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Book Review Digest Retrospective: 1903-1982

Collecting nearly eight decades of H.W. Wilson’s Book Review Digest, this archive database provides over a million book review citations from 1903 to 1982. It covers adult and juvenile fiction and nonfiction and provides at least one review excerpt per book. 

Virtually every major idea that shaped the 20 th  century found expression in books. The reactions to those ideas are reflected in the reviews of those books, and Book Review Digest Retrospective makes it easy to search this vast record of information. 

Book Review Digest Retrospective includes at least one substantial review excerpt (up to 500 words) per book. Book reviewers are searchable by name, with excerpts by such famous writers as Edmund Wilson and John Updike.

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Book Review Digest Retrospective: 1903-1982

Title:  Book Review Digest Retrospective: 1903-1982

Access:  This database is available to authorized Southeastern users (on- or off-campus). Login help

Producer:  EBSCO and H.W. Wilson

Category:  Multidisciplinary; Other Reference Sources

Content:  Provides access to nearly eight decades worth (1903-1982) of literary critique, evaluation, and thought. A comprehensive literary and biographical research, readers’ advisory, and collection development tool, the database features at least one substantial review excerpt (up to 500 words) for every book that was reviewed in any of over 500 indexed journals and “Master” records for each book. It contains over 41,000 full-text reviews and nearly 1.5 million review citations from key English-language magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. The product covers nearly 80 years of critical analysis for adult, young adult, and children’s fiction and nonfiction.

Updates:  Yearly

Notes:  Given the database’s broad subject coverage and diverse range of review sources, Book Review Digest Retrospective easily provides the following services:

Literary research aid Biographical research aid Collection development aid General reference tool

Help:  Search help is available by clicking on Help at the top of the search page.

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Book Review Digest Retrospective: 1903-1982 (H. W. Wilson) - FAQs

Oct 17, 2018 • knowledge, information, q. what is book review digest retrospective .

A. Book Review Digest Retrospective is a one-of-a-kind resource that provides access to nearly eight decades worth of literary critique, evaluation, and thought. A comprehensive literary and biographical research, readers’ advisory, and collection development tool, the database features at least one substantial review excerpt (up to 500 words) for every book that was reviewed in any of over 500 indexed journals and “Master” records for each book. It contains over 41,000 full-text reviews and nearly 1.5 million review citations from key English-language magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. The product covers nearly 80 years of critical analysis for adult, young adult, and children’s fiction and nonfiction.

Q. How often is Book Review Digest Retrospective updated?

A. Content for Book Review Digest Retrospective is updated yearly.

Q. How should Book Review Digest Retrospective be used?

A. Book Review Digest Retrospective is designed to serve educators, researchers, students, publishers, corporate customers, librarians, and library patrons by providing access to concise, critical evaluations for books with subject coverage in areas such as art, biography, business, education, history, the humanities, literature, religion, science & technology, the social sciences, and much, much more. Given the database’s broad subject coverage and diverse range of review sources, Book Review Digest Retrospective easily provides the following services:

A literary research aid. “Master” book records with complete bibliographic data and coverage for over 500 indexed journals, magazines, and newspapers assist with any literature research. Virtually every major idea that shaped the 20th century found expression in books. The reactions to those ideas are reflected in the reviews of those books, and this database makes it easy to search this vast record of information.

A biographical research aid. Book reviewers are searchable by name, with excerpts by such famous writers as Edmund Wilson, John Updike, Helen Vendler, and hundreds of others.

A collection development aid. Unlike reviews available through vendor sites and the open Web, Book Review Digest Retrospective includes reviews that are serious, academic works to help librarians make informed purchasing decisions.

As a general reference tool. Book Review Digest Retrospective covers nearly 80 years of critical analysis for adult, young adult, and children’s fiction and nonfiction.

Q. What is the best way to get a review for a book?

A. There are many ways to get a review for a book; two stand out as the most efficient paths:

Search for a title or author from either the basic search screen or advanced search screen. On the results page, select Reviews within the Source Type facet on the left side of the screen.

In Advanced Search, search for the book’s title and select Review from the Document Type list.

Book Review Digest Retrospective: 1903-1982 (H.W. Wilson)

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Virtually every major idea that shaped the 20th century found expression in books. The reactions to those ideas are reflected in the reviews of those books, and this database makes it easy to search this vast record of information.

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Provides selected extracts of book reviews as well as citations to additional reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction.

Additional Information:

Collecting nearly eight decades of H.W. Wilson’s Book Review Digest, this archive database provides over a million book review citations from 1903 to 1982. It includes at least one review excerpt per book.

Coverage: 1903 to 1982 - Updates vary

Vendor: EBSCO

Producer: HW WIlson

Interlibrary Loan Type: Not Permitted

Simultaneous User Limit: Unlimited simultaneous users

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Book Review Digest Plus/Book Review Digest Retrospective

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Excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction. Includes Book Review Digest Plus (1983 to the present) and Book Review Digest Retrospective (1905-1982).

Coverage : 1905 to date

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Book Review Digest Retrospective, 1905-1982 Book Review Digest Retrospective, 1905-1982

Book Review Digest Retrospective provides excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction. Citations with excerpts of reviews of juvenile and adult fiction and nonfiction in the English language are included. Virtually every book has at least one substantial review excerpt, and most have at least two.

Book Review Digest Retrospective

Book Review Digest Retrospective indexes reviews of fiction and nonfiction books. The database includes children's books as well as books for adults and young adults. Reviews are from 1908 to 1982.

