Template for a Novel
Book Review for Philo Elect
Short Bond Paper, Deadline November 21, 2019
Short Bond Paper, Deadline November 21, 2019
Organizing the Review
https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/writing/writing-resources/book-review
1.
All reviews begin with bibliographic
information: the author’s name, the book’s full title, place of publication,
publisher, edition, date, pagination, and cost, if known.
2.
In no more than two paragraphs, introduce the
book. Give your initial appraisal of the work, including your key observation
on the text. This key observation will be your thesis. Try not to begin with a
flat statement such as “This book is interesting.” Begin with an anecdote, a
challenging quotation, or a key observation.
3.
Follow with descriptive analysis and evaluation
of the text. You may either treat these topics separately, first describing the
book’s contents, the author's argument, presentation, and evidence, and then
offering your own evaluation, or you may weave the two together. In either
case,
a. clearly
set out the author’s purpose in writing the book, and whether or not you think
the author has succeeded.
b. describe
the author’s arguments and the themes of the book, and give your appraisal of
their validity and effectiveness.
c. describe
the sources and evidence the author uses to prove his case, and evaluate their
appropriateness and sufficiency. What are the author's sources? Should the
author have used more, or different, sources?
d. Comment
on the author's organization and writing style.
4.
Conclude. Here you may make more general remarks
about the text and the ideas presented in it. If you have not already done so,
indicate whether you feel the book is worthwhile, and for what audience. Is the
book outstanding? Will it make a lasting contribution to its field, or is it
less satisfactory?
