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.

NOTE: Most critical book reviews examine a topic in relation to prior research. A good strategy for
identifying this prior research is to examine sources the author(s) cited in the chapters introducing the
research problem and, of course, any review of the literature. However, you should not assume that the
author's references to prior research is authoritative or complete. If any works related to the topic have
been excluded, your assessment of the book should note this. Be sure to consult with a librarian to
ensure that any additional studies are located beyond what has been cited by the author(s).

Book Reviews. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Book Reviews. The Writing Center. University of
North Carolina; Hartley, James. "Reading and Writing Book Reviews Across the Disciplines." Journal of
the American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (July 2006): 1194–1207; Writing a Book
Review. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Book Reviews. Writing Tutorial
Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Bibliographic Information

Provide the essential information about the book using the writing style [e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.]
preferred by your professor or used by the discipline of your major. Depending on how your professor
wants you to organize your review, the bibliographic information represents the heading of your review.
In general, it would look like this:

The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party's Revolution and the Battle over American History. By Jill
Lepore. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010. xii, 207 pp.)

Reviewed by [your full name].

II. Scope/Purpose/Content
Begin your review by telling the reader not only the overarching concern of the book in its entirety [the
subject area] but also what the author's particular point of view is on that subject [the thesis statement].
If you cannot find an adequate statement in the author's own words or if you find that the thesis
statement is not well-developed, then you will have to compose your own introductory thesis statement
that does cover all the material. This statement should be no more than one paragraph and must be
succinctly stated, accurate, and unbiased.

If you find it difficult to discern the overall aims and objectives of the book [and, be sure to point this out
in your review if you determine that this is a deficiency], you may arrive at an understanding of the
book's overall purpose by assessing the following:

Scan the table of contents because it can help you understand how the book was organized and will
aid in determining the author's main ideas and how they were developed [e.g., chronologically,
topically, historically, etc.].

Why did the author write on this subject rather than on some other subject?

From what point of view is the work written?

Was the author trying to give information, to explain something technical, or to convince the reader
of a belief’s validity by dramatizing it in action?

What is the general field or genre, and how does the book fit into it? If necessary, review related
literature from other books and journal articles to familiarize yourself with the field.

Who is the intended audience?

What is the author's style? Is it formal or informal? You can evaluate the quality of the writing style by
noting some of the following standards: coherence, clarity, originality, forcefulness, accurate use of
technical words, conciseness, fullness of development, and fluidity [i.e., quality of the narrative flow].

How did the book affect you? Were there any prior assumptions you had about the subject that were
changed, abandoned, or reinforced after reading the book? How is the book related to your own
personal beliefs or assumptions? What personal experiences have you had related to the subject that
affirm or challenge underlying assumptions?
 How well has the book achieved the goal(s) set forth in the preface, introduction, and/or foreword?

Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

III. Note the Method

Support your remarks with specific references to text and quotations that help to illustrate the literary
method used to state the research problem, describe the research design, and analyze the findings. In
general, authors tend to use the following literary methods, exclusively or in combination.

Description: The author depicts scenes and events by giving specific details that appeal to the five
senses, or to the reader’s imagination. The description presents background and setting. Its primary
purpose is to help the reader realize, through as many details as possible, the way persons, places, and
things are situated within the phenomenon being described.

Narration: The author tells the story of a series of events, usually thematically or in chronological
order. In general, the emphasis in scholarly books is on narration of the events. Narration tells what has
happened and, in some cases, using this method to forecast what could happen in the future. Its
primary purpose is to draw the reader into a story and create a contextual framework for understanding
the research problem.

Exposition: The author uses explanation and analysis to present a subject or to clarify an idea.
Exposition presents the facts about a subject or an issue clearly and as impartially as possible. Its
primary purpose is to describe and explain, to document for the historical record an event or
phenomenon.

Argument: The author uses techniques of persuasion to establish understanding of a particular truth,
often in the form of addressing a research question, or to convince the reader of its falsity. The overall
aim is to persuade the reader to believe something and perhaps to act on that belief. Argument takes
sides on an issue and aims to convince the reader that the author's position is valid, logical, and/or
reasonable.

