1) TOPIC – what is the book about? – get to this quickly and
clearly. In this section you may want to
discuss the author’s background is that information is available to you. What are his or her qualifications?
2) THESIS (and purpose and method) – what is the author
trying to prove (thesis) in writing this book (in other words, what is(are) the
main point(s) the author is trying to get across to the reader); also, why is
he or she writing this book (purpose); and how is he or she going to prove the
thesis (method)?Answers to the two questions above are often easily found in
the Preface, Introduction, and the conclusion; however, sometimes authors do not
organize their works properly, and or they are hiding their real intentions. In
such cases one must dig a little deeper to find the author’s real intentions.
It is important that you fully analyze the author’s main
contention (or contentions). Do not
simply state what the thesis is; you must explain how the author has
constructed his or her argument (or arguments).
How has the author arrived at his or her conclusions? What evidence is offered to support the
conclusions? (Analysis of thesis should be the focus of your review, so make
sure you are thorough in your discussion
)3) SOURCES – discuss the sources used in writing the book.
Does the author use a wide variety of sources – are they mostly primary or
secondary? Are controversial statements made by the author documented or
otherwise verified? Examining the
footnotes or endnotes as well as the bibliography or bibliographic essay on
sources is important for this section.
4) ORGANIZATION – how is the work organized; is it
chronological or topical? You could include a statement here about the use of
graphs, photos, maps etc. You also might
comment here, but do not have to, on whether or not the organization appears
logical to you.
5) EVALUATION – this is where you give your opinion of the
book’s positives and negatives. Did you like it or not? Did the author successfully
prove his or her thesis? Did he employ his sources well? Did the author
contradict himself or herself (they often do). What suggestions do you have for
further research? Is this a controversial book; does it attack an established
school of thought on the subject in question; did it create a school of thought
(what impact did it have on the understanding of the period)? Also, comment on
the literary quality. Was it written in a clear and interesting manner or did
the work drag along?
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