Do you ever buy the York Notes?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

Visited a lovely second hand bookshop last weekend and they had a little section with York Notes, and I was so tempted to get the Handmaid's Tale one.

But for why?

I like the idea of the additional reading around the classics etc, and can't deny, the idea of having York Notes on my bookshelf does give me a smug glow (why??), but is it weird?

does anyone else buy the York Notes (for non work use)?

I used to and have quite a lot. Now I tend to look at sparknotes (and litcharts, shmoop, cliffs notes…) as I have too many books and not enough shelves as it is!

As for why, I like to find out more about what I’m reading.

Nope. I do find it a bit weird: when I was studying, it felt like using York notes was cheating, it defeated the point (for me). Each to their own 🤔

As an English teacher and avid reader, I always buy the York Notes. Even the cleverest and finest reader won't spot everything.

Oh I'm not studying any of these books. More the idea that it provides additional perspectives or ideas from books I love.

Not really but I'm an English teacher and I definitely research stuff/do wider reading if I love a book.

Not quite the same, but I've read Hat Matters in Jane Austen by John Mullan and Who Is Dracula's father? by John Sutherland, which have been interesting to give context to Austen's books and Dracula. There are similar for other classics

I love a York notes
I don't read enough of things that need them. I ought to