Customer Reviews

Cracking the GRE Literature Test, 4th Edition (Graduate Test Prep)

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Contrary to the previous two reviewers, I did find that using the Princeton Study guide helped me in my preparation for and approach to the GRE Subject test. It is true that many of the emphasized texts did not appear on the version I took (no "Ulysses" or "Second Coming", "Elegy in a Country Churchyard" or Herrick's Julia poems), but quite a few were there, and the clues this book offered to spot such works (e.g. Pepys' diary, the distinctions between J.S. Mill and Cardinal Newman) helped me rack up more points than I otherwise would have.

I will not argue with the others on the issue of modern lit: the book is much too light on 20th century stuff, which did appear substantially on my test. Princeton Review NEEDS to update this aspect of their book; however, I was prepared for such questions based on my reviewing of Norton Anthologies, a suggestion that this book stresses highly. No 20th century author who appeared on the test is absent from the Nortons.

I dont know about anyone else, but the fact that the sample test in this book was more difficult than the actual test made me feel better about my performance last week. Also, my test featured a comparable amount of questions matching authors to novels and short passages to titles.

I still think that a test-taker who does not utilize this book will be at a serious disadvantage when test-day comes; in addition to purchasing this book, I also recommend using Edith Hamilton's "Mythology" to solidify your knowledge of Greek/Roman stories (it helped me to retain the names of characters, which I often have a problem with when reading plot summaries), and, if your library has it, the Martin S. Day series on the history of English Literature, in three volumes. It's out of print, but a great study tools. Masterplots, if you can check them out or access them in a library, are good for Victorian mega novels and Continental Lit (Goethe, Ibsen, Mann, Balzac, Brecht, etc), though you shouldn't focus too much here. As for the 20th century stuff, focus on any Noble Prize winner, look over Nortons, and possibly through Salon.Com's Guide to Contemporary Authors, but realize that, especially with the last 50 years of lit, it's anybody's guess who they might pick. Good luck!

This is the only gre literature review book I have used, based on the recommendations of other readers. If this is the best out there, the others must be atrocious.
It does have its good points- the way it breaks down the ideology behind the test is helpful, and the "this is how things really are" tone of the book, while not totally accurate, is comforting. And it's nice to have another practice test, albeit an imperfect one.
But there are major problems. The lists of texts are questionable- I have yet to see any of Herrick's Julia poems in any of the actual ETS tests I've taken, and here they're given primary importance. Secondly, and most problematic, the lists ignore the 20th century completely, with the cop-out excuse that college curriculae dealing with modernism are not yet highly defined. This may be fine and true, but don't be fooled: you'll see a LOT of 20th century authors on the test, and several will certainly appear more than once. Not including information on these authors (except for in the garbled answer explanations- see below) is inexcusable.
The book attempts to make up for this lack by providing explanations of all the questions and possible answers in their practice test. This is certainly helpful and welcome, but there are several major problems with this test. First of all it is much harder than the actual tests are. The Princeton Review authors are working under the assumption that the test deals primarily with identification of names (authors, characters, works, etc), and thus they construct a test that supports their hypothesis. The real tests do indeed have identification questions, and alot of them, but nowhere near to the extent that this book would have you believe. As a result the practice test is unnecessarily difficult and does a poor job of reflecting the character of the actual test. Also the usefulness of the aforementioned answer explanations is limited because the explanations are ordered to correspond with the questions, which are completely random in order. Hence you get a bunch of information that is nice to have, but that is almost impossible to organize coherently and absorb.
The worst thing about this particular edition is that it is a new one, to replace the older edition of a few years ago. And yet the old outdated edition and this new one are IDENTICAL. The lists are the same, the practice test is the same, the instructive material is the same. The authors make no effort to analyze new trends in the ets tests; the book is entirely unaware of what genres and literary areas are receiving more attention than they did years ago. For all of their bravado and feigned "street-smartness" about how the test "really is," the authors don't appear to know much about it at all.
I can't conceive of any reason for all of these shortcomings other than laziness. Perhaps the pool of test-takers for the literature exam is sufficiently small that the Princeton Review doesn't deem it necessary to spend the time to make a comprehensive review book. If you're looking to find some helpful information on the test search the web; there are some sites with very useful information, as well as a few actual ets practice tests floating around. You'll find these to be infinitely more helpful than the Princeton Review's outdated and dishonest posturings.

