How to Write a Book Review

When you say book review, you are supposed to describe and critically evaluate both the content and the author of the book. Though you summarize the content, your focus should be on assessing the value of the book. Aside from mainly describing the material, you also have to evaluate the author’s purpose. In the end, you then have to decide whether to recommend it to the readers or not. More often than not, book reviews are provided to college students as a school project. If you are one of those who currently faces this assignment, then just read some guidelines on how to write a book review.

Book Review Writing Guielines

• When you write a book review, you should concisely summarize and critically assess the content. It should include your reactions towards the main point of the author, and whether or not the book is effective enough. You have to do an analysis so that you will be able to decide on whether to recommend it to the readers or not.
   
• A book review comes in different approaches. When you do a descriptive review, you provide the readers with important information about the book. You can do this by describing the author’s objective and the book’s purpose. And with a critical review, you have to describe and evaluate the quality of the book. You also have to gather an evidence from the text to support your evaluation.
   
• Before reading, consider what the title suggests, how the preface provides information on the book’s purpose and the author’s objective, and how the table of contents illustrates how the main idea is organized and developed.
   
• When reading, focus on the author’s point of view and purpose, as well as on his main points. Identify the evidence used by the author to support his points. Notice whether the author is convincing enough in conveying his points, and whether the book is unique and useful.
   
• Get the title of the book, the author, place and date of publication, number of pages, and other bibliographic information.
   
• The title of the book, including the author’s name and the theme should be included in the introduction. You should also state your thesis and provide a brief overview of your review. Afterewards, develop your points in the body and support your arguments using quotations from the book. Explain why the author has come up with that idea. Then, conclude by restating your thesis and presenting your final assessment. It’s up to you whether to recommend the book to readers or not.

When writing a book review, your aim is not simply to tell what the book is all about. You also have to tackle whether the author has succeeded in his purpose or not. It requires analytical reading and the ability to critically describe and evaluate the book as a whole. But if you don’t possess these requisites, just follow the guidelines on how to write a book review outlined above.