Cracking the AP English Literature, 2002-2003 Edition

I have been an AP English teacher for five years, and I believe that this book is very useful. It is written in a very simple, easy-to-understand format. It is definitely not a book that would turn students off. There were two things I found out that I never knew before. There's a neat graph that has multiple choice questions on one axis and essay questions (average scores) on the other, so you can see how well you need to do on each part to get a 3 or above. I also appreciated the explanation of the multiple choice test. You get a point for a right answer, no points for a blank, and a deduction of 1/4 point for a wrong answer. I honestly don't see why the person gave this guide a 1. It is not bad at all. It says right on it that there are "only" two practice tests. If you want more, you can get the Barron's, AP Cliffs Notes, and other guides as a supplement. Her complaint is a bit like someone who buys a Madonna greatest hits cd, then complains that there are no "new songs." Totally illogical. You should at least get this book out of the library.

This was a useful book that didn't go too far and beyond the basics of the AP English test. The test taking tips were ones that I never heard from my teacher and they made a lot of sense. I improved my multiple chocie score considerably by following the system in this book. As for the essay portion I'm not sure if this book, or any book, can help with any more than structure and grammer. You need to know how to write the AP essays on your own. This book can help you boost your essay scores, NOT teach you how to write one (it says that right in the book). Overall, it was VERY helpful, and I would recomend getting it at least a month ahead of time, if not more. ---afterthought-I wish I had got the book at like 2 months before, I was disappointed I only got a 3 :(