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Book reviews are sometimes used on undergraduate courses, and frequently appear in academic journals. This page considers what a book review is , how to structure one , and provides some language for writing a book review .
A book review describes and critically evaluates a (usually recent) book. Like any kind of review, for example a review of a film or television programme, it will offer a description of the main points, consider the strengths and weaknesses, and give an overall evaluation, in order to allow the reader to decide whether or not it will be of interest to them and therefore a good investment of their time and money. Book reviews are sometimes used as assignments on undergraduate courses, and are a common component of academic journals. They are typically short pieces of work, around 500-750 words in length. They may sometimes be shorter or longer, but will rarely exceed 1000 words. A book review should not be confused with a book report, which is a relatively short and purely descriptive assignment, common in high school (rather than university) courses.
A book review will usually begin with bibliographic information . This means details such as the name of the book, the name(s) of the author(s), and the publisher. Other details may be helpful, for example date and place of publication, format, edition, number of pages, price and ISBN.
The text of the review should begin with an introduction . As the review will be fairly brief, it is common to begin with an anecdote or quotation which captures the main idea of the book. The introduction will identify the author and title, specify the type of book, and state the book's subject matter. Further background detail to place the book in context may be given, for example previous work by the author in the same field, prior work by other writers in the same field, or information about the book series (if the book is part of a series). The thesis of the book, i.e. its specific contribution, may also be given, along with your own thesis, i.e. your initial appraisal of the work and key observations.
The main body of the review will provide description and critical evaluation of the text. These may be dealt with separately, with description first and evaluation next, or in combination. Although the evaluation is the more important part, the description may still take up half or two thirds of the content of the main body, in order to lay the foundation for the evaluation.
The description of the text will summarise the book. Evidence from the book, such as quotations, may be used to support the points. This part might give information on the following areas, which can later be used as criteria for evaluating the book:
The critical evaluation will present your reaction to the book. You might compare it to other (similar) books in the field, and consider its relative strengths and weaknesses. In this part you may respond to the areas above by considering key questions, as follows, to further highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the book.
Finally, there should be a conclusion to the book review. This will sum up your thoughts on the book. This means summarising the book's strengths and weaknesses, indicating whether this is a useful book, whether it will make a lasting contribution to its field, whether you recommend it, and who will benefit from reading it.
Note that the above is the structure for a book review for a non-fiction work, which is the most common kind of review for university study. For a work of fiction, a similar approach can be used, though in place of the points for argument and sources, you would consider setting, plot, characters, use of language and voice when describing the book, and consider how effective each of these elements are when evaluating it.
It is important is to make sure that your views are distinct from the author's. This can be done by using the author's name, or referring to 'The author' or 'The book'.
The following phrases might be useful for summarising the contents of the book.
The following phrases can be used to highlight weaknesses.
The following phrases can be used to indicate a suitable audience for the book.
The following adjectives can be used to give a positive review (negatives of these can be used for a negative review).
An example book review, as well as exercises for book reviews, can be found in the book Academic Writing Genres: Essays, Reports & Other Genres , part of the EAP Foundation series of books. You can use the form below to download a sample of the book .
Like the website? Try the books. Enter your email to receive a free sample from Academic Writing Genres .
Below is a checklist for book reviews. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.
Essential details are given, e.g. name of book, author, publisher, date/place of publication, format, edition, number of pages, price, ISBN. | |||
There is an interesting beginning (e.g. anecdote or quotation). | |||
The introduction identifies the author, title, and type of book. | |||
The introduction states what the book is about. | |||
Background is given, e.g. previous work by the author or others in the same field, information about the book series (if part of a series). | |||
The thesis of the book is given, i.e. its specific contribution. | |||
Your thesis is given, i.e. your initial appraisal of the work and key observations. | |||
There is a description of key areas, e.g. summary of content, author's purpose, intended audience, arguments, sources, organisation and layout. | |||
Quotations are used as evidence. | |||
There is critical evaluation of key areas, e.g. content (is everything included?), purpose (is it achieved?), audience (is it suitable?), arguments (are they valid?), evidence (is it strong?), organisation and layout (it is logical and clear?). | |||
Strengths and weaknesses are given. | |||
There is a summary of the book's strengths and weaknesses. | |||
There is an indication of whether the book is useful or makes a lasting contribution. | |||
The conclusion states whether you recommend the book, and what audience it suits. |
Find out more about research proposals in the next section.
