What are the underlying assumptions the author has, or biases that might color their interpretation?

Book Review Guidelines

1. The heading (as a bibliographic entry), which
includes author, title, and publication information followed by your review of
the book and lastly your name (the reviewer):

Holland,
Tom. Persian Fire: The First World Empire
and the Battle for the West. New York:
Anchor Books, 2005.
Your
review of the book
Reviewed by: Your Name

2. Who is the author? Are they qualified to write the book?

3. Provide only a brief summary of the book.
What is the scope of the volume under review?
(chronological as well as thematic) What is the Author’s thesis? Note the salient features of his argument,
listing the page numbers if appropriate.

4. A recap of the evidence that the author uses
to back the thesis. A discussion of the author’s point of view may be part of
this summary.

5. A discussion of how the book supports,
attacks, modifies, or expands the view of a subject covered by the course.

6. Comments about the book’s readability and
any features, such as illustrations, and bibliography, worthy of note. (stylistic qualities. Maps, tables, index…)

7.
What are the author’s main sources? Does
he use more primary or secondary sources? Is there a bias to the sources?

8. What are the underlying assumptions the
author has, or biases that might color their interpretation?

9.
Your criticism. Give a final recommendation for or against
the book as an aid to understanding the subject.

Reviews
should be a maximum of two typed pages normal format, doubled spaced, Times New
Roman, etc. You must be efficient with your wording to address all of the
topics in such a limited space, but it can be done. Often journals want reviews to be succinct.

Use
footnote or end notes for citations formatting with Chicago Manual of Style.

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