How to review a book What the text about? Introduce the book. What is the subject of the text?

Who is it written for? What is the purpose of the book? What has been written/ published before? Put the text in the wider context. What is the text about? Summarize the book. Describe its general organization, and the content of each chapter. Is it any good? Draw attention to parts of the book and comment on them positively and/or negatively refer to other publications that have done something similar if you can. Look at the purpose of the book, and whether or not it succeeds. Is it appropriate for the audience, for example: What about the design etc? make any other comments on, for example: price, production, proffreading, size, colour Is it appropriate? Conclude discussing whether it is appropriateness for audience, and make a recommendation . Preliminaries Title page name course Introduction The title of the book, the author the publisher the price The overall text Describe the subject of the text the purpose Background Describe what has been written/ published before? Evaluate this previously published work Content Summarize the material describe its general organization content of each chapter Evaluation Evaluate the text compare and contrast with other publications present your point of view Looks Describe and evaluate design, prize, production proof-reading size colour etc

Conclusion Summarize discussion conclude discussing whether it is appropriate for audience recommend or not End matter A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. A book review can be a primary source opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review. Books can be reviewed for printed periodicals, magazines and newspapers, as school work, or for book web sites on the internet. A book review's length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay. Such a review may evaluate the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers may use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or nonfiction work.

OTHER FORMAT OF THE BOOK REVIEW

1. Introduction:

Identify the book you are going to review. The author, title, date and place of publication may be placed at the beginning of the essay in the form of a bibliographic citation. Then state what the authors goal was in writing the book. Why did the author write on this specific subject? What contribution to our understanding of history did the author intend to make?

2. Brief Summary:

In the main body of the review, you should begin by briefly describing the content and organization of the book, along with the most important evidence used. Do not get bogged down in details here; this section is only intended to prepare the reader for the critical assessment to follow.

3. Critical Assessment:

Evaluate the books contribution to our understanding of history. There are several things you should look for:

a) Identify the authors central argument, or thesis. The thesis is not the topic of the book but the specific argument that the author has made about her or his subject. Sometimes, the author states the thesis in the books introduction, sometimes in the conclusion. Feel free to read these sections of the book first to determine the authors main argument. Knowing the main argument will help guide you through the rest of the book. Finding the central argument or arguments can be like finding the forest in the trees: it requires you to step back from the mass of information to identify larger themes. Sometimes a book, such as a general historical survey, lacks an explicit argument or thesis.

b) Identify the authors perspective, point of view, or purpose. This can be approached in a number of different ways. Ask yourself whether the author has a particular emphasis, such as economic, social or intellectual history. Is the book informed by a religious or political ideology? If the book describes a conflict, does the author, either explicitly or subtly, favor one side over the other? Does the author state the purpose of the book in the introduction or conclusion?

c) Look at the authors evidence: what sources did he or she use? A history of European witch trials based only Inquisition records would be one sided. This does not mean that any conclusions from such evidence would be invalid, but the author should demonstrate an awareness of any limitations imposed by the sources used.

4. Conclusion:

Assess the organization and style of the book. Is it well-organized and clearly written? Does the style or the content of the book recommend it to a specific readership? Offer a final evaluation of the book: How valuable is it? How important is it to read this book?