Book Review Digest Retrospective is available on Android and iOS .

Please note: This database has a simultaneous user limit. If you are unable to access it, please try again later. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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Book Review Digest Retrospective (H.W. Wilson)

Hosted on the EBSCO platform, Book Review Digest Retrospective provides excerpts from and citations to reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction. Document supply available.

Book Reviews

Book reviews provide summaries, contemporary criticism, and succinct evaluations about published works. Here are a few ways to track down reviews at the Library.

Book reviews provide summaries, contemporary criticism, and succinct evaluations about published works. Reviews normally appear within a year of the date of publication; if this date is not known, it often can be ascertained by searching the title of the work in CATNYP , the online catalog of the research collections; if the publication is not found therein and was acquired by the Library before 1971, it is then necessary to check the Dictionary Catalog of the Research Libraries . If these two sources are unable to provide the desired information, please consult WorldCat , an international bibliographic database. In addition, feel free to speak to a librarian at the Information Desk. If you need further assistance, visit our reference desk, or e-mail us at [email protected]

Requesting Materials

Sources for book review citations will provide the titles and dates of periodicals in which the reviews appear. To obtain the call numbers of the appropriate periodicals, first check CATNYP, the Library’s online catalog. If the periodical in question is not found in CATNYP, check the 800-volume Dictionary Catalog of the Research Libraries of the New York Public Library , listing materials acquired before 1972. Although the vast majority of the entries in the Dictionary Catalog are to be found in CATNYP, some titles, especially defunct periodicals of limited run, may be found only in the Dictionary Catalog . After determining the call number for the periodical, complete a blue and white call slip with the title of the periodical, the date of the article, and the call number. Do not include the title of the article or its author.

Basic Reference Sources

Book Review Digest Plus An index, with abstracts, to book reviews from publications in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. It covers the period from 1983 to the present. Book Review Digest Retrospective Same as above but covers the period from 1905 through 1982. Both Book Review Digest Plus and Book Review Digest Retrospective may be searched by keyword, subject, title of book, author of book, author of review, Dewey Decimal Number, publication year, and ISBN. Book Review Index Online Covering the period from 1965 to the present, this resource indexes book reviews appearing in British and American scholarly and general interest publications. This resource may be searched by keyword, author of book, author of review, title of book, and publication date.

Book Reviews in Retrospective Sources

Nineteenth-Century Masterfile is an electronic index to many resources printed in the nineteenth century. It is especially important for its inclusion of Poole’s Index to Periodical Literature, 1802-1881 which contains book reviews. American Periodical Series and America’s Historical Newspapers are databases which can be searched by keyword. The former provides the full text of many periodicals, and the latter is the equivalent resource for newspapers; both cover the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Book reviews are found in both resources, and may be searched by title of the book, author of the book, or author of review. The following print titles provide a resource for book reviews for the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a period which precedes the introduction of the standard book review indexing tools. Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Humanities Journals, 1802-1974 (Woodbridge, CT: Research Publications, 1982-1984), 10 vols. JFF 96-5182 . Arranged alphabetically by author of the book and supplemented by title index. Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals, 1886-1974 (Arlington, Va.: Carrollton Press, 1979-1982), 15 vols. JFF 96-5151 . Arranged alphabetically by author of the book and supplemented by title index. C.R.I.S.: The Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in History, 1838-1974 (Washington: Carrollton Press, 1977-1978), 11 vols. JFF 94-1576 . Volumes one through four cover world history; volumes five through nine cover United States history, and volumes ten and eleven are author indexes. C.R.I.S.: The Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in Political Science, 1886-1974 (Washington: Carrollton Press, 1977-1978), 8 vols. JLF 86-1799 . Volume one covers international affairs, organizations, international relations, and trade; volume two covers general studies and methodology; volumes three to six cover public administration; and volumes seven and eight are the author index. C.R.I.S.: The Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in Sociology, 1895-1974 (Washington: Carrollton Press, 1978), 6 vols. JLF 86-1798 . Please see CATNYP for the arrangement by sub-discipline for each volume; volume 6 is the author index.

Book Reviews in Contemporary Sources

Many contemporary resources provide book reviews; they are available electronically and may be consulted on the Library’s Selected Electronic Resources page. Please check the description for each resource to determine the years covered as well as the availability of full text as opposed to citations. The following is a select list of these specialized resources. EBSCO Research Databases provide full text or abstract for articles, including book reviews, appearing in scholarly, specialized, and general periodicals. Thousands of periodicals, representing a wide range of disciplines and subjects, are covered. More specialized indexing tools include the following: Access: The Supplementary Index to Periodicals; America: History and Life; Anthropological Literature; Art Full Text; Art Index Retrospective; ATLA Religion Database; Historical Abstracts; Humanities Abstracts; Social Sciences Abstracts; Sociological Abstracts; PsychArticles; PsychInfo. The book reviews indexed in these sources may be accessed by title of book, name of author of book, and name of reviewer .

Selected Internet Sites

• Bookreporter http://www.bookreporter.com/index.asp Book reviews, author profiles and interviews, excerpts, literary games and contests.
• Booksonline http://www.booksonline.co.uk Reviews and book-related articles from the London Telegraph. Published online since 1996.
• H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online http://www2.h-net.msu.edu/reviews/ An international, interdisciplinary consortium of scholars and teachers, H-Net creates and coordinates Internet networks in order to advance teaching and research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Site contains peer-reviewed essays, multimedia materials, and discussions aimed at colleagues and the interested public.
• London Review of Books http://www.lrb.co.uk Website of the bimonthly London Review of Books features an extensive, full-text archive.
• New York Review of Books http://nybooks.com/nyrev/ Contains select full-text articles.
• Salon.com: Books http://www.salon.com/books/index.html Daily book reviews, interviews with writers, and a weekly list of reading recommendations by celebrated authors.

