A book review is neither a book report nor a literary critique, but a learning instrument. the purpose of a book review is to improve your skills in reading and critical analysis. To do this, you will incorporate several different kinds of information into your review:

1) A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR (half a page)

This alerts the reader to the author=s profession, to his or her intentions in writing this book, and to his or her culture, attitudes, and biases.

For information on authors, look in Contemporary Authors, Directory of American Scholars, Who=s Who in America (or its British equivalent Who=s Who), Directory of International Biography, Biography Index, Current Biography Index, and other sources. Ask a librarian to help you!

2) INFORMATION ABOUT THE PUBLICATION OF THE BOOK (a few lines)

Give the full title, the name of the editor or translator (if appropriate), the publishing company, the city it was published in, and the year of publication.

3) THE AUTHOR=S GOALS (half a page)

• What was his or her purpose in writing this book?
• What is the book=s basic thesis or argument?
• What are the major themes of the book?
• What audience is the book aimed at?

You will find these important points, or clues to them, in the introduction or preface and/or in the conclusion of the books. Read them before you read the rest of the book.

4) THE SOURCES (a few lines)

What information did the author use in writing this book? Where did he or she get this information?

• Primary sources: personal interviews, surveys, original documents, newsreels, etc.
• Secondary sources: other books and periodicals
• References: Are they in MLA or APA-style citations? in footnotes or endnotes? Is there a useful bibliography? an appendix?

5) THE STRUCTURE AND CONTENTS OF THE BOOK (one to three pages)

• Is the book organized chronologically? topically? Is it clear and logical?
• What are the most important points the book makes?
• What new knowledge or understanding did you get from reading it?

6) PUBLISHED REVIEWS (one or two pages)

You can find out a lot about a book by reading the reviews in the press and in scholarly journals. Look in the following sources, starting with the year the book (or its first edition) was published, the the year after:

• Book Review Index (scholarly books from 1965 on)
• Index to Book Reviews in the Humanities (since 1960)
• Reader=s Guide to Periodical Literature
• International Index
• Social Science Index
• The New York Times and The New York Times Book Review (check the Times index)

REMEMBER: Indexes tell you where to look for the full review. Some indexes, like the Book Review Digest also give you excerpts from the reviews. Excerpts are not enough! You have to find the original full review. For example, the Book Review Digest will give you references:

• ALibrary J 86:1482 Ap 1 >61 120w@ means ALibrary Journal, vol. 86 page 1482, April 1, 1961, 120 words@
• ASat R 44:16 Jl 8 >61 340w@ means ASaturday Review, volume 44 page 16, July 8, 1961, 340 words@

You must find the original review, copy it, and attach the copy to your own review.

7) YOUR CRITICAL EVALUATION (one or two pages)

• Don=t just say the book is Ainteresting@ or Aboring.@ Say why you think so.
• Did the author achieve his or her goals?
• Is the book dated or is it still relevant to today=s concerns?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the book?
• Is the argument fair or biased, and if so, how?
• How valid is the information presented in the book? How well was it researched?
• How well is the book written and organized? Is it clear or confusing?
• How significant are the book=s findings and conclusions?

Give a few examples (maybe even a quotation or two) to illustrate your opinions. Do you agree or disagree with the published reviews that you found? Why?

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