RESEÑA BIBLIOGRÁFICA

(BOOK REVIEW)

PREPARADO POR PROF. GRACIELA OBERT, PARA

NIVEL II DE IDIOMA INGLÉS, 2017
RESEÑA BIBLIOGRÁFICA

 texto por lo general breve

 carácter descriptivo-informativo
 visión panorámica y crítica
OBJETIVO DE UNA RESEÑA
 aproximar a los lectores al texto
 motivar el interés en su lectura
 persuadir

El autor de la reseña debe reflejar su

interpretación y evaluación crítica
acerca del texto, y valorar con justicia
el trabajo al que se refiere.
 ORGANIZACIÓN
Estructura argumentativa:
 introducción
 resumen expositivo y conciso del
contenido (incluye propósito)
 comentario crítico (el autor de la
reseña justifica su posición
contrastando con diversos argumentos
o mediante opiniones personales)
 conclusión (allí reafirma su posición)
 CON FRECUENCIA SE …
 identifica brevemente al autor y se explica su
tesis;
 muestra evidencia que apoya su tesis y se evalúa
esa evidencia;
 explica si el argumento es convincente o no;

 se compara con otro / s libros sobre el mismo

tema;
 se ofrece evaluación final y se discute la posible
utilidad del libro.
BOOK: BLACK BEAUTY
AUTHOR: ANNA SEWELL
BOOK REVIEWED BY SAYAN MUKHERJEE
The book is an autobiography from the point of view of a horse
named Black Beauty. The first part deals with Beauty’s birth in a
meadow, his time spent with his mother and the advice she gives
him to behave well to be treated well. He is then sold to Squire
Gordon, a horse lover who cares very well for his animals. Here he
meets the grooms John and James who are loving, neat and
efficient. Beauty spends the best three years of his life and makes
friends with other horses: Ginger, Merrylegs and Sir Oliver. This
idyllic life ends with the beginning of the second part where Beauty
is sold, along with Ginger, to Earlshall Park. Life is harder there
and painful bearing reins are used on horses. A riding accident
causes his knees to be ruined and he is sold as a job horse to a new
master who sells him again. This time, to a hardworking cab driver
called Jerry. In the streets he meets his friend Ginger who is
miserable due to the harsh treatment she receives. A few months
later, Jerry falls ill and Beauty is sold again. After that, the horse
passes from one master to another, most of whom overwork and
mistreat him. Finally, he is sold to the Blomefield family, where he
meets Joe working as a groom. He recognizes Beauty and he lives
out his last days in peace and happiness.
Anna Sewell wrote this book at the end of the 19th century. As a
result of being crippled from her teenage years, she had a great
interaction with horses and understood them well. Written from
the point of view of an animal, the book captured the imagination
of the public in a novel way. It went a long way in ensuring better
treatment of horses, previously seen as mere beasts of utility, and
paved the way for humane treatment of all animals. The book is
written in the first person from the perspective of a horse, and the
language is simple. It moves at a relaxing pace and is extremely
absorbing without being dull. The other characters, whether
human or horses, are complex and completely fleshed out, thus
adding to the well-crafted feel of the book. True to style, the
human characters are explored more distantly than the other
horses, as befits the perspective of a horse.
I was 9 when I first read this book and since then it has always
remained my favourite. While actively promoting animal welfare,
the book also deals with the timeless human values of
companionship and compassion. Also, most unusually for its time,
the book explores the philosophy of wrongdoing through
ignorance and its cure through knowledge as exhibited by the
groom Little Joe. It paved the way for other animal based classics
such as those by Jack London and Rudyard Kipling. A treat for
readers of all ages.
REFERENCIAS

 Drewry, John. Writing Book Reviews. Boston: The

Writer, 1974.
 Literary Reviewing. Charlottesville: University
Press of Virginia, 1987.
 Walford, A.J., ed. Reviews and Reviewing: A Guide.
Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1986.
 http://www.book-review-circle.com/Black-Beauty-
Anna-Sewell.html