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Consists of a searchable database of reviews issued in the print magazine Choice (Chicago, Ill.) since Sept. 1988. 

Below are some of the major multidisciplinary databases that tend to be the easiest to find book reviews in, usually by allowing you to limit your search to book reviews in the advanced search form. But almost all article databases include book reviews, so you may also want to check some of the article databases specific to your subject . For literary criticism, check the Literature subject guide.

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English and Comparative Literature

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Resources for Finding Reviews

• Biography and Bio-Critical Databases
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• Book Review Index (print) Langsam Reference Z1035.A1 B6 1965-2018

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Book Reviews: Home

For reviews of books published since 1990 try the following databases:.

• Academic Search Premier Academic Search Premier is an interdisciplinary database, covering a broad range of subjects. It contains indexing for 8,172 publications, with full text for nearly 4,700 of those titles.
• Book Review Digest Plus Indexes English-language fiction and non-fiction book reviews. more... less... 1983 - Present. Updated monthly

For reviews of books published prior to 1990 try the following databases:

• Book Review Digest Retrospective Book Review Digest Retrospective provides excerpts from, and citations to, reviews of adult and juvenile fiction and non-fiction. Citations with excerpts of reviews of juvenile and adult fiction and nonfiction in the English language are included. more... less... 1905 -1982
• Readers’ Guide Retrospective The Readers' Guide Retrospective indexes the most popular, general-interest journals and magazines published in the United States from 1890 to 1982.
• Humanities and Social Sciences Retrospective Indexes nearly 1,200 periodicals, as far back as 1907. Citations to more than 1,300,000 articles, including over 240,000 book reviews. Indexes scholarly journals published throughout the 20th century in North America and Europe. In addition to coverage of the humanities and social sciences, the database covers many scientific journals through the 1950's. more... less... 1907 - 1984
• Literature Resource Center Provides access to Biography, bibliographies, and critical analyses of more than 120,000 authors from every age and literary discipline. Includes access to the Scribner Writer's Series and Twayne World, Twayne US, and Twayne English Authors. more... less... Contemporary Authors Online; Contemporary Literary Criticism Select, since vol. 95; Dictionary of Literary Biography Online
• Literary Index Gale's Literary Index is a master index to the major literature series published by The Gale Group. It combines and cross references more than 130,000 author names, including pseudonyms and variant names, and more than 140,000 titles into one source. Gale's Literary Index provides quick and easy access to 40 of our literary series. These series contain complete Biography on authors and critical essays on their writings. Titles Indexed.
• New York Times Historical Full Image from 1851 Searchable full image of every page of the New York Daily Times and New York Times including all advertisements. more... less... 1851-2007 with a year added annually

For literary criticism try these databases:

• MLA Bibliography The MLA International Bibliography, produced by the Modern Language Association of America, consists of bibliographic records pertaining to literature, language, linguistics, and folklore, and includes coverage from 1963 to the present. The MLA International Bibliography provides access to scholarly research in over 3,000 journals and series. It also covers relevant monographs, working papers, proceedings, bibliographies, and other formats.
• ProQuest One Literature ProQuest One Literature contains 3 million literature citations from thousands of journals, monographs, dissertations, and more than 500,000 primary works – including rare and obscure texts, multiple versions, and non-traditional sources like comics, theatre performances, and author readings. Enhanced by interpretive sources such as book reviews and criticism sourced from wider, interdisciplinary publications in the fields such as humanities and history, it provides diverse, global perspectives with sources from all over the world – Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America - the majority of which are in full-text.
• Humanities Full Text H.W. Wilson's Humanities databases cover nearly 400 English language periodicals in the diverse subject areas of the humanities. Among the disciplines included are literature and language, history, philosophy, archaeology, classical studies, folklore, gender studies, performing arts, history, religion and theology.
• Dictionary of Literary Biography Provides more than 16,000 biographical and critical essays on the lives, works, and careers of the world's most influential literary figures from all eras and genres. DLB Complete Online includes the DLB main series, the DLB Documentary Series, and the DLB Yearbook Series. Access is from volume 349 to present. more... less... Volume 349 to present
• Last Updated: Feb 7, 2024 12:27 PM
• URL: https://libguides.furman.edu/resources/book-reviews

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

• Annotated Bibliography
• Analyzing a Scholarly Journal Article
• Group Presentations
• Dealing with Nervousness
• Using Visual Aids
• Grading Someone Else's Paper
• Types of Structured Group Activities
• Group Project Survival Skills
• Leading a Class Discussion
• Multiple Book Review Essay
• Reviewing Collected Works
• Writing a Case Analysis Paper
• Writing a Case Study
• About Informed Consent
• Writing Field Notes
• Writing a Policy Memo
• Writing a Reflective Paper
• Writing a Research Proposal
• Generative AI and Writing
• Acknowledgments

A book review is a thorough description, critical analysis, and/or evaluation of the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, often written in relation to prior research on the topic. Reviews generally range from 500-2000 words, but may be longer or shorter depends on several factors: the length and complexity of the book being reviewed, the overall purpose of the review, and whether the review examines two or more books that focus on the same topic. Professors assign book reviews as practice in carefully analyzing complex scholarly texts and to assess your ability to effectively synthesize research so that you reach an informed perspective about the topic being covered.

