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The main purpose of a book review is not really to say a lot about what happens in the book. The main purpose is to analyse the book and to persuade others that our own view of the book is worth supporting.
By analyzing the content, messages, perspectives, format, argument and context within which the book was written, the book reviewer argues whether or not the book is worth reading. The book review is necessarily highly subjective and opinion-driven - but supported by proof, evidence and examples! |
| Preparation: Before you write the book review, but after you have read the book, make notes on: The Author:
- Background and qualifications.
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Writing Style (which might include whether the book was written in first-person, third-person, etc.)
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Use of sources (Look at the Bibliography, Table of Charts and Figures, and other Credits.)
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Author's purpose in writing the book - what is the author trying to say/ convince us of?
The Book Format:
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Table of Contents.
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Section and chapter titles.
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Index.
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Introduction (often tells the format, purpose and intended audience).
The Content:
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Introduction/ conclusion.
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Preface.
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Chapter summaries.
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Tables, Graphs, Figures, and other credits, etc.
Structuring your review:Introduction:
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A general description of the book: title, author, subject and format. Here you can include details about who the author is and where he/she stands in this field of inquiry. You can also link the title to the subject to show how the title explains the subject matter.
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A brief summary of the purpose of the book and its general argument or theme. Include a statement about who the book is intended for.
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Your thesis about the book: is it a suitable/ appropriate piece of writing about the problem for the audience it has identified?
Content Summary:
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Summarize the important points in each section of the book, and how it contributes to the book as a whole. Be brief and to the point.
Give each section the same proportion of attention as the book does. If each section is the same length in the book, write the same amount for each section. If one section is longer, write more for it. Be BRIEF!!! This is NOT the most important part of your review. The analysis of the content is where most of your effort should go.
Text Analysis:
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What is the writer's style: simple/ technical; persuasive/ logical?
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How well does the organizational method (comparison/contrast; cause/effect; analogy; persuasion through example) develop the argument or theme of the book? You should be sure to give proof for your opinions or give illustrative examples for your arguments.
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What evidence does the book present to support the argument? List relevant examples such as maps, charts, essays by experts, quotes, newspaper clippings, and so forth.
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How convincing is this evidence? Here you must try to identify pieces of evidence that are weak, or strong, and explain why you think they are weak or strong.
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How complete is the argument?
Are there facts and evidence that the author has not included? This is a good point to compare the book you are reviewing and a book or books which deal with the same topic to illustrate what could have been included.
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Evaluation of the Text:
Give a brief summary of all the weakness and strengths you have found in the book. Does it do what it set out to do?
Evaluate the book's overall usefulness to the audience it is intended for and consider whether or not it would be
suitable for other audiences as well. Note why you liked/ disliked the book - be sure to give good reasons!
Questions to Ask Yourself:-
Does my introduction clearly set out who the author is, what the book is about and my opinion of the value of the book?
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Have I clearly presented all the facts about the book: title, author, publication details, and content summary?
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Is my review well-organized with a clear structure?
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Have I represented the book's organizational structure and argument fairly and accurately?
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Have I given proof to support my opinions and claims about the author, his/her purpose and about the structure, research and argument(s) of the book?
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Have I presented a balanced argument about the value of the book for its audience. (Overly negative judgements are difficult to prove and are generally viewed as narrow-minded.)
This looks too hard! Show me how to write an intermediate-level review!!
This looks too hard! Just show me how to write a basic book review!!
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