A book review tells not only what a book is about, but also how successful it is at what it is trying to do. Professors often assign book reviews as practice in careful analytical reading. Show As a reviewer, you bring together the two strands of accurate, analytical reading and strong, personal response when you indicate what the book is about and what it might mean to a reader (by explaining what it meant to you). In other words, reviewers answer not only the WHAT but the SO WHAT question about a book. Thus, in writing a review, you combine the skills of describing what is on the page, analyzing how the book tried to achieve its purpose, and expressing your own reactions. READING THE BOOKAs you're reading or preparing to write the review, ask yourself these questions: What are the author's viewpoint and purpose? WRITING THE BOOK REVIEWAlthough you should include what you feel is appropriate for explaining your assessment of a book, reviews generally include the following kinds of information. Most reviews start off with a heading that includes all the bibliographic information about the book. If your assignment sheet does not indicate which form you should use, you can use the following: Title. Author. Place of publication: publisher, date of publication. Number of pages. Like most pieces of writing, the review itself usually begins with an introduction that lets your readers know what the review will say. The first paragraph usually includes the author and title again, so your readers don't have to look up to find the title. You should also include a very brief overview of the contents of the book, the purpose or audience for the book, and your reaction and evaluation. Reviews then generally move into a section of background information that helps place the book in context and discusses criteria for judging the book. Next, the review gives a summary of the main points of the book, quoting and paraphrasing key phrases from the author. Finally, reviewers get to the heart of their writing—their evaluation of the book. In this section, reviewers discuss a variety of issues:
It is important to carefully distinguish your views from the author's, so that you don't confuse your reader. Like other essays, book reviews usually end with a conclusion which ties together issues raised in the review and provides a concise comment on the book. There is, of course, no set formula, but a general rule of thumb is that the first one-half to two-thirds of the review should summarize the author's main ideas and at least one-third should evaluate the book. Check with your instructor. SAMPLEBelow is a review of Taking Soaps Seriously by Michael Intintoli written by Ruth Rosen in the Journal of Communication. Note that Rosen begins with a context for Intintoli's book, showing how it is different from other books about soap operas. She finds a strength in the kind of details that his methodology enables him to see. However, she disagrees with his choice of case study. All in all, Rosen finds Intintoli's book most useful for novices, but not one that advances our ability to critique soap operas very much. Taking Soaps Seriously: The World of Guiding Light. Michael Intintoli. New York: Praeger, 1984. 248 pp. POLISHING THE BOOK REVIEWAfter you've completed your review, be sure to proofread it carefully for errors and typos. Double-check your bibliographic heading—title, author, publisher, and pages—for accuracy and correct spelling as well. What are the 5 parts of a book review?The layout of most book reviews is as follows: bibliographical information, introduction, thesis, supportive context, summary, critical analysis, and conclusion. How do you carry out a book review?How to write a book review. Start with a couple of sentences describing what the book is about. ... . Discuss what you particularly liked about the book. ... . Mention anything you disliked about the book. ... . Round up your review. ... . You can give the book a rating, for example a mark out of five or ten, if you like!. How do you present a good book review?In general, you should include:. The name of the author and the book title and the main theme.. Relevant details about who the author is and where he/she stands in the genre or field of inquiry. ... . The context of the book and/or your review. ... . The thesis of the book. ... . Your thesis about the book.. What is the format for a book review?The book review format includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. Describe the book cover and title. Include any subtitles at this stage. Include the Author's Name. |