There are two general approaches to reviewing a book:

• Descriptive review: Presents the content and structure of a book as objectively as possible, describing essential information about a book's purpose and authority. This is done by stating the perceived aims and purposes of the study, often incorporating passages quoted from the text that highlight key elements of the work. Additionally, there may be some indication of the reading level and anticipated audience.
• Critical review: Describes and evaluates the book in relation to accepted literary and historical standards and supports this evaluation with evidence from the text and, in most cases, in contrast to and in comparison with the research of others. It should include a statement about what the author has tried to do, evaluates how well you believe the author has succeeded in meeting the objectives of the study, and presents evidence to support this assessment. For most course assignments, your professor will want you to write this type of review.

Book Reviews. Writing Center. University of New Hampshire; Book Reviews: How to Write a Book Review. Writing and Style Guides. Libraries. Dalhousie University; Kindle, Peter A. "Teaching Students to Write Book Reviews." Contemporary Rural Social Work 7 (2015): 135-141; Erwin, R. W. “Reviewing Books for Scholarly Journals.” In Writing and Publishing for Academic Authors . Joseph M. Moxley and Todd Taylor. 2 nd edition. (Lanham, MD: Rowan and Littlefield, 1997), pp. 83-90.

How to Approach Writing Your Review

NOTE:   Since most course assignments require that you write a critical rather than descriptive book review, the following information about preparing to write and developing the structure and style of reviews focuses on this approach.

I.  Common Features

While book reviews vary in tone, subject, and style, they share some common features. These include:

• A review gives the reader a concise summary of the content . This includes a description of the research topic and scope of analysis as well as an overview of the book's overall perspective, argument, and purpose.
• A review offers a critical assessment of the content in relation to other studies on the same topic . This involves documenting your reactions to the work under review--what strikes you as noteworthy or important, whether or not the arguments made by the author(s) were effective or persuasive, and how the work enhanced your understanding of the research problem under investigation.
• In addition to analyzing a book's strengths and weaknesses, a scholarly review often recommends whether or not readers would value the work for its authenticity and overall quality . This measure of quality includes both the author's ideas and arguments and covers practical issues, such as, readability and language, organization and layout, indexing, and, if needed, the use of non-textual elements .

To maintain your focus, always keep in mind that most assignments ask you to discuss a book's treatment of its topic, not the topic itself . Your key sentences should say, "This book shows...,” "The study demonstrates...," or “The author argues...," rather than "This happened...” or “This is the case....”

II.  Developing a Critical Assessment Strategy

There is no definitive methodological approach to writing a book review in the social sciences, although it is necessary that you think critically about the research problem under investigation before you begin to write. Therefore, writing a book review is a three-step process: 1) carefully taking notes as you read the text; 2) developing an argument about the value of the work under consideration; and, 3) clearly articulating that argument as you write an organized and well-supported assessment of the work.

A useful strategy in preparing to write a review is to list a set of questions that should be answered as you read the book [remember to note the page numbers so you can refer back to the text!]. The specific questions to ask yourself will depend upon the type of book you are reviewing. For example, a book that is presenting original research about a topic may require a different set of questions to ask yourself than a work where the author is offering a personal critique of an existing policy or issue.

Here are some sample questions that can help you think critically about the book:

• Thesis or Argument . What is the central thesis—or main argument—of the book? If the author wanted you to get one main idea from the book, what would it be? How does it compare or contrast to the world that you know or have experienced? What has the book accomplished? Is the argument clearly stated and does the research support this?
• Topic . What exactly is the subject or topic of the book? Is it clearly articulated? Does the author cover the subject adequately? Does the author cover all aspects of the subject in a balanced fashion? Can you detect any biases? What type of approach has the author adopted to explore the research problem [e.g., topical, analytical, chronological, descriptive]?
• Evidence . How does the author support their argument? What evidence does the author use to prove their point? Is the evidence based on an appropriate application of the method chosen to gather information? Do you find that evidence convincing? Why or why not? Does any of the author's information [or conclusions] conflict with other books you've read, courses you've taken, or just previous assumptions you had about the research problem?
• Structure . How does the author structure their argument? Does it follow a logical order of analysis? What are the parts that make up the whole? Does the argument make sense to you? Does it persuade you? Why or why not?
• Take-aways . How has this book helped you understand the research problem? Would you recommend the book to others? Why or why not?

Beyond the content of the book, you may also consider some information about the author and the general presentation of information. Question to ask may include:

• The Author: Who is the author? The nationality, political persuasion, education, intellectual interests, personal history, and historical context may provide crucial details about how a work takes shape. Does it matter, for example, that the author is affiliated with a particular organization? What difference would it make if the author participated in the events they wrote about? What other topics has the author written about? Does this work build on prior research or does it represent a new or unique area of research?
• The Presentation: What is the book's genre? Out of what discipline does it emerge? Does it conform to or depart from the conventions of its genre? These questions can provide a historical or other contextual standard upon which to base your evaluations. If you are reviewing the first book ever written on the subject, it will be important for your readers to know this. Keep in mind, though, that declarative statements about being the “first,” the "best," or the "only" book of its kind can be a risky unless you're absolutely certain because your professor [presumably] has a much better understanding of the overall research literature.

