In writing the review, keep summarization to a minimum. Also, avoid narration (re-telling the story). A book review requires that you provide a critical analysis of the book. In order to do this, you must accurately identify the central argument of the book.
The central argument is what the author seeks to prove in writing the book. After stating the central argument, the remainder of the review ought to be devoted to an analysis of how and how well the author makes the central argument.
Note: In writing the review, assume that your reader has not read the book.
To analyze the book and write the review, ask yourself the following questions:
What evidence does the author use to support the argument?
How well does the author interpret the evidence?
How well does the author support the argument?
What issues, if any, need further clarification or more attention?
Does the author ignore issues or evidence that might be used to make a different kind of argument?
How is the book organized/structured? In other words, what kind of order does the author impose on the evidence?
What does the organizational structure of the book convey about the thought process of the author?
What are the dynamic factors of the book? In other words, how does the author account for change over time? What, according to the author, makes things happen?
Is the book useful in helping to explain the past? Why or why not?
Does the author exhibit any particular bias?
Was the author influenced by the period in which he or she wrote the book? Did the issues or concerns of the period in which the book was written influence the author’s interpretation of the past?
