ralph ellison: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the gold watch' by mulk raj anand: ⭐⭐
'when it happens' by margaret atwood: ⭐⭐⭐
'the woman's rose' by olive schreiner: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the black ball' by ralph ellison: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the gold watch' by mulk raj anand: ⭐⭐
'when it happens' by margaret atwood: ⭐⭐⭐
June 29, 2024
tyres, 5 stars
I just read tyres but it’s not here as an individual book so I’m marking the collection it’s in.
This is the only book in the collection that has made me actually cry;
The imagery it conveys as Raoul has to see Cécile get into the car of a German soldier, her being part of the maquis, knowing he sabotaged his car broke my heart.
Even after years he still puts flowers of the spot of the accident and that’s when I died.
I need the individual book for tyres in GOODREADS im begging.
I just read tyres but it’s not here as an individual book so I’m marking the collection it’s in.
This is the only book in the collection that has made me actually cry;
The imagery it conveys as Raoul has to see Cécile get into the car of a German soldier, her being part of the maquis, knowing he sabotaged his car broke my heart.
Even after years he still puts flowers of the spot of the accident and that’s when I died.
I need the individual book for tyres in GOODREADS im begging.
December 15, 2016
2.5 stars. The ideas behind the stories were nice, but all in all I couldn't enjoy them (because they were required school reading)
March 5, 2014
Senior year AICE/AP English Lit. That is the name of the course that landed this book in front of me.
They sent this book to my English teacher with a letter basically saying that we [the students] needed to know all these stories and be able to answer questions or write essays about them by out national testing date. That was it. No lesson plan. Nothing. Pardon my whining, but 'senioritis' is at an all-time high and I just could not be more anxious for graduation.
Anyway, these stories cover a variety of different topics, ranging from eerily unsettling macabre to thinly veiled autobiographical hullabaloo about being stuck in a bathtub. As always--I'm starting to think it's a mental thing--I find it extremely difficult to make myself read anything supposedly required of me. Reading is a hobby, one I take quite seriously. I like to explore literature of all genres and find out new things...on my own. I dislike nothing more than a ghastly-looking green book being tossed onto my desk and being told I need to have read pages 1-50 by the next day so that I may come to class prepared to discuss the "literary merit" and "strategically placed diction"....give me a break, I beg you!
Don't get me wrong. These stories weren't all bad. Edith Wharton's "The Moving Finger" was interesting, as was Virginia Woolf's Lady in the Looking Glass. Perhaps if I had stumbled across this while rummaging through the sales bin at Books-A-Million I would have been a little more interested, but unfortunately. I, in my perpetually wise obstinace fought with this book from beginning to end. I don't look back at the experience fondly either.
They sent this book to my English teacher with a letter basically saying that we [the students] needed to know all these stories and be able to answer questions or write essays about them by out national testing date. That was it. No lesson plan. Nothing. Pardon my whining, but 'senioritis' is at an all-time high and I just could not be more anxious for graduation.
Anyway, these stories cover a variety of different topics, ranging from eerily unsettling macabre to thinly veiled autobiographical hullabaloo about being stuck in a bathtub. As always--I'm starting to think it's a mental thing--I find it extremely difficult to make myself read anything supposedly required of me. Reading is a hobby, one I take quite seriously. I like to explore literature of all genres and find out new things...on my own. I dislike nothing more than a ghastly-looking green book being tossed onto my desk and being told I need to have read pages 1-50 by the next day so that I may come to class prepared to discuss the "literary merit" and "strategically placed diction"....give me a break, I beg you!
Don't get me wrong. These stories weren't all bad. Edith Wharton's "The Moving Finger" was interesting, as was Virginia Woolf's Lady in the Looking Glass. Perhaps if I had stumbled across this while rummaging through the sales bin at Books-A-Million I would have been a little more interested, but unfortunately. I, in my perpetually wise obstinace fought with this book from beginning to end. I don't look back at the experience fondly either.
December 12, 2017
This book has been required reading for my A level studies in literature. I absolutely loved them. Great selection of very culturally diverse stories with lots to say about them. The stories in these book landed me an A on my AS studies becuase they were so enjoyable. Even if i had only 12 to read for my exams i quickly read more of the ones that interested me. Notable mentions are 'The signalman', 'the yellow wallpaper' 'the lady in the looking glass', 'meteor', 'the lemon orchard' and the two stories named 'Journey'. These highlight topics about feminism, the industrial revolution and the gothic victorian era, reflection of identity, racism and the apartheid in South Africa, and the Maori connection to land. For all the A level students going to start reading this: please read these stories with an open mind, they have so much to say and teach you, they are powerful and they are perfect for an A* analysis. All you have to do is not fall into the 'oh my god this is required reading, i hate required reading', like plenty of other reviewers here. If you truly did not enjoy studying these stories then maybe you shouldn't have taken literature as an A level. Goodluck on your studies!
February 14, 2018
I love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2018
An exceptional collection of stories, some with deep and insightful messages. I enjoyed reading these stories for my A level exams.
March 22, 2021
Set reading in preparation for my IGCSE examinations back in the day. These stories stayed with me since; absolutely loved the selection.
April 24, 2021
Amazing collection of stories!
October 17, 2022
Read some short stories in the book for IGCSE
One that left the biggest mark was "there will come soft rains"
One that left the biggest mark was "there will come soft rains"
August 5, 2025
'nick' by christina rossetti: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the woman's rose' by olive schreiner: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the black ball' by ralph ellison: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the gold watch' by mulk raj anand: ⭐⭐
'when it happens' by margaret atwood: ⭐⭐⭐
'the woman's rose' by olive schreiner: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the black ball' by ralph ellison: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
'the gold watch' by mulk raj anand: ⭐⭐
'when it happens' by margaret atwood: ⭐⭐⭐
August 7, 2014
The ratings for this are considerably lower than that of it's counterpart, Songs of Ourselves, but I feel just the opposite about them. Overall, it was a pretty sad set of stories, there's no doubt about that, and a few of them I did not enjoy, such as "The Contest" and "Real Time"; however, while the poem anthology was repetitive and dull, these stories had some diversity and covered interesting topics. My favorites included "Sredni Vashtar" (the one I had to do a report on)- a story about a very sick little boy who'd been adopted by his aunt, the games and 'religion' he made up in his loneliness, and his aunt's subsequent murder-, "Through the Looking Glass" - a story by and about Virginia Woolf, a metaphor for the fact that nobody sees the pain behind her 'ideal' life-, and lastly "Report on the Threatened City", my personal favorite, - a story set in the early seventies and from the point of view of aliens visiting earth in a last-ditch effort to save them and warn them of their destructive ways.
June 26, 2014
It's required reading for the A-Levels. I am teaching it to my students. I must say some of the stories are incredibly depressing. Writing an essay on these stories is demanding because you have to remember mini plots for some 10 + stories. I'd rather red a novel. Luckily in 2016 the choice is to substitute them with House of Mirth by Edith Wharton which I will definitely do. Not the most uplifting story, but very interesting and well-written.
January 6, 2015
For my Cambridge Exam, I am required to read 12 short stories from this book and out of those 12 stories, three of them have become my all-time favorites. Sredni Vashtar and Report on a Threatened City were eloquently written and deserve much appraisal. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading for leisure as a hobby and can appreciate writers who capture the archetype of the human mind in such a sophisticated and exceptional manner.
December 14, 2015
Read for A Level English Literature.
December 15, 2016
the stories in this book were soooooo boring
Read
July 28, 2011school... again!
December 13, 2014
Excellent variety of important short stories in the English canon.
Read
April 29, 2018Some great stories. Tyres?
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews