Writing a 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 the book. There are six steps to preparing a review of an historical work. With some
modifications, these steps also apply to writing reviews of other non-fiction work.
1. Obtain the required book.
Will be assigned by the Professor.
2.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? Was the book written because there was no satisfactory work available on the
subject? Does the book offer a new point of view on a well-worn topic? Determine the audience for which the
work was intended. Was the work directed mainly at professional historians, at students, or the general public?
3.Learn the Author’s Qualifications and Viewpoint.
Find out the author’s academic background. Is the author a journalist, professor, or a professional writer? Has
the author written other books on related topics? Look at the book’s jacket cover (if it has one) for a general
background on the author. If there is no jacket cover consult Who’s Who in America, Contemporary Authors,
Directory of American Scholars or other directories.
4.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
arguments. Are the sources adequate and convincing? Does the author rely mainly on primary – firsthand,
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 being rational and
thoughtful, not necessarily negative.
5.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, separate, eliminate, or rearrange some points.
I.
Introduction
A.
Purpose of the Book
B.
Author’s qualifications and viewpoint
II. Critical Summary
A. Thesis of the Book
B. Summary of contents, indicating how the thesis is developed (use examples.)
While this will generally be the longest part of the review, you should
make sure that your paper does not become a mere summary without
analysis.
C. Author’s use of evidence to support the thesis and secondary points.
III. Style and Presentation
A. Organization of the book
IV.
B.
Writing Style (word choice, paragraph structure, wit, readability, length
and the like)
C.
Use of aids (photographs, charts, tables, figures, and the like)
Conclusion
A.
Historical contribution of the book. How does the book fit into the
prevailing interpretation of the topic? Does it break new ground? Does it
answer a troublesome question? Does it revise older interpretations?
Does it consult other sources when considering a point?)
B.
Overall worth of the book (would you recommend it? For what type of
audience would it be suited? Did the author accomplish his/her purpose in
writing the book?)
6.Write the Review.
Follow your outline. Use standard written English. When in doubt, consult some references. The format should
look like the following:
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At the top of the first page, give the standard bibliographic citation of the work under review. (Reviews
seldom have titles of their own.)
Type the review double-spaced on good-quality bond paper. The typical review is from 5-6 pages and
at least 1,500 words.
If you quote from the book under review, simply follow the quotation with the page number(s) in
parenthesis. For example: “The author makes the incredible assertion, ‘Jefferson turned out to be
America’s worst president’”(p. 345).
Any quote more than 50 words in length, must be double indented and single spaced.
You may find it helpful to read a book review as a guide to the preparation of your own. I
have provided one for you. You may also find other reviews in most historical journals,
including American Historical Review, Journal of American History, and Reviews in
American History.