A Concise Guide to Writing a Critical Book Review

A critical book review requires that you identify, summarize and, most importantly, evaluate the ideas and information the author has presented. A critical book review is not a book report. Reports discuss content, while reviews evaluate the book's strengths, weaknesses and validity through explanation, interpretation, and analysis. Critical reviews can be positive or negative, based on your assessment of the book.

The following information provides some guidelines only. Books reviews can vary in a number of ways, including length, scope, intended audience, and complexity.

What to include in a critical book review:

Reviews generally provide:

• Full bibliographic information (author, title, edition, publisher, place of publication, year of publication), often  presented as a heading or introductory sentence
• A brief description of the contents of the book
• An assessment of the author’s authority / biases
• An evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the book based on the purposes of the author, and using evidence to support the reviewer’s argument
• An overall assessment of the book

Suggested steps in writing a critical book review:

1. Get to know the work by reading the book carefully and by reading other opinions of the book (use the resources of the library to find other critical reviews). In getting to know the book, use all the information within the book itself. Look at the title page, is there a sub-title? Note when the book was first published. Is there a table of contents, or chapter headings? If so, use these as an orientation to the organization and contents of the book. If a bibliography is present, give it careful scrutiny to determine what may have contributed to the author's conclusions. Also consider the quality and veracity of these sources. Always read the preface or introduction for statements about the book's intentions and/or limitations. As you read, take notes and flag passages that you feel are illustrative of the purpose, theme and style of the work. Note strengths as well as weaknesses, and use the questions below to guide your assessment.
   
2. Establish the thesis of your review. Think about what the main point of your criticism will be. Consider the author's intention in writing the book and whether this was achieved.
   
3. Organize your notes into an outline which incorporates your thesis.
   
4. Write the review, including the elements discussed above.
   
5. Edit and revise the review before submitting it.

Questions to consider when reading the book and writing the review:

Authority / Objectivity

• Who is the author?
• What are her or his particular credentials and expertise in this area? What makes her or him an expert on this topic?

Audience

• Who is the intended audience of this book (academics, students, the general public)? Is the book appropriate for its audience?

Scope / Purpose / Content

• What is the subject of the work and the broad field and/or genre into which it fits?
• What is the scope of the work? Is this a comprehensive overview or a detailed analysis?
• What is the author's purpose in writing this book? What has he or she set out to prove? What is the overarching thesis of the book? How well has the author met these goals? Does the author do what she or he has set out to do?
• What are the main points set out by the author? 
• How does the author prove the thesis and main points? What is the author’s methodology? What evidence does the author provide to support his or her argument (sources, data, personal anecdotes, etc)? Is this evidence convincing?

Style

• How is the book structured? Is its development orderly and logical?
• What is the author’s writing style? Is it narrative or analytical? Is the prose readable and appropriate to its intended audience?

Other points to consider

• How does this book compare to other books on the same subject? Does it present a unique perspective or new research?
• Does the book have illustrations? A list of references or a bibliography? An index? Are there any other features? Are they effective and useful?
• Does the author suggest areas for further research or discussion?
• What has been left out?

Finally

• What is your final assessment? Would you buy this book or recommend it to others?

Additional resources

From the University of Alberta Library:

• How to Find Book Reviews http://www.library.ualberta.ca/guides/findbookreviews/index.cfm
  
• Critical Reviews of Journal Articles http://www.library.ualberta.ca/guides/criticalreviews/index.cfm
  
•  Allen, E.D. and E. Colbrunn. A short guide to writing a critical review. Revised edition, 1976. (HT Coutts, HSS -- PN 98 B7 A42 1976)
  
• Horning, Kathleen T. From cover to cover: Evaluating and reviewing children's books (HT Coutts PN 98 B7 H67 1997)
  
• McCanse, R.A. The art of the book review, 1963. (HSS -- PN 98 B7 M12)
  
• Hoge, James. Literary reviewing, 1987. (HSS -- PN 441 L776 1987)
  
• Walford, A.J. Reviews and reviewing: A guide, 1986. (HSS-- PN 98 B7 R45 1986)

Web resources:

• University of South Dakota. Guide to Writing Book Reviews
  
• Dalhousie University Libraries. How to Write a Book Review 
  
• Memorial University Libraries. How to Write a Book Review
  
• University of Wisconsin-Madison. Writing Center Writer's Handbook
  
• University of Waterloo Library Writing Book Reviews
  
• Indiana University-Bloomington Writing Tutorial Services

Herbert T. Coutts Education and Physical Education Library
University of Alberta

Contact: sonya.betz@ualberta.ca
Updated: 23 September 2005