Go back to the previous section about literature reviews .
Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 27 December 2022.
Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .
Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.
Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).
Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.
Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).
Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.
Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.
A book review is a form of literary criticism in which a book is analyzed based on content, style, and merit. It can be a primary source opinion piece, summary review or scholarly review. Books can be reviewed for printed periodicals, magazines and newspapers, as school work, or for book web sites on the internet. A book review's length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay . Such a review may evaluate the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers may use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or non-fiction work. ( Wikipedia.org )
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🔗 references, ❓ what is a book review.
A book review is a form of literary criticism. There are several important elements to consider when writing one, such as the author’s style and themes of interest. The two most popular types are short summary reviews and critical reviews, which are longer.
The format of a book review depends on the purpose of your writing. A short summary review will not include any in-depth analysis. It’s merely a descriptive piece of writing that overviews key information about the book and its author. An effective summary review consists of:
A critical book review is much longer than its summary counterpart and looks more like an analytical essay. You may be asked to write one as a college student. It includes:
Check out the book review outline template below to learn more about structuring your paper.
Introduction
The introduction of a book review should include some background information and your thesis statement.
Brief book summary
A brief summary should provide an outline of the book’s main ideas or events.
Critical review
A critical review should focus on your evaluation of the author’s approach to writing about a particular issue.
The conclusion of a book review should finish with your personal assessment of the work.
We have prepared for you a book review outline example on Looking for Alaska by John Green. Check it out:
Here are several practical tips that can aid you in formatting your book review:
The structure of a book review is like any other essay. That said, the process of writing one has its own idiosyncrasies. So, before moving to the three parts of the review (introduction, main body, and conclusion), you should study the chosen piece and make enough notes to work with.
Being interested in a book you’re about to analyze is one thing. Reading it deeply is quite another.
Before you even dive into the text proper, think about what you already know about the book. Then, study the table of contents and make some predictions. What’s your first impression?
Now, it’s time to read it! Don’t take this step lightly. Keep a note log throughout the reading process and stop after each chapter to jot down a quick summary. If you find any particular point of interest along the way and feel you might want to discuss it in the review, highlight it to make it easier to find when you go back through the text. If you happen to have a digital copy, you can even use a shorten essay generator and save yourself some time.
Answering the following questions can also help you with this process.
❓ | How does the book compare to others you might have read or heard about on the same subject? |
❓ | Did it meet your expectations? |
❓ | How clear are the ? |
❓ | To what would the target audience pay more attention? |
A solid outline should be the foundation of any worthy book review. It includes the key points you want to address and gives you a place to start from (and refer back to) throughout the writing process.
You are expected to produce at least five paragraphs if you want your review to look professional, including an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion .
While analyzing your notes , consider the questions below.
❓ | What’s the book’s theme? How well can you understand it? |
❓ | How engaging is the plot? Was there ever a point where you felt like putting the book down? |
❓ | How effective is the author’s writing technique? Can you read anything between the lines? |
❓ | Are the characters well-developed? Is their behavior logical? |
❓ | Is the book worth recommending to others? How can you tell that it’s good? |
❓ | What could be improved? Here’s your chance to criticize the author. |
With a layout firmly in place, it’s time to start writing your introduction. This process should be straightforward: mention the name of the book and its author and specify your first impression. The last sentence should always be your thesis statement, which summarizes your review’s thrust and critical findings.
Include at least three main ideas you wish to highlight. These can be about the writing style, themes, character, or plot. Be sure to support your arguments with evidence in the form of direct quotes (at least one per paragraph). Don’t be afraid to paraphrase the sentences that feel off. It’s better to aknowledge the mistakes yourself than have someone else point them out.
Compose a brief summary of everything you wrote about in the main body. You should also paraphrase your thesis statement . For your closing sentence, comment on the value of the book. Perhaps it served as a source of useful insight, or you just appreciate the author’s intention to shed light on a particular issue.
Now you know how to write a book review. But if you need some more inspiration, check out the following sample review, which follows the basic outline described above.
