Book review

"The book review is a specific and applied form of , and is distinguished in several ways from criticism in general. In the first place, whereas criticism in general may be concerned with an author's entire work, or with that of a group of writers or of a period, the review usually is limited to a single book. While, of course, it may compare the book with others by the same author or by other writers, its interest is centered in the single work. Another difference is this: while criticism in general often takes for granted that the reader is more or less familiar with the authors and books being discussed, the review takes less for granted. One reason for this that readers of book reviews—especially reviews that appear in newspapers—are likely to be less informed and less sophisticated than readers of criticism in general."

"A book review serves two major functions—descriptive and evaluative. It first of all can indicate to the some general idea of the contents and it can offer a critique, an evaluation of merit. The two functions are rather distinct and yet they belong together."

"Book reviewing can be a delightful writing experience for those who read quickly, are able to formulate an analysis easily, and enjoy crafting essays. Writing about a book gives us the opportunity to clarify, organize, and analyse the swirling impressions and ideas that are generated from our reading. When we evaluate a book, we sharpen our critical skills, learning about our identity as readers and discovering strategies for conveying our responses to other readers."