IV. Critically Evaluate the Contents

Critical comments should form the bulk of your book review. State whether or not you feel the author's
treatment of the subject matter is appropriate for the intended audience. Ask yourself:

Has the purpose of the book been achieved?

What contributions does the book make to the field?

Is the treatment of the subject matter objective or at least balanced in describing all sides of a
debate?

Are there facts and evidence that have been omitted?

What kinds of data, if any, are used to support the author's thesis statement?

Can the same data be interpreted to explain alternate outcomes?

Is the writing style clear and effective?

Does the book raise important or provocative issues or topics for discussion?

Does the book bring attention to the need for further research?

What has been left out?

Support your evaluation with evidence from the text and, when possible, state the book's quality in
relation to other scholarly sources. If relevant, note of the book's format, such as, layout, binding,
typography, etc. Are there tables, charts, maps, illustrations, text boxes, photographs, or other non-
textual elements? Do they aid in understanding the text? Describing this is particularly important in
books that contain a lot of non-textual elements.

NOTE: It is important to carefully distinguish your views from those of the author so as not to confuse
your reader. Be clear when you are describing an author's point of view versus expressing your own.

V. Examine the Front Matter and Back Matter

Front matter refers to any content before the first chapter of the book. Back matter refers to any
information included after the final chapter of the book. Front matter is most often numbered
separately from the rest of the text in lower case Roman numerals [i.e. i - xi]. Critical commentary about
front or back matter is generally only necessary if you believe there is something that diminishes the
overall quality of the work [e.g., the indexing is poor] or there is something that is particularly helpful in
understanding the book's contents [e.g., foreword places the book in an important context].

Front matter that may be considered for evaluation when reviewing its overall quality:

Table of contents -- is it clear? Is it detailed or general? Does it reflect the true contents of the book?
Does it help in understanding a logical sequence of content?

Author biography -- also found as back matter, the biography of author(s) can be useful in determining
the authority of the writer and whether the book builds on prior research or represents new research. In
scholarly reviews, noting the author's affiliation and prior publications can be a factor in helping the
reader determine the overall validity of the work [i.e., are they associated with a research center
devoted to studying the problem under investigation].

Foreword -- the purpose of a foreword is to introduce the reader to the author as well as the book
itself, and to help establish credibility for both. A foreword may not contribute any additional
information about the book's subject matter, but it serves as a means of validating the book's existence.
Later editions of a book sometimes have a new foreword prepended [appearing before an older
foreword, if there was one], which may be included to explain how the latest edition differs from
previous editions.

Acknowledgements -- scholarly studies in the social sciences often take many years to write, so
authors frequently acknowledge the help and support of others in getting their research published. This
can be as innocuous as acknowledging the author's family or the publisher. However, an author may
acknowledge prominent scholars or subject experts, staff at key research centers, people who curate
important archival collections, or organizations that funded the research. In these particular cases, it
may be worth noting these sources of support in your review, particularly if the funding organization is
biased or its mission is to promote a particular agenda.

Preface -- generally describes the genesis, purpose, limitations, and scope of the book and may
include acknowledgments of indebtedness to people who have helped the author complete the study. Is
the preface helpful in understanding the study? Does it provide an effective framework for
understanding what's to follow?

Chronology -- also may be found as back matter, a chronology is generally included to highlight key
events related to the subject of the book. Do the entries contribute to the overall work? Is it detailed or
very general?

List of non-textual elements -- a book that contains numerous charts, photographs, maps, tables, etc.
will often list these items after the table of contents in the order that they appear in the text. Is this
useful?

Back matter that may be considered for evaluation when reviewing its overall quality:

Afterword -- this is a short, reflective piece written by the author that takes the form of a concluding
section, final commentary, or closing statement. It is worth mentioning in a review if it contributes
information about the purpose of the book, gives a call to action, summarizes key recommendations or
next steps, or asks the reader to consider key points made in the book.
 Appendix -- is the supplementary material in the appendix or appendices well organized? Do they
relate to the contents or appear superfluous? Does it contain any essential information that would have
been more appropriately integrated into the text?

Index -- are there separate indexes for names and subjects or one integrated index. Is the indexing
thorough and accurate? Are elements used, such as, bold or italic fonts to help identify specific places in
the book? Does the index include "see also" references to direct you to related topics?