NOTE: Most critical book reviews examine a topic in relation to prior research. A good strategy for identifying this prior research is to examine sources the author(s) cited in the chapters introducing the research problem and, of course, any review of the literature. However, you should not assume that the author's references to prior research is authoritative or complete. If any works related to the topic have been excluded, your assessment of the book should note this . Be sure to consult with a librarian to ensure that any additional studies are located beyond what has been cited by the author(s).

Book Reviews. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Book Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Hartley, James. "Reading and Writing Book Reviews Across the Disciplines." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (July 2006): 1194–1207;   Motta-Roth, D. “Discourse Analysis and Academic Book Reviews: A Study of Text and Disciplinary Cultures.”  In Genre Studies in English for Academic Purposes . Fortanet Gómez, Inmaculada  et  al., editors. (Castellò de la Plana: Publicacions de la Universitat Jaume I, 1998), pp. 29-45. Writing a Book Review. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Book Reviews. Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University; Suárez, Lorena and Ana I. Moreno. “The Rhetorical Structure of Academic Journal Book Reviews: A Cross-linguistic and Cross-disciplinary Approach .” In Asociación Europea de Lenguas para Fines Específicos, María del Carmen Pérez Llantada Auría, Ramón Plo Alastrué, and Claus Peter Neumann. Actas del V Congreso Internacional AELFE/Proceedings of the 5th International AELFE Conference . Zaragoza: Universidad de Zaragoza, 2006.

Structure and Writing Style

I.  Bibliographic Information

Bibliographic information refers to the essential elements of a work if you were to cite it in a paper [i.e., author, title, date of publication, etc.]. Provide the essential information about the book using the writing style [e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago] preferred by your professor or used by the discipline of your major . Depending on how your professor wants you to organize your review, the bibliographic information represents the heading of your review. In general, it would look like this:

[Complete title of book. Author or authors. Place of publication. Publisher. Date of publication. Number of pages before first chapter, often in Roman numerals. Total number of pages]. The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party's Revolution and the Battle over American History . By Jill Lepore. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010. xii, 207 pp.)

Reviewed by [your full name].

II.  Scope/Purpose/Content

Begin your review by telling the reader not only the overarching concern of the book in its entirety [the subject area] but also what the author's particular point of view is on that subject [the thesis statement]. If you cannot find an adequate statement in the author's own words or if you find that the thesis statement is not well-developed, then you will have to compose your own introductory thesis statement that does cover all the material. This statement should be no more than one paragraph and must be succinctly stated, accurate, and unbiased.

If you find it difficult to discern the overall aims and objectives of the book [and, be sure to point this out in your review if you determine that this is a deficiency], you may arrive at an understanding of the book's overall purpose by assessing the following:

• Scan the table of contents because it can help you understand how the book was organized and will aid in determining the author's main ideas and how they were developed [e.g., chronologically, topically, historically, etc.].
• Why did the author write on this subject rather than on some other subject?
• From what point of view is the work written?
• Was the author trying to give information, to explain something technical, or to convince the reader of a belief’s validity by dramatizing it in action?
• What is the general field or genre, and how does the book fit into it? If necessary, review related literature from other books and journal articles to familiarize yourself with the field.
• Who is the intended audience?
• What is the author's style? Is it formal or informal? You can evaluate the quality of the writing style by noting some of the following standards: coherence, clarity, originality, forcefulness, accurate use of technical words, conciseness, fullness of development, and fluidity [i.e., quality of the narrative flow].
• How did the book affect you? Were there any prior assumptions you had about the subject that were changed, abandoned, or reinforced after reading the book? How is the book related to your own personal beliefs or assumptions? What personal experiences have you had related to the subject that affirm or challenge underlying assumptions?
• How well has the book achieved the goal(s) set forth in the preface, introduction, and/or foreword?
• Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

III.  Note the Method

Support your remarks with specific references to text and quotations that help to illustrate the literary method used to state the research problem, describe the research design, and analyze the findings. In general, authors tend to use the following literary methods, exclusively or in combination.

• Description : The author depicts scenes and events by giving specific details that appeal to the five senses, or to the reader’s imagination. The description presents background and setting. Its primary purpose is to help the reader realize, through as many details as possible, the way persons, places, and things are situated within the phenomenon being described.
• Narration : The author tells the story of a series of events, usually thematically or in chronological order. In general, the emphasis in scholarly books is on narration of the events. Narration tells what has happened and, in some cases, using this method to forecast what could happen in the future. Its primary purpose is to draw the reader into a story and create a contextual framework for understanding the research problem.
• Exposition : The author uses explanation and analysis to present a subject or to clarify an idea. Exposition presents the facts about a subject or an issue clearly and as impartially as possible. Its primary purpose is to describe and explain, to document for the historical record an event or phenomenon.
• Argument : The author uses techniques of persuasion to establish understanding of a particular truth, often in the form of addressing a research question, or to convince the reader of its falsity. The overall aim is to persuade the reader to believe something and perhaps to act on that belief. Argument takes sides on an issue and aims to convince the reader that the author's position is valid, logical, and/or reasonable.

IV.  Critically Evaluate the Contents

Critical comments should form the bulk of your book review . State whether or not you feel the author's treatment of the subject matter is appropriate for the intended audience. Ask yourself:

• Has the purpose of the book been achieved?
• What contributions does the book make to the field?
• Is the treatment of the subject matter objective or at least balanced in describing all sides of a debate?
• Are there facts and evidence that have been omitted?
• What kinds of data, if any, are used to support the author's thesis statement?
• Can the same data be interpreted to explain alternate outcomes?
• Is the writing style clear and effective?
• Does the book raise important or provocative issues or topics for discussion?
• Does the book bring attention to the need for further research?
• What has been left out?

