You will be ambitious to perform as well as you can for your IGCSEs in English and English Literature. Growing as a reader is an important aspect of preparation. You cannot cram this into the final moments of the course. Like athletic development, or learning an instrument, consistency is key.
This list is inspired by the great writing set for your IGCSEs in English and English Literature. They will reward your attention and effort.
Americanah - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
'Americanah' follows Ifemelu from her adolescence in Nigeria to her adulthood in America and later, Nigeria. While in America, Ifemelu is exposed to the racist underpinnings of American society and is forced to cope with the inequalities that accompany being Black, as well as an immigrant, in America
'A Home from Home' - George Alagiah
When George Alagiah was dropped off at a Hampshire boarding school as a child back in 1967 he was confronted with an extreme version of the private struggle faced by all immigrants – the battle to leave the past behind and fit into a new culture.
His arrival in Britain coincided with the unhappy intrusion of race into politics. A key part of the ensuing fight against racism was the concept of multiculturalism. But in a closely argued and forthright chapter, Alagiah suggests that, far from improving the prospects for some immigrants, multiculturalism may be an impediment to integration. All too often these are the poor and isolated communities who most need the help of the state to break out of what is fast becoming a version of ghetto life.
Above all, this book is a tender and evocative portrayal of the immigrant experience. Alagiah brings colour and life to a subject that is too often reduced to screaming tabloid headlines, and sheds light on the controversial question of British identity.
'The Marriage Portrait' - Maggie O'Farrell
At IGCSE, you will study Robert Browning's dramatic monologue, 'My Last Duchess', a portrait of serial killer. O'Farrell's novel is a reimagining of this poem.
Winter, 1561. Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, is taken on an unexpected visit to a country villa by her husband, Alfonso. As they sit down to dinner it occurs to Lucrezia that Alfonso has a sinister purpose in bringing her here. He intends to kill her.
Lucrezia is sixteen years old, and has led a sheltered life locked away inside Florence's grandest palazzo. Here, in this remote villa, she is entirely at the mercy of her increasingly erratic husband.
What is Lucrezia to do with this sudden knowledge? What chance does she have against Alfonso, ruler of a province, and a trained soldier? How can she ensure her survival.
'The Marriage Portrait' is an unforgettable reimagining of the life of a young woman whose proximity to power places her in mortal danger.
Sonnets - William Shakespeare
Shakespeare's 116th sonnet is a set poem in the IGCSE anthology. Understanding how it fits into the sonnets as a whole will enrich your understanding. Books to support your reading of the sonnets are Helen Vendler's The Art of Shakespeare's Sonnets and Don Paterson's brilliant Reading Shakespeare's Sonnets.
Shakespeare's sonnets are synonymous with romance, but in fact many are about something quite different. Some are intense expressions of gay desire, others testaments to misogyny.
For a giggle, take a look at Pop Sonnets. Here, Coldplay, Drake, Ed Sheeran, 50 Cent and others, find new voices as faux sonnets.
Selected Poems: John Keats
Keats' 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci' is also a set poem in the IGCSE poetry anthology.
When we read his best poems we watch a writer grapple with eternal questions: what is the role of the imagination? What is the value of art? What is the purpose of suffering? How can we create our own selves, and integrate with the lives of others?
H is for Hawk - Helen Macdonald
An extract from 'H is for Hawk' is set for study in the non-fiction anthology.
A sated bird. A grieving woman. Loss. Reward. Remembering. Forgetting. Life has a pattern, it goes on, and though relentless, this is also a balm.
These are just a few suggestions. Read what inspires (and challenges) you.