Writing Book Reviews

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WRITING BOOK REVIEWS

The official idiot's guide to writing book reviews - takes a genius to write one, actually

BOOK reviews should help readers decide whether a book is worth reading or picking up.

A good book review basically gives its reader both a sense of what one will find in the book and an analysis of whether it is on target.

As an example, for non-fiction, the reviewer evaluates the accuracy of the author's depiction of people, places and time, the validity of the author's assumptions and reasoning that led to her or his conclusions, the book's genre and where it fits into that genre, the intended audience (scholars? general public? children?), and so on.

In the case of, say, a women's history book, it will be helpful to explore, directly or indirectly, the theoretical grounding of the book.

For instance, is its purpose to prove that there were great women in history, to show how ordinary women lived their lives, or to document structures of oppression? Also consider whether it is serious historical research or is it meant to pique interest in the subject.

Your style will also change depending on your intended audience. If you're writing a book review for a newspaper, magazine, a web site, or for some other purpose, consider your audience's needs and interest.

REVIEWING A BOOK

General overview

Below are some general guidelines on how to approach the task of writing are view of a book.

There are fundamental differences between a book report and a book review. A book review is most likely also a book report, but a book report is not necessarily a book review. In a book report, one reports objectively on its title, its author, its presentation, its price, and its place of publication. One may give a very brief and general summary of its content. A book review, on the other hand, is a subjective opinion on the writing itself.

It is the critical evaluation of the book through analysis and interpretation, which must take into consideration certain elements discussed below.

Clarifying editors/newspaper/magazine's instructions and expectations;

• Individual editors may have their own preferences on the preparation of a critical book review; thus, it is wise to consult them about the format.

• If no instructions have been given, you may prepare an outline following this guideline, and present that for a brief review and approval.

• Read the book first, and take notes of your impressions as you go along.Unless you have been instructed otherwise, resist the temptation to read other people's views on the book first.

• Remember that your impressions are just as valid, and may even ``shed light'' on new aspects, that no one else has thought of before. Secondary sources can be consulted after your preliminary draft.

Essential elements;

As you examine the book, keep in mind that in a critical review you are expected to provide ``The Newspaper'' with:

• An evaluative judgement on the quality.

• The meaning and the significance of the book.

Therefore, the essential elements that must be covered by a critical book review are:

• Content - what is said in the book.

• What is it about?

• Give a brief description of the content and

• Include in your exposition your appraisal of the content.

• To determine the content also consider: title, table of contents, annotations, illustrations, etc.

• Style - how this is said.

• How does the style reveal itself?

• Is it simple, formal, innovative, or is the style suited to the book's purpose? (If so, why?)

• Assessment- your comments on the relevance or irrelevance of what was said.

• How is the book relevant and why?

• What are the author's strengths or weaknesses?

• Are the sources used reliable or not?

• How is this book different from other books by the same author?

• Does the book have significance in its field, when compared to the writing of others?

• Is the writing biased, and, if so, how so?

• Would you recommend the book? and if yes, why?

These are just a few essential points to consider when preparing to write a book review for ``The Newspaper''.

Remember to always substantiate your findings and/or opinions with examples from the text under examination.

REVIEWING A BOOK

A Detailed Outline

The review should provide:

• A statement about the book's purpose

• Why was it written?

• What did the author hope to accomplish?

Details about the book's content

• What was the structure of the book?

• What were the main ideas?

• Discussion of the book's authority

• What were the author's strengths and thoroughness of coverage?

• How reliable were the sources used and how extensive is the footnoting?

• What are the author's background and qualifications?

• Was the book written with expertise? Bias? Or both?

Other elements of the book review

The reviewer should provide:

• An examination of the author's style, i.e. was it simple, logical, wordy, or technical?

• Was it suitably written for the general public, or for a specific audience?

• A critical summary of the book's format

• Was the size, binding, and print quality of the book suitable and appealing?

• Was they're an index, table of contents, photographs, illustrations, or bibliographies that were current, clear and helpful?

• Discussion of the significance of the work in the field

• How does this work compare to other significant works in the field (if any)?

• How does this book compare to others the author may have written?

• What is the impact of the book?

• Is further research needed?

Organization and writing

The reviewer should try to include the following sections in the review:

Preliminary

• Provide the reader with a detailed summary of the book, i.e. title, author, publisher, date, paging, cost.

The beginning

• Effective, catchy opening sentence. DO NOT USE ``This book is...''

Development

• Relate and link all the elements needed in a book review. This means it will often be necessary to relate different parts of the book review and checklist one to the other. i.e. ``How the author's bias affected his selection and use of sources.''

• Book reviews should not have long quotations, divisions or chapters. Brief quotations may sometimes be used to illustrate a point but brevity is the key.

Conclusion

• Try to end the review with an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the book.

FURTHER ON WRITING BOOK REVIEWS

A book review is a critical analysis of a secondary text, not a summary of the work's content. In a book review, you should evaluate the way in which the author handled the subject and the contribution of the book to your understanding of the issues discussed.

Ask yourself;

• What is the author's theme or thesis? What is the purpose in writing the book?

• What are the author's values and biases? From what point of view does the author write?

• Are the author's assumptions and assertions in agreement with those generally held in the field? If not, are deviations clearly identified, well motivated, and overtly justified?

• What impact does this work have in its field? Does it contribute something original? Will it have lasting value?

Methodology;

The author's method includes the rules employed in organising the evidence, the kinds of questions asked by the author, and the approach utilised in answering them.

• What are the sources of the author's data?

• Are these sources adequate?

• What are the limitations of the data, any inherent biases or problems that must be taken into consideration in its use?

• What kinds of questions does the author ask about the subject. Are there questions that remain unasked, or questions asked but unanswered?

Style;

The author's style has to do with the writing and organisation of the book.

• Is the book well written? Are there passages of eloquence or elegance?

• Is the book well argued? Does the author clearly articulate and answer questions raised in the book? How well does the author's point come across and does it convince you?

• Is the book accessible to an intelligent reader or only to a specialist?

Personal evaluation;

Think about your own approach to the subject, your own values, and your preferred method. Reading is not a passive experience, but an interaction between author and reader.

• What is your response to the author's point of view?

• What do you think to be the greatest strength of the work, and the greatest weakness?

• What does the book contribute to your understanding of the subject?

The form of a book review is an essay. You should begin with an introduction that both grabs the reader's attention and provides a statement of the points you intend to make (a thesis statement).

Finally, you will want to provide a conclusion for your essay that sums up your argument.

PLEASE NOTE

• Spelling, punctuation and grammar should be correct!

• Your report or review should have a clear thesis statement and a beginning, middle and end.

• A newspaper will NOT want a chapter-by-chapter run down of what's in the book.

• A newspaper will want YOUR impressions of the book.

• Did you like it?

• Did it change your thinking about some aspects of life, your outlook?

• What did you learn that you didn't know before?

• What was the most interesting thing about it?

• Would you recommend it to other readers?

• Should we consider it as recommended reading?

• Length for book reviews should be around 600-700 words.

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