Writing a Book Review

Writing a [Historical] Book Review

Writing a book review as an assignment in a history course has at least four important objectives (1) effective writing, (2) a substantive knowledge about a particular historical topic, (3) an understanding of the nature and use of historical research, and (4) an ability to think critically about the work of others,A typical summary "book report" can at best teach only the first two competencies. A book review goes beyond mere summary to inquire into the overall worth of a book. There are six steps to preparing a review of an historical work. With some modification, these steps also apply to writing reviews of other nonfiction works.

Select a Book. Your instructor may provide a reading list, but if he does not, you will find that locating an appropriate work can be a very important part of the learning process. Start, of course, with the Suggested Readings after each chapter in the text and with the card catalog in your college library. Check standard bibliographies, and try consulting the footnotes or bibliographies of other works. When you locate a likely book, give it a "once over." Glance at the table of contents and the bibliography and read the prefatory material to make sure that the book is appropriate to your assignment. Ask yourself if the topic seems interesting, for you will probably write a better review if you have some affinity for the subject. Most importantly, talk to your instructor. S/he has read many books and has probably graded hundred of reviews, so seek him/her out for advice.
Determine the Purpose of the Book. The best place to discover this is usually in the preface, forward, or introduction. What demand did the author intend to fulfill with the book? Did she write because there was no satisfactory work available on the subject? Did she feel that she had a new point of view on a well worn topic? Perhaps she wrote a popular account of a subject about which previous works had been dry and dull. Determine the audience for which the work was intended. Was the work directed mainly at professional historians, at college students or the general public? Ascertaining the author's purpose is important, for, assuming that the purpose is worthwhile, the writer should be judged by whether she achieved what she set out to accomplish.
Learn the Author's Qualifications and Viewpoint. Find out the author's academic background.Is he a journalist, a professor, a professional writer? Has he written other books on related topics. Consult the card catalogue and/or the Directory of American Scholars.Viewpoint, however, is generally more important than credentials, since an author must be judged mainly by the quality of the particular work you are examining. A Pulitzer Prize-winner may later write a undistinguished book. But many first books, often derived from the author's doctoral dissertation, are outstanding. Knowing an author's point of view, however, may put a reader on guard for certain biases. A Marxist historian will often write from a predictable perspective, as well as an extreme rightist. For example, after the death of Charles de Gaulle, many of his intimates, most notably Jacques Soustelle, wrote biographical works. A reviewer could not adequately analyze Jacques Soustelle's biography of de Gaulle without knowing something about the author's close relationship with the general-president. Look for information on point of view in prefatory materials, in the body of the book, and in reference works with entries about the author.
Read the Book. Read critically and analytically. Be sure to identify the author's thesis-the main argument of the book. Look for secondary theses and other important points. See how the author uses evidence and examples to support her arguments. Are her sources adequate and convincing? Does she rely mainly on primary--first-hand, documentary sources or on secondary sources? Consider the author 's style and presentation. Is the book well organized?Is the prose, lively, direct, and clear? Take notes as you read so that you can return to particularly important passages or especially revealing quotations. Remember that being critical means rational and thoughtful, not necessarily negative.
Outline the Review . The following outline is only a suggestion; it is not a model that you should necessarily follow for all reviews. You may find it appropriate to add, combine, eliminate, or rearrange some points.

[Basic Outline for a Book Review]
Write the Review. Follow the outline Use standard written English. When in doubt consult The Random House Handbookor a similar reference. If your instructor does not assign a standard format, the following style is generally accepted.
At the top of the first page, give the standard bibliographic citation of the work under review. (Reviews seldom have titles of their own).
Keyboard the review double-spaced on good quality paper. The typical review is from 450 to 1200 words long.
If you quote from the book under review, simply follow the quotation with the page number(s) in parentheses. For example: "The author makes the incredible assertion, 'European women seem to have preferred careers over parenting.' (p. 345)."
If you have to cite other sources for quotations or facts, use a standard footnote style.

You may find it helpful to read published book reviews as a guide to the preparation of your own. Most historical journals, including the American Historical Review

and the Journal of Modern History, publish many short reviews at the end of each issue. To determine where reviews of the particular book you have chosen have been published, consult the Book Review Digestor the Book Review Index. Assume that your audience is college educated and well read, but do not assume that your hypothetical reader has in-depth knowledge about the subject of the book under review