Part I: This is a brief outline of the contents of the book. In the space of one or two paragraphs you should be able to convey the parameters of the book’s contents. DO NOT simply reproduce the book’s table of contents.
Part II: Here is the place for a careful summary of the author’s thesis. The thesis is the primary idea the author is trying to prove and convince the reader to accept as valid. If the work you are reviewing is a biography, the thesis may be the importance the author assesses to the subjects life. You must first identify the thesis and then show how the author either substantiates or fails to substantiate this thesis. You should quote portions of the book in order to answer this part of the review, and you will need to cite page numbers for these quotations. This will undoubtedly take you a page or two to do a good job.
Part III: This is your personal evaluation of the book and is the most important part of your analytical book review. Here is where you describe your reaction to the book and put its contents in a comparative perspective with your textbook. Some of the questions you must answer include: Do you agree or disagree with the book’s conclusions? Why or why not? Did the book support or contradict what you read in your textbook on the same subject? (You MUST quote some of the relevant passages from both books, citing page numbers.) Did you detect any biases on the part of the author? What was the author’s background and why did he or she write the book? How in your opinion could the book have been improved? You must be specific and keep in mind there are NO perfect books. Did you enjoy reading this book? Why or why not? Would you recommend it to others?
