Definition

A book review is a thorough description, critical analysis, and/or evaluation of the

quality, meaning, and significance of a book, often written in relation to prior research
on the topic. Reviews generally range from 500-2000 words, but may be longer or
shorter depending on the length and complexity of the book being reviewed, the overall
purpose of the review, and whether the review exams two or more books that focus on
the same topic. Professors assign book reviews as practice in carefully analyzing
complex scholarly texts and to assess your ability to effectively synthesize research so
that you reach an informed perspective about the topic being covered.

There are two general approaches to reviewing a book:

Descriptive review: presents the content and structure of a book as objectively as

possible, describing essential information about a book's purpose and authority. This is
done by stating the perceived aims and purposes of the study, often incorporating
passages quoted from the text that highlight key elements of the work. Additionally,
there may be some indication of the reading level and anticipated audience.

Critical review: describes and evaluates the book in relation to accepted literary and
historical standards and supports this evaluation with evidence from the text and, in
most cases, in contrast to and in comparison with the research of others. It should
include a statement about what the author has tried to do, evaluates how well you
believe the author has succeeded in meeting the objectives of the study, and presents
evidence to support this assessment. For course assignments, most professors will want
you to write this type of review.

Book Reviews. Writing Center. University of New Hampshire; Book Reviews: How to
Write a Book Review. Writing and Style Guides. Libraries. Dalhousie University; Kindle,
Peter A. "Teaching Students to Write Book Reviews." Contemporary Rural Social Work 7
(2015): 135-141.
How to Approach Writing Your Review

NOTE: Since most course assignments require that you write a critical rather than
descriptive book review, the following information about preparing to write and
developing the structure and style of reviews focuses on this approach.

I. Common Features

While book reviews vary in tone, subject, and style, they share some common features.
These include:

A review gives the reader a concise summary of the content. This includes a description
of the research topic and scope of analysis as well as an overview of the book's overall
perspective, argument, and purpose.

A review offers a critical assessment of the content in relation to other studies on the
same topic. This involves documenting your reactions to the work under review--what
strikes you as noteworthy or important, whether or not the arguments made by the
author(s) were effective or persuasive, and how the work enhanced your understanding
of the research problem under investigation.

In addition to analyzing a book's strengths and weaknesses, a scholarly review often

recommends whether or not readers would value the work for its authenticity and
overall quality. This measure of quality includes both the author's ideas and arguments
and covers practical issues, such as, readability and language, organization and layout,
indexing, and, if needed, the use of non-textual elements.

To maintain your focus, always keep in mind that most assignments ask you to discuss a
book's treatment of its topic, not the topic itself. Your key sentences should say, "This
book shows...,” "The study demonstrates...," or “The author argues...," rather than "This
happened...” or “This is the case....”

II. Developing an Assessment Strategy

There is no definitive methodological approach to writing a book review in the social

sciences, although it is necessary that you think critically about the research problem
under investigation before you begin to write. Therefore, writing a book review is a two-
step process: 1) developing an argument about the value of the work under
consideration and 2) clearly articulating that argument as you write an organized and
well-supported assessment of the work

A useful strategy in preparing to write a review is to list a set of questions that should be
answered as you read the book [remember to note the page numbers so you can refer
back to the text!]. The specific questions to ask yourself will depend upon the type of
book you are reviewing. For example, a book that is presenting original research about a
topic may require a different set of questions to ask yourself than a work where the
author is offering a personal critique of an existing policy or issue.

Here are some sample questions that can help you think critically about the book:

Thesis or argument. What is the central thesis—or main argument—of the book? If the
author wanted you to get one main idea from the book, what would it be? How does it
compare or contrast to the world that you know or have experienced? What has the book
accomplished? Is the argument clearly stated and does the research support this?

Topic. What exactly is the subject or topic of the book? Is it clearly articulated? Does the
author cover the subject adequately? Does the author cover all aspects of the subject in a
balanced fashion? Can you detect any biases? What type of approach has the author
adopted to explore the research problem [e.g., topical, analytical, chronological,
descriptive]?

Evidence. How does the author support their argument? What evidence does the author
use to prove their point? Is the evidence based on an appropriate application of the
method chosen to gather information? Do you find that evidence convincing? Why or
why not? Does any of the author's information [or conclusions] conflict with other books
you've read, courses you've taken, or just previous assumptions you had about the
research problem?

Structure. How does the author structure their argument? Does it follow a logical order
of analysis? What are the parts that make up the whole? Does the argument make sense
to you? Does it persuade you? Why or why not?

Take-aways. How has this book helped you understand the research problem? Would
you recommend the book to others? Why or why not?

Beyond the content of the book, you may also consider some information about the
author and the general presentation of information. Question to ask may include:

The author: Who is the author? The nationality, political persuasion, education,
intellectual interests, personal history, and historical context may provide crucial details
about how a work takes shape. Does it matter, for example, that the author is affiliated
with a particular organization? What difference would it make if the author participated
in the events they wrote about? What other topics has the author written about? Does
this work build on prior research or does it represent a new or unique area of research?

The presentation: What is the book's genre? Out of what discipline does it emerge? Does
it conform to or depart from the conventions of its genre? These questions can provide a
historical or other contextual standard upon which to base your evaluations. If you are
reviewing the first book ever written on the subject, it will be important for your readers
to know this. Keep in mind, though, that declarative statements about being the “first,”
the "best," or the "only" book of its kind can be a risky unless you're absolutely certain
because your professor [presumably] has a much better understanding of the overall
research literature.