Glossary of Terms -- are the definitions clearly written? Is the glossary comprehensive or are there key
terms missing? Are any terms or concepts mentioned in the text not included that should have been?

Endnotes -- examine any endnotes as you read from chapter to chapter. Do they provide important
additional information? Do they clarify or extend points made in the body of the text? Should any notes
have been better integrated into the text rather than separated? Do the same if the author uses
footnotes.

Bibliography/References/Further Readings -- review any bibliography, list of references to sources,

VI. Summarize and Comment

State your general conclusions briefly and succinctly. Pay particular attention to the author's concluding
chapter and/or afterword. Is the summary convincing? List the principal topics, and briefly summarize
the author’s ideas about these topics, main points, and conclusions. If appropriate and to help clarify
your overall evaluation, use specific references to text and quotations to support your statements. If
your thesis has been well argued, the conclusion should follow naturally. It can include a final
assessment or simply restate your thesis. Do not introduce new information in the conclusion. If you've
compared the book to any other works or used other sources in writing the review, be sure to cite them
at the end of your book review in the same writing style as your heading of the book being reviewed.
Book Reviews. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Book Reviews. The Writing Center. University of
North Carolina; Gastel, Barbara. "Special Books Section: A Strategy for Reviewing Books for Journals."
BioScience 41 (October 1991): 635-637; Hartley, James. "Reading and Writing Book Reviews Across the
Disciplines." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (July 2006):
1194–1207; Lee, Alexander D., Bart N. Green, Claire D. Johnson, and Julie Nyquist. "How to Write a
Scholarly Book Review for Publication in a Peer-reviewed Journal: A Review of the Literature." Journal of
Chiropractic Education 24 (2010): 57-69; Procter, Margaret. The Book Review or Article Critique. The Lab
Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Reading a Book to Review It. The
Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Scarnecchia, David L. "Writing
Book Reviews for the Journal Of Range Management and Rangelands." Rangeland Ecology and
Management 57 (2004): 418-421; Simon, Linda. "The Pleasures of Book Reviewing." Journal of Scholarly
Publishing 27 (1996): 240-241; Writing a Book Review. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University;
Writing Book Reviews. Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana
University.

Writing Tip

Always Read the Foreword and/or the Preface

A good place for understanding a book's purpose, organization, and relationship to other studies is to
read the preface and foreword. The foreword may be written by someone other than the author or
editor and can be a person who is famous or who has name recognition within the discipline. A foreword
is often included to add credibility to the work.

A preface is usually an introductory essay written by the author or editor. Both, although particularly the
preface, are intended to describe the book's overall purpose, arrangement, scope, and overall
contributions to the literature. When reviewing the book, it can be useful to critically evaluate whether
the goals set forth in the foreword or preface were actually achieved. At the very least, they can lay a
foundation for understanding a study's scope and purpose.
Distinguishing between a Foreword, a Preface, and an Introduction. Book Creation Learning Center.
Greenleaf Book Group, 2019.

Locating Book Reviews

There are several databases the USC Libraries subscribes to that include the full-text or citations to book
reviews. Short, descriptive reviews can also be found at book-related online sites such as Amazon,
although it's not always obvious who has written them and may actually be created by the publisher.
The following databases provide comprehensive access to scholarly, full-text book reviews:

Book Review Digest [1983-present]

Book Review Digest Retrospective [1905-1982]

Some Language for Evaluating Texts

It can be challenging to find the proper vocabulary from which to discuss and evaluate a book. Here is a
list of some active verbs for referring to texts and ideas that you might find useful:

account for

analyze

argue

assess

assert

assume
claim

clarify

compare

conclude

criticize

defend

define

demonstrate

describe

depict

determine

distinguish

evaluate

emphasize

examine

exemplify

exhibit

explain

frame

identify

illustrate

imply

indicate
 investigate

judge

justify

narrate

persuade

propose

question

recognize

reflect

refer to

report

review

suggest

Examples of usage

"The evidence indicates that..."

"This work assesses the effect of..."

"The author identifies three key reasons for..."

"This book questions the view that..."

"This work challenges assumptions about...."