Unfortunately, this is the only study guide for the GRE Literature Test that I know of (the other is just a collection of practice tests). While I felt it helped me prepare for the GRE, I think it needs updated, especially the literary theory. There were numerous questions about literary critics and their books not mentioned even in passing in this book. Many of the older writers are barely on the test, like Chaucer. Urging students to review their Norton is a helpful suggestion and the practice test along with the one supplied by the GRE is also some help in getting ready. Hopefully this book will be updated soon or the test will be discontinued, good luck!!

I recently took the GRE Literature Exam and I used the Princeton Review book as my main test prep. I memorized nearly everything that Princeton Review suggested and I must say that I am quite disappointed

The actual ETS exam dealt with perhaps 5% of what Princeton Review suggested that I cover. Princeton Review stresses the importance of Herrick, Wordsworth, Jonson, and Marlowe. Out of 230 questions, there were practically no questions on these authors. The rest of Princeton Review's targeted studying suggestions yielded the same results.

I looked at the older edition of the test prep that I was using and it is the same as mine. Same study suggestions, same sample questions, same everything. The ETS test has changed over the years. Clearly, Princeton Review is not trying to keep pace.

Finally, contrary to Princeton Review's opinion, there were a lot of questions on 20th century authors, minorities, and women.

My suggestion for students who want to take the GRE Literature...find a different test prep book!

This was a great resource - it's very hard to find information on the GRE Literature exam - ETS only has 1 practice test available. This guide helped me to focus my study by helping me to figure out what works/authors to spend the most time on. I made flashcards using the study guides in the back, which was also extremely helpful. The practice exam with detailed answer guide gave me one more opportunity to practice taking the test before the big day. Using the book alone isn't enough - but using the book to direct your studying is a huge help.

I found this book very helpful in my preparation for the GRE Literature Subject Test. I feel compelled to point out, in response to other reviews I've seen of this book, that it is not intended to be an all-in-one study guide. Buying this book and expecting to see a page-by-page breakdown of the GRE subject test and exactly what will be on it will only lead to disappointment. If it is used as per its intent, however, it can be invaluable.

It's entirely true that the book does not cover everything that will be on the subject test. It doesn't claim to do so. What it does have is a list of material that is commonly covered, a timeline of prominent authors during various literary periods, a discussion of test-taking strategies, a full-length practice test with in-depth explanations, and the all-important glossary of literary terms and forms. I found the last most helpful and valuable. It won't teach the history of literary criticism in a day, nor will it include every poetic form or literary term, but it will provide a resource for study that I found invaluable.

If you're looking for a one-stop ticket to an 800, this book isn't for you. If you're looking for a resource, however, it may be exactly what you need. Grouped with the Norton anthologies, the practice test sent by ETS to each registrant before the examination date, and knowledge gleaned from undergraduate courses, I think this book can be an excellent study tool and can take you closer to achieving a high score.

Why waste your time with this secondhand method of test prep when what you need is in the splendid Norton Anthologies? Testimonial: I am a grad school applicant to programs in English literature who took no English literature courses as an undergrad (I satisfied lit req's by taking courses in lit in translation). By reading the Nortons for a few hours a night for several weeks - concentrating my efforts on the major authors - I was able to get a very good score on the GRE Lit exam. To do well on the exam you need to have spent time reading the authors; I can't imagine Princeton Review's tricks for spotting distinctive styles being sufficient. If you're like I was - in the 600s, trying to get up into the 700s - this book will not be helpful. Maybe it will help you get into the 600s, but it seems to me that's as far as you could possibly go without spending serious time with the Nortons.

None of the explanatory material in the Princeton Review book is better than that found in the Nortons. It is neither more thorough nor more enjoyable (the Nortons' pithy bios are delightful). Even if you're so short on time that you'd still consider purchacing this book as an expedient study aid, don't bother: your time would be better spent with the notes in the Nortons. Better to invest your time and money in the worlds of Milton, Chaucer and others so nicely introduced in those volumes.