Mary Shelley’s is a perennial classic and has been translated into many languages. Few know, however, that it came into existence thanks to a contest that Shelley and her friends organized to entertain themselves. In addition to setting the stage for much horror fiction to follow, the book highlights timeless themes of revenge, prejudice, and excessive ambitions. | |
Victor Frankenstein becomes deeply obsessed with the idea of conquering the power of nature. So intent is he on knowing the secret of life that he distances himself from society until he finally succeeds. Only when he sees the Monster he has created does he realize the magnitude of his mistake: “I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished.”The abandoned Monster’s tragic fate appears to be much more complicated than it seems at first glance. He despises the whole world for rejecting him and seeks revenge against his creator. Such feelings become his sense of life: “revenge, henceforth dearer than the light of food.” Thus, a vicious cycle of hate is set in motion as Victor chases the Monster to exact revenge on him for killing his family.Despite his fearsome appearance, the Monster is gentle and kind inside. But he knows that humans are naturally biased and will always judge his exterior: “All men hate the wretched.” There is a hidden irony in the fact that the Monster decides to act the part of the dangerous creature people take him to be. | |
The themes of are still relevant in today’s world. We continue to be overly ambitious, judging every book by its cover against unreachable ideals of beauty and success. But our failure to forgive and empathize with others creates a chain of hate and revenge that is hard to break. Through the moral lessons of her fiction, Mary Shelley managed to show us that the horrors of real life are even darker than those on the printed page. |
If you want more examples, check out the list below!
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I need a seven page Book report on Booker T. Washington. Instructions below from instructor title, your name, and then seven paragraphs and seven pages – no more no less.
get rid of the outline format.
They combine your ideas into seven paragraphs.
Each paragraph that has quotes should have a topic sentence followed by the five sentences with quotes and endnotes, followed by the concluding sentence.
You do not need any quotes in the introduction or in the summary.
So seven paragraphs total.
Each paragraph needs to be 13 – 17 lines, lines on a page and not sentences.
So, delete the outline format.
Combine your ideas into seven paragraphs.
Make sure that each paragraph has between 13–17 lines.
And make sure your overall length is in seven pages, no more no less.
A multiple book essay involves writing a review of two or generally no more than six books that cover the same overall subject area [e.g., analysis of European debt crisis] or that are related to each other in a particular way [e.g., applying grounded theory methods to study student access to education]. The reviews are written in the form of a short scholarly paper [essay] rather than as a descriptive review of the books. The purpose is to compare and contrast the works under review, identifying key themes and critical issues and assessing each writer's contributions to understanding the general topics discussed in each book. Professors assign reviews of multiple books to help students gain experience in evaluating the ways in which different researchers examine and interpret issues related to a specific research problem.
Developing an Assessment Strategy
As with reviewing a work of collected essays, you must think critically about the research problem under study by multiple authors before you begin writing. The challenge is to develop an argument about each book you are reviewing and then clearly compare, contrast, and ultimately sythesize the themes into an well organized and well supported essay.
Think of a multiple book review essay as a type of compare and contrast paper similar to what you may have written for a general issue-oriented composition class . As you read through each book, write down the following questions and answer them as you read [remember to note the page numbers and from which book you got the information from so you can refer back it later!]. Which questions are most useful will depend upon the type of books you are reviewing and how they are related to each other.
Here are a series of questions to focus your thinking:
Beyond the content of the book, you may also consider some information about the author and the circumstances of the text's production:
Bazerman, Charles. Comparing and Synthesizing Sources . The Informed Writer: Using Sources in the Disciplines. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Comparing and Contrasting . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Comparison and Contrast Essays. Writing Support Centre. University of Western Ontario; Walk, Kerry. How to Write a Compare-and-Contrast Paper. Writing Center. Princeton Writing Program; Rhetorical Strategies: Comparison and Contrast . The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Visvis, Vikki and Jerry Plotnick; Writing a Compare/Contrast Essay. The Comparative Essay. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Writing a Compare/Contrast Essay . CLRC Writing Center. Santa Barbara City College.
I. Bibliographic Information
Provide the essential information about each book using the writing style asked for by your professor [e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.]. Depending on how your professor wants you to organize your review, the bibliographic information represents the heading of your review. In general, they would be arranged alphabetically by title and look like this:
Racing the Storm: Racial Implications and Lessons Learned from Hurricane Katrina . Hillary Potter, ed. (Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2007. 320 pp) The Sociology of Katrina: Perspectives on a Modern Catastrophe . David L. Brunsma, David Overfelt, and J. Steven Picou, eds. (Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2007. 288 pp.) Through the Eye of Katrina: Social Justice in the United States . Kristin A. Bates and Richelle S. Swan, eds. (Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press, 2007. 440 pp.) Reviewed by [your name]
II. Thesis Statement
The thesis statement of an essay that compares and contrasts multiple works should contain an idea or claim that unites a discussion of the texts under review . It should include the argument that will be advanced in support of the claims that is being made. To begin, ask yourself: "What is the overarching subject or issue that ties together all of the books?" Why is it important?" In most scholarly works, the author(s) will state the purpose of their book in the preface or in an introductory chapter.
