The science and art of critical evaluation: with special

reference to book reviews

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Prepared by: Meenu choudharyAssiatant Professor S.G.T.B. College of Education, khankot, AmritsarPublished on : 31, August, 2015

Contents

• Significance of book reviewing• What is a book review?• Information format of a

book• Composition of a book

review

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• Characteristics of a good book review• Characteristics of a bad

book review• Publication of a book

review

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Objectives• To sharpen our

analytical skills• To practice disciplined

writing• To learn the art and

craft of writing a book review

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Importance for teachers

• Teachers are already informally reviewing books all the time

• A stimulating intellectual exercise

• Teachers are authors also • To increase the skills of

analysis and disciplined writing

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What is a book review?

• A book review, in simple words, is a critical evaluation of a book

• It is a creative exercise• No rigid rules of writing a

book review. • But there is a standard

format…continued

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…continued

• There is no single style of writing a book review. It can be

-A simple report -A personal opinion -An expert’s literary piece

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Who can be a reviewer?

• Any well informed person with interest in books, good writing skills and expertise in a subject can become a book reviewer.

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Role of book reviews

• Inform• Generate interest• Feedback

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“Reviewer is a mere taster, who tastes and says by the evidence of such palate, such tongue as he has got, this is good and this is bad.”

- Thomas Carlyle

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• “One great use of a review is to make men wise in ten pages- who have no appetite for a hundred pages, to condense to nourishment, to work with pulp and essence and to guard the stomach from idle burden and unmeaning bulk.”

-Sydney Smith

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• “Certain travelers of the eleventh century relate that they saw a lofty tree, which from its immense extent of foliage, collected all vapours of the atmosphere, to discharge them when its branches were shaken in a shower of pure and refreshing water. Author is like this tree and mission of a reviewer should be to shake the branches.”

• - Mazzini

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Information format

• Title of the book, edition, name of the author, publisher, place of publication, year of publication, pages, price.

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For example

• India’s Glorious Scientific Tradition,

First Edition, Naresh Bansal, Standard Publishers, Delhi,

2002, 300 pages, Rs. 70.

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Composition

• Introduction• Historical

Section• Criticism

proper

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Introduction• Attractive• Quotation• Interesting aspect of the

book

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Historical section

• About the author• Need to know about the

author • Occupation/ career• Experience/ background• Interests• Previous writings

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Criticism proper

• Actual plot, theme, topic• Author’s point of view• Treatment of the theme/

plot

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• Other features of the book (Diagram, numericals, tables, references, index, graphs etc.)

• Physical features of the book• Comments on style, language• Appreciation/ criticism/

disagreement

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Other Aspects• Suitability to the target

readers• Age group/ purchasing

power• Relevance/ permanent

worth• Comparative significance• Newness• Plagiarism/originality

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…..continued

• Tone• Poised/balance• Restrained/limited• Sophisticated/excellence• Not violent/accusing/ quarrelsome

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•

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• Objectivity/ subjectivity

“Reviewer is a mere taster, who, tastes and says by the evidence of such palate such tongue, as he or she has got, this is good and this is bad.”- Thomas Carlyle

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A good book review

• Unbiased• Sincere/ honest• Does not impose ideology• Judges on the merit of the

book alone

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….continued

• Subtle/quality• Sensitive to the written

word/ writing process• Points out short comings

with proof

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A bad book review

• Reviews without going through the book

• Pretends to be wiser than the author

• Unnecessarily aggressive

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…continued

• Lopsided/ unbalanced• Finds faults only• Vengeful

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Publication

• Publisher/ author News papers Book review editor Book reviewer Published in newspapers

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• Significant work Professional journals Experts Commissioned reviews Published in professional

journals

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Book reviewer

• A bridge between the author and the reader

• A quality regulator• Upholds values• Enhances love for books• Spreads academic culture

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“Neither praise nor blame is the object of criticism, justly to

discriminate, firmly to establish, wisely to prescribe honestly to

award is the true aim and duties of criticism.”

-Simms

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• With so many books being published in so many news papers, journals, magazines there is a need for expert book reviewers who are good in their subjects as well as good in writing.

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Happy book reviewing !!!

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