Support your evaluation with evidence from the text and, when possible, state the book's quality in relation to other scholarly sources. If relevant, note of the book's format, such as, layout, binding, typography, etc. Are there tables, charts, maps, illustrations, text boxes, photographs, or other non-textual elements? Do they aid in understanding the text? Describing this is particularly important in books that contain a lot of non-textual elements.

NOTE:   It is important to carefully distinguish your views from those of the author so as not to confuse your reader. Be clear when you are describing an author's point of view versus expressing your own.

V.  Examine the Front Matter and Back Matter

Front matter refers to any content before the first chapter of the book. Back matter refers to any information included after the final chapter of the book . Front matter is most often numbered separately from the rest of the text in lower case Roman numerals [i.e. i - xi ]. Critical commentary about front or back matter is generally only necessary if you believe there is something that diminishes the overall quality of the work [e.g., the indexing is poor] or there is something that is particularly helpful in understanding the book's contents [e.g., foreword places the book in an important context].

Front matter that may be considered for evaluation when reviewing its overall quality:

• Table of contents -- is it clear? Is it detailed or general? Does it reflect the true contents of the book? Does it help in understanding a logical sequence of content?
• Author biography -- also found as back matter, the biography of author(s) can be useful in determining the authority of the writer and whether the book builds on prior research or represents new research. In scholarly reviews, noting the author's affiliation and prior publications can be a factor in helping the reader determine the overall validity of the work [i.e., are they associated with a research center devoted to studying the problem under investigation].
• Foreword -- the purpose of a foreword is to introduce the reader to the author and the content of the book, and to help establish credibility for both. A foreword may not contribute any additional information about the book's subject matter, but rather, serves as a means of validating the book's existence. In these cases, the foreword is often written by a leading scholar or expert who endorses the book's contributions to advancing research about the topic. Later editions of a book sometimes have a new foreword prepended [appearing before an older foreword, if there was one], which may be included to explain how the latest edition differs from previous editions. These are most often written by the author.
• Acknowledgements -- scholarly studies in the social sciences often take many years to write, so authors frequently acknowledge the help and support of others in getting their research published. This can be as innocuous as acknowledging the author's family or the publisher. However, an author may acknowledge prominent scholars or subject experts, staff at key research centers, people who curate important archival collections, or organizations that funded the research. In these particular cases, it may be worth noting these sources of support in your review, particularly if the funding organization is biased or its mission is to promote a particular agenda.
• Preface -- generally describes the genesis, purpose, limitations, and scope of the book and may include acknowledgments of indebtedness to people who have helped the author complete the study. Is the preface helpful in understanding the study? Does it provide an effective framework for understanding what's to follow?
• Chronology -- also may be found as back matter, a chronology is generally included to highlight key events related to the subject of the book. Do the entries contribute to the overall work? Is it detailed or very general?
• List of non-textual elements -- a book that contains numerous charts, photographs, maps, tables, etc. will often list these items after the table of contents in the order that they appear in the text. Is this useful?

Back matter that may be considered for evaluation when reviewing its overall quality:

• Afterword -- this is a short, reflective piece written by the author that takes the form of a concluding section, final commentary, or closing statement. It is worth mentioning in a review if it contributes information about the purpose of the book, gives a call to action, summarizes key recommendations or next steps, or asks the reader to consider key points made in the book.
• Appendix -- is the supplementary material in the appendix or appendices well organized? Do they relate to the contents or appear superfluous? Does it contain any essential information that would have been more appropriately integrated into the text?
• Index -- are there separate indexes for names and subjects or one integrated index. Is the indexing thorough and accurate? Are elements used, such as, bold or italic fonts to help identify specific places in the book? Does the index include "see also" references to direct you to related topics?
• Glossary of Terms -- are the definitions clearly written? Is the glossary comprehensive or are there key terms missing? Are any terms or concepts mentioned in the text not included that should have been?
• Endnotes -- examine any endnotes as you read from chapter to chapter. Do they provide important additional information? Do they clarify or extend points made in the body of the text? Should any notes have been better integrated into the text rather than separated? Do the same if the author uses footnotes.
• Bibliography/References/Further Readings -- review any bibliography, list of references to sources, and/or further readings the author may have included. What kinds of sources appear [e.g., primary or secondary, recent or old, scholarly or popular, etc.]? How does the author make use of them? Be sure to note important omissions of sources that you believe should have been utilized, including important digital resources or archival collections.

VI.  Summarize and Comment

State your general conclusions briefly and succinctly. Pay particular attention to the author's concluding chapter and/or afterword. Is the summary convincing? List the principal topics, and briefly summarize the author’s ideas about these topics, main points, and conclusions. If appropriate and to help clarify your overall evaluation, use specific references to text and quotations to support your statements. If your thesis has been well argued, the conclusion should follow naturally. It can include a final assessment or simply restate your thesis. Do not introduce new information in the conclusion. If you've compared the book to any other works or used other sources in writing the review, be sure to cite them at the end of your book review in the same writing style as your bibliographic heading of the book.

