How To Write A Good Book Critique: Steps And Suggestions Essay

A book critique is a description, critical analysis, and an evaluation on the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, not a book report, retelling, or a summary, It should (1) focus on the book’s purpose, content, and authority, (2) include the reviewer’s reaction on the strengths and weaknesses of the theories, concepts, and content presented, (3) evaluate how well (in the opinion of the reviewer) the author has succeeded, and (4) present evidence to support this evaluation. Step 1: The first, and most important, – Read the book. Suggestion 1: When you read a book (for its educational value), take notes about it and formulate your thoughts as you go along. (You should be able to write most of your critique without looking back at the book. If you continually are paging through the book as you write, the result is likely to be a string of paraphrases taken from the book, rather than your own evaluation.) Suggestion 2: While reading the book don’t be afraid to consult outside resources (dictionary, the book’s cited references, etc.) for confirmation and/or clarification. Include these findings in your notes. Suggestion 3: Keep in mind that your assignment is to write a 4-page (max) BOOK CRITIQUE, a summary and analysis (not a review) of a particular book’s (author or authors) perspective on a selected topic, not a 20-page paper on the topic. Step 2: To begin writing your critique, start with a centered title in 14 pt New Times Roman Bold, followed by your name in 12 pt New Times Roman standard (not Bold). As an example: Summary and Critique of (main title of the book you read) Submitted by (your name) Step 3: Using the following format, identify the book you read. Author & Author. (year of publication). Complete title of book in italics. City of publication: Publisher’s name. Number of pages. As an example: Marvin E. Lusts. (1997). How to Be Great: Getting Ahead in a Humble Way. New York: Deficient Press, 1997. xvii, 234 pp. Step 4: Write the introductory paragraph (or two). Without using a heading, provide a contextual background (such as for whom the book is intended; what we know about the author; the â€Å"school of thought† represented by this author or work), a statement of the purpose of the book (what the author or editor is trying to accomplish), and the scope of the book (how much ground the author is trying to cover) – you must judge what background information will be helpful and/or necessary for understanding the nature/uniqueness of the book. Step 5: Following a left-aligned, 12 pt Bold New Times Roman heading Overview, write your summary of the book. Your summary should consist of a short, succinct â€Å"overview† of the contents (as opposed to a play-by-play summary of the book), identification of the main thesis or theses, a recap of the supporting argument/logic/rationale, description of the author’s assumptions, and note-worthy statements/wordings/quotations from the book. Suggestion 4: Don’t plagiarize from the publisher’s, reviewer’s, or book seller’s reviews/summaries. They are trying to promote the book, you want to objectively describe the content. Suggestion 5: When you quote from the book that you are discussing, put the page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence. As an example: The author concludes that â€Å"size does matter, as all the truly great leaders were exceptionally short people† (p. 79). Step 6: Following a left-aligned, 12 pt Bold New Times Roman heading Analysis and Reaction, write your analysis and reaction. For your analysis, objectively evaluate the book for relevance and importance to the selected topic; accuracy, thoroughness, and usefulness, and the author’s objectivity (is the book based on research or personal opinion?) Show whether the author’s main arguments are logically rational (based on testable, factual evidence), logically irrational (based on un-testable espoused theory and rhetoric), or illogical (based on emotional opinion). Comment on parts of particular interest, and point out anything that seems to give the book literary merit. Additionally, relate the book to larger issues. Identify specific issues the book raises and the possibilities the book suggests to you? Suggestion 6: Be careful not to criticize an author just because he/she did not write the book that you would have wanted, or because their position is based on a belief that is diametrically opposed to your personal beliefs (for example, the author belongs to one political party and you belong to another). Only judge a book according to the author’s stated (or blatantly implied) intentions. For your reaction to the book, respond to the author’s arguments/opinions. What do you agree or disagree with, and why. What specific points are not convincing, and what has the author omitted or what problems were left unsolved. Support your argument for or against the author’s opinions with evidence (research findings or by bringing in other authors you agree with). Suggestion 7: When you quote or introduce supporting evidence from other books/authors identify the source by putting the author’s last name, year, and page number in parentheses at the end of the sentence. As an example: However, the research has clearly shown that there is no correlation between genetics and leadership effectiveness (Sommebodi, 2001, p. 79). Step 7: Following a left-aligned, 12 pt Bold New Times Roman heading Summary write a summary paragraph (or two). Close with a comment on the overall significance of this work (is it a valuable piece, a useful piece with some minor problems, or a waste of the trees), briefly restate your main points, and comment on whether or not you would recommend this book to others, and why.