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. For a book review essay, this thesis statement will vary in length depending on the number and complxity of books. Regardless of length, it must be succinct, accurate, unbiased, and clear.
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 believe it to be a deficiency], you may arrive at an understanding of the purpose by asking yourself a the following questions:
NOTE : Be sure that your thesis statement includes the rationale behind why your choice of what points to compare and contrast were deliberate and meaningful and not random!
III. Methods of Organization
Organization is critical to writing an essay that compares and contrasts multiple works because you will most likely be discussing a variety of evidence and you must be certain that the logic and narrative flow of your paper can be understood by the reader. Here are some general guidelines to consider:
There are two general methods of organizing your book review essay. If you believe one work extends another, you'll probably use a block method; if you find that two or more works are essentially engaged in a debate, a point-by-point method will help draw attention to the conflict. However, the point-by-point method can come off as a rhetorical ping-pong match. You can avoid this effect by grouping more than one point together, thereby cutting down on the number of times you alternate from one work to another. No matter which method you choose, you do not need to give equal time to similarities and differences. In fact, your paper will be more interesting if you state your main argument(s) as quickly as possible. For example, a book review essay evaluating three research studies that examine different interpretations of conflict resolution among nations in the Middl East might have as few as two or three sentences in the introduction regarding similarities and only a paragraph or two to set up the contrast between the author’s positions. The rest of the essay, whether organized by block method or point-by-point, will be your analysis of the key differences among the books.
The Block Method Present all the information about A, and then present parallel information about B. This pattern tends to work better for shorter book review essays, and those with few sub-topics. The method looks like this:
I. Introduction A. Briefly introduce the significance of the overall subject matter B. Thesis Statement --First supporting point --Second supporting point --Third supporting point II. First book A. Summary of book --Relationship of work to first point --Relationship of work to second point --Relationship of work to third point III. Second book A. Summary of book --Relationship of work to first point --Relationship of work to second point --Relationship of work to third point IV. Third book A. Summary of book --Relationship of work to first point --Relationship of work to second point --Relationship of work to third point V. Conclusion A. Restate thesis B. Summarize how you proved your argument The Point-by-Point Method Present one point about A, and then go to the parallel point about B. Move to the next point, and do the same thing. This pattern tends to work better for long book review essays and those with many sub-topics. The method looks like this:
I. Introduction A. Briefly introduce significance of overall subject matter B. Thesis statement II. Brief explanation of first book III. Brief explanation of second book IV. First comparative point A. Relation of point to first book B. Relation of point to second book V. Second comparative point A. Relation of point to first book B. Relation of point to second book VI. Third comparative point A. Relation of point to first book B. Relation of point to second book VII. Conclusion A. Restate thesis B. Summarize how your proved your argument
IV. Critically Evaluate the Contents
Regardless of whether you choose the block method or the point-by-point method, critical comments should form the bulk of your book review essay . State whether or not you feel the author's treatment of the subject matter is appropriate for the intended audience. Ask yourself:
Support your evaluation with evidence from each text and, when possible, in relation to other sources. If relevant, make note of each book's format, such as, layout, binding, typography, etc. Are there maps, illustrations? Do they aid in understanding the research problem? This is particular important in books that contain a lot of non-textual elements, such as tables, charts, and illustrations.
NOTE : It is important to carefully distinguish your views from those of the authors, so that you don’t confuse your reader.
V. Examine the Front Matter and Back Matter
Back matter refers to any information included after the final chapter of the book. Front matter refers to anything before the first chapter. 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 or there is something that is particularly helpful in understanding the book's contents.
The following back matter may be included in a book and should be considered for evaluation when reviewing the overall quality of the book:
NOTE : In reviewing multiple works, compare and contrast the quality of the back and front matter. Be sure to highlight works where the front or back matter is particularly well-organized or effective in supplementing the main content.
VI. Summarize and Comment
Your conclusion should synthesize the key similarities and differences among the books. Avoid stating restating your assessment word for word; your goal is to provide a sense of closure and to leave the reader with a final perspective about the overall subject under review and whether you believe each book has effectively contributed to the overall research literature on the subject. Do not introduce new information or ideas in the conclusion.
Bazerman, Charles. Comparing and Synthesizing Sources . The Informed Writer: Using Sources in the Disciplines. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Comparing and Contrasting . The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Comparison and Contrast Essays. Writing Support Centre. University of Western Ontario; Rhetorical Strategies: Comparison and Contrast . The Reading/Writing Center. Hunter College; Hooker, Fran and Kate James. Apples to Oranges: Writing a Compare and Contrast Paper. The Writing Center. Webster University; Visvis, Vikki and Jerry Plotnick. The Comparative Essay . The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Writing a Compare/Contrast Essay . CLRC Writing Center. Santa Barbara City College.
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Imagine you work really hard to produce a good book review : it seems like you are doing everything diligently to present all the points that seem relevant to you. So you obviously expect the “A” grade for the assignment. But what you get is not an “A” and not even “B” or “C”. The shock can be too overwhelming when such things happen. There are a lot of students who find themselves in the situations like this simply because they fail to understand the difference between a book review and a book report. In most cases when students get low grades for a book review, the issue is that they actually turn in a book report which is different from a book review. So the reason why students receive such low grades is sometimes because they never take time to check and understand book review requirements which should be the number one step when writing any type of assignment. In this article we are going to talk on the difference between a book report and book review and also where a book summary falls in between these two.
First of all, a book report is simpler in its structure and it doesn’t require any deep text analysis as opposed to a book review. That is why professors and teachers grade papers very low when they receive reports instead of reviews. They take it as a student choosing a shortcut to make his/her job easier when in fact one may simply have not understood the difference between the two assignments. Well, in order to prevent that from happening we would like not simply to list the characteristics of a good book review but rather to approach these assignments at a very practical angle. Below you can find some insightful tips on how to write both a book report and book review from scratch. Before we do that, let us briefly explain the terms and how they are different.
Whenever you are asked to write a book report, all you need is to explain the topical details about the author of the book and its plot. Usually book reports present biographical data about the author in order to establish a background for the book. This should also help the reader understand the perspective the author had when he/she approached writing the novel. After the bio goes the summary of the story (the plot, setting, climax, etc.) along with the list of main characters. So as you can see, book report requirements are not that demanding as opposed to those of a book review.
When you are required to write a book review, you are basically asked to analyze the story. Students always have to fight the temptation to simply retell the story in their own words as this is not what a book review requires of a student. The whole point of this assignment is to bring some new light or perspective to the people reading, let’s say, the novel. This paper may still present the information about the plot, main characters and the bio of the author but these sections have to be very brief because they are not the main focus of the writing. The core of every book review is to discover the intent of the author, specific symbols that have significant meaning in the interpretation of the story and thematic elements contributing to the overall purpose of the work. A good review would also discuss where the novel fits in the historical context and whether the author has fully covered the chosen subject. This assignment should also dwell on the limitations of the book discussing whether or not it will have value in the generations to come. As you may have noticed, a book review is all about the in-depth analysis of the literary work.
Further reading: 7 Effective Tips on How to Write a Book Report
Book Review | Book Report |
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The difference between a book review and summary is something we would like to close the article with. There are those who confuse two terms and as a result don’t know which of the two requires what. Well, we have already covered what a book review is – an in-depth analysis of the book. While a review gives an evaluation of the book along with the background information about the author, a summary is to describe what the book is all about. A summary usually presents the main idea of the book and may list one or two intrigues developed in the text. The purpose of a summary is to help people who have never read the book, understand what it is all about, how the author developed his/her thought, and what are the key ideas that are interwoven within the text. Summaries can be a part of book reviews as well as autonomously stand alone. The requirements of a summary are similar to the book report requirements although they have some substantial distinctions that keep them as separate assignments.
Book Review
We're Alone: Essays
By Edwidge Danticat Graywolf: 192 pages, $26 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org , whose fees support independent bookstores.
Essay collections appear infrequently on the lists of most popular nonfiction — memoirs and historical narratives dominate conversations about the genre. Those forms of nonfiction are wonderful in their own ways. They are also the versions that are closest to fiction. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it can exclude the unique offerings of the essay.
An essay collection presents a compressed reading experience, sometimes poetic, and often requiring the author to demonstrate the act