Book Reviews. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Book Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Gastel, Barbara. "Special Books Section: A Strategy for Reviewing Books for Journals." BioScience 41 (October 1991): 635-637; Hartley, James. "Reading and Writing Book Reviews Across the Disciplines." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (July 2006): 1194–1207; Lee, Alexander D., Bart N. Green, Claire D. Johnson, and Julie Nyquist. "How to Write a Scholarly Book Review for Publication in a Peer-reviewed Journal: A Review of the Literature." Journal of Chiropractic Education 24 (2010): 57-69; Nicolaisen, Jeppe. "The Scholarliness of Published Peer Reviews: A Bibliometric Study of Book Reviews in Selected Social Science Fields." Research Evaluation 11 (2002): 129-140;.Procter, Margaret. The Book Review or Article Critique. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Reading a Book to Review It. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Scarnecchia, David L. "Writing Book Reviews for the Journal Of Range Management and Rangelands." Rangeland Ecology and Management 57 (2004): 418-421; Simon, Linda. "The Pleasures of Book Reviewing." Journal of Scholarly Publishing 27 (1996): 240-241; Writing a Book Review. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Book Reviews. Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University.

Writing Tip

Always Read the Foreword and/or the Preface

If they are included in the front matter, a good place for understanding a book's overall purpose, organization, contributions to further understanding of the research problem, and relationship to other studies is to read the preface and the foreword. The foreword may be written by someone other than the author or editor and can be a person who is famous or who has name recognition within the discipline. A foreword is often included to add credibility to the work.

The preface is usually an introductory essay written by the author or editor. It is intended to describe the book's overall purpose, arrangement, scope, and overall contributions to the literature. When reviewing the book, it can be useful to critically evaluate whether the goals set forth in the foreword and/or preface were actually achieved. At the very least, they can establish a foundation for understanding a study's scope and purpose as well as its significance in contributing new knowledge.

Distinguishing between a Foreword, a Preface, and an Introduction . Book Creation Learning Center. Greenleaf Book Group, 2019.

Locating Book Reviews

There are several databases the USC Libraries subscribes to that include the full-text or citations to book reviews. Short, descriptive reviews can also be found at book-related online sites such as Amazon , although it's not always obvious who has written them and may actually be created by the publisher. The following databases provide comprehensive access to scholarly, full-text book reviews:

• ProQuest [1983-present]
• Book Review Digest Retrospective [1905-1982]

Some Language for Evaluating Texts

It can be challenging to find the proper vocabulary from which to discuss and evaluate a book. Here is a list of some active verbs for referring to texts and ideas that you might find useful:

• account for
• demonstrate
• distinguish
• investigate

Examples of usage

• "The evidence indicates that..."
• "This work assesses the effect of..."
• "The author identifies three key reasons for..."
• "This book questions the view that..."
• "This work challenges assumptions about...."

Paquot, Magali. Academic Keyword List. Centre for English Corpus Linguistics. Université Catholique de Louvain.

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New York Design Week 2024: The Best New Launches From NYCxDesign and Beyond

By Adrian Madlener

The seemingly endless lineup of events for NYCxDesign , or New York Design Week 2024, wrapped last week, marking a marathon event celebrating the city’s ever-evolving local scene and the global industry at large.

Though smaller in scope than April’s Milan Design Week , New York’s contribution to the global events calendar was as jam-packed as it was varied. Blending in with Frieze Week early in May and several activations mounted during TEFAF the following week, visitors found themselves buzzing around town for an impressive 23 days.

Across the board, design talents revealed that they’re playing with decorative motifs and looking to revive tried and true techniques, perhaps as a way of shaking off the shackles of clean-lined modernism. Referencing a world undergoing multiple crises, designers time and again shared their desires to infuse a bit of levity and whimsy into their news works.

Below, discover the product launches, buzzy exhibitions, and notable grand openings that defined New York Design Week 2024.

Product Launches

Salon collection by Athena Calderone for Beni Rugs

Trend to Watch

Celebrated luxury lighting brand Apparatus mounted its widely anticipated party to debut its latest Red Room installation and the extension of its Cylinder collection. The immersive space left no doubts: Romantic yet restrained Art Deco–inspired interiors are all the rage right now. Echoing the sentiment was designer Athena Calderone’s Tribeca loft, the former home of legendary interior designer Thierry Despont, which served as the perfect backdrop for her equally moderne Salon collection developed with Beni Rugs. And Sunfish ’s spring collection, an era- and location-spanning investigation of techniques and design movements, teased at the Art Deco trend with shino-glaze and handcrafted tile-clad tables and wood-framed screens with stylized depictions of birds.

Spring collection by Sunfish

Emphasizing the latest color trends—and nodding to an Art Deco palette—Australian lighting brand Articolo revealed its foray into furniture with the minimalistic yet slightly ornamental Accents of Oxblood, Rolo collection. Meanwhile, accessible molded plastic furniture brand Heller collaborated with Brooklyn studio Jumbo on a reversible armchair inspired by the folded form of a fortune cookie. Like with Articolo’s Rolo collection, this series stands out for its carefully selected colorways.

At Verso’s flagship space in Tribeca, conceptually driven talent Gregory Beson showcased his human-movement-inspired Dark Benches series—exploring what he calls the “choreography of our daily rituals.” And the sinuous lines continued at John Pomp’s NYDC showroom, where the Philadelphia-based metal maverick debuted the Monolith collection. Evoking the conditions of natural formation, large slabs of glass sit atop weathered metal bases.

Fortune chair by Jumbo for Heller

Dark Benches series by Gregory Beson

Highlights at ICFF/Wanted included Juntos Project’s Shadow Play collection—masterfully honed and colored wood furniture that plays on visual perception and depth. While Indo-Made debuted the Durbar console table, inspired by the architecture of historic Indian buildings, Simon Johns revealed his Future Fossils furnishing series—incorporating highly textured stone and glass in expressive yet still functional applications. With a shared focus on material exploration, the Rhode Island School of Design showcased student work in a group showcase entitled Material Opulence .

Across the East River, while the design shops along Atlantic Avenue were abuzz, established experimental duo Chen Chen and Kai Williams debuted their South Slope studio, as well as the site-response The Sacred Tree collection of luminaires, tables, and chairs. Inspired by natural cycles, the various pieces incorporate skeletal structures and cross sectioned walnuts.

Juntos Project’s Shadow Play collection

31 Days series by Dumais Made

Embossed clay was the canvas of choice for Dumais Made this season. The Connecticut-based studio mounted the especially self-reflective 31 Days retrospective punctuated by its deeply motiffed ceramic lamps. Los Angeles–based talent Analuisa Corrigan revealed a similar exploration—combining ceramics and textiles in lamp concept with the A Better Place to Be solo show at Brooklyn’s Picture Room Gallery .

Other unconventional lighting designs include noted glass designer Lindsey Adelman’s A Realm of Light oil luminaires at Tribeca gallery Tiwa . Online sales and editorial platform Leibal showcased Hank Beyer and Alex Sizemore ’s Berea Sandstone Lamps, pieces produced using offcuts from a stone quarry in Ohio. Sharing a SoHo showroom space with Swedish rug brand Kasthall , New York heavyweight designer David Weeks made his return with the MacGyver-esque Scopo mobile light, imagined while in residency at the American Academy in Rome and using readily available art supplies.

Lindsey Adelman’s A Realm of Light oil luminaires

Petra Hardware

This year, designers really leaned into accessories—mediums that seem to be providing designers the chance to experiment with aesthetics without the risks and constraints that come with producing work on a larger scale. Like Chen Chen and Kai Williams, noted ceramicist Ellen Pong has also been experimenting with the age-old technique of inlaid tabletop ornamentation. Stemming from that exploration, she teamed up with Superhouse and Swedish manufacturer Hem to launch the Intrusive Thought mirror collection, also incorporating relief ceramic tiles as breaks in the reflective surfaces.

Or take Mike Ruiz Serra , who presented his Serra Hardware collection at Lower East Side boutique Colbo . Forged in iron, the crudely textured components render in playful and corporeal forms like faces and stars. Meanwhile, Sight Unseen cofounder Monica Khemsurov launched the Petra Hardware brand by showcasing the widely format-defying handles and pulls on bespoke furnishing conceived by several of the moment talents like Steven Bukowski, Alexis and Ginger, and Luke Malaney. The various products resemble everything from sneakers to distilled plants while riffing on scale and function.

Grand Openings

Inside Quarters, the new concept space from In Common With

Major contract manufacturers like Poltrona Frau —which opened a new Michele de Lucchi–designed flagship—took over what is now being defined as a new Little Italy of design sorts in the Nomad neighborhood. Nestled near Poliform, Molteni&C, fellow neighborhood newbie Flos B&B Italia Group , and other European companies, this reinvigorated concentration of showrooms captured an audience coming out of ICFF/ Wanted at the nearby Javits Center.

Let Them Eat Off the Plate dinner hosted by Superhouse

For collectible galleries and boutique brands, Tribeca is the place to be. Design co-op Colony moved into its expanded space on West Broadway just in time for New York Design Week 2024. But perhaps the most talked about soiree of design month was the opening party of Quarters , the 8,000-square-foot gallery, boutique, event space, and wine bar brainchild of In Common With . There wasn’t a seat on the vintage Bellinis to score, as design folks packed the concept space—home to collaborations with Sophie Lou Jacobsen, Danny Kaplan, and Simone Bodmer-Turner.

That wasn’t the only event that went into the wee hours. Maverick gallery Superhouse , which recently moved into Tribeca as well, teamed up with designer Caleb Engstrom to host the Let Them Eat Off the Plate seated desert and wine pairing. Guests ate off of over 50 distinctly designed plates before the gallery turned into a late-night party venue.

Exhibitions

For New York gallery junkies, TEFAF was just the beginning of can’t-miss exhibitions this month. Emerging Brooklyn talents Micah Rosenblatt and Mark Malecki each made their mark with shows at up-and-coming galleries. While Rosenblatt’s solo show at The Front revealed a 16-piece sculptural collection responding to New York’s architectural history, Malecki’s Pith Portcullis light—a mix of amorphous and rigid industrial materials—at IRL Gallery.

Prada Home collection at Artemest

Among its Spring showcases, Chelsea gallery Les Ateliers Courbet showcased the work of Japanese master woodworker Shuji Nakagawa . Translating age-old techniques in new applications, the Marquetry collection comprises everything from bowl to ball-like settees. For his solo show at Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Polish talent Marcin Rusak applied his proprietary flower-frozen-in-resin technique to a roughly hewn vase. And there was no question that spring had arrived in the verdant garden at Artemest , where the Prada Home collection was on display for the first time in a gallery setting alongside the Italian purveyor’s enviable Spring Edit.

The Lamp Show by Head Hi

Meanwhile, in Tribeca, Becky Carter and Wallpaper Projects took over the new multipurpose venue 102 Franklin for the Family Style tablescape exhibition, which included works by a wide roster of local talents. The space was then turned over to Brooklyn architecture bookstore and cultural platform Head Hi , which mounted its annual Lamp Show and to impressive effect.

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By Alia Akkam

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