3.93 avg rating — 5,886,218 ratings

"I might actually put this book at the end of the course, because one of the undertones is the plight of women in mysogynistic Western culture, which I think would be a good counterpoint to the male-dominated works I have chosen. Five is really a limited number, and if I had a sixth, I would attempt real diversity."

4.03 avg rating — 1,046,570 ratings

"Classic. Definitely need something Shakespeare, so why not the most famous of the lot? If I were doing a class on under appreciated English lit, it would be another matter."

3.99 avg rating — 2,068,405 ratings

"This book has a lot going for it, being possibly the best of the dystopian genre as well as a neat piece of writing."

4.54 avg rating — 728,939 ratings

"Tolkien's work was a pivotal work in modern English literature, reopening a whole genre with popular appeal. People like to dis fantasy too much without understanding it."

3.50 avg rating — 345,494 ratings

"I think it is important for a study of "English literature" to have a sense of history. I might choose Beowulf or something more approachable, but still Medieval, like Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight"