Book Review
If you find it useful to include comparisons to other books, keep them brief so That the book under review remains in the spotlight.
Avoid excessive quotation and give a specific page reference in parentheses when you do quote. Remember that you can state any of the author’s points th your own words.
Strengths
Identify 2 or 3 specific areas where you think the book does well. These would ideally be some of the book’s greatest strengths as an academic work.
Weaknesses
Identify 2 or 3 specific areas where you think the book could be improved. While this weakness might be related to something you actually believe to be incorrect, it is more likely to be something that the author omitted or neglected to address in sufficient detail.
Conclusion
Thin up or restate your thesis or make your final judgment regarding the book. You should not introduce new evidence for your argument in the conclusion. You can, however, introduce new ideas that go beyond the book if they extend the logic of your own thesis.
The conclusion needs to balance the book’s strengths and weaknesses hi order to unify your evaluation. Did the body of your review have three negative paragraphs and one favorable one? What do they all add up to?
End your reWew with a concluding statement summarising your opinion rear book. You should also explicitly identify a range of audiences whom you think would appreciate reading or otherwise benefit from dm book.
In Review: A Few General Considerntlons:
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- Review the book in front of you, not the book you wish the author had written. You can and should point out shortcomings or failures, but don’t criticize the book for not being something it was never intended to be.
