Write Book Review

How to Write a Book Review

Introduction

	Include the complete title and the full name of the author
	State the thesis (main idea) of the work.
	Optionally, comment on the author's other work, qualifications background, or other pertinent information.

Body

Describe the book and make your critical points, both positive and negative.

	Both content and style are subject to comment
	Optionally, comment on supplemental material, such as illustrations, maps, appendices, etc.

Include examples supporting your points, either describing them in your own words, or using short quotes from the original.

Conclusion

Your thoughtful evaluation of the book.

Pitfalls to avoid:

	Over-long quotations
	Referring to the author by the first name
	Artificial rating systems, such as "thumbs up" or "3 stars out of 5"
	Writing about yourself instead of the book. This one is tricky, because the review is your personal opinion, after all. The point is to avoid statements such as, "I liked it." or "It was boring," which are your personal reactions to the book, but do not describe the work itself. Better: "The writer's comical descriptions will delight readers," which explains why it is likeable; or, "Obscure words, strung into long sentences make for tedious reading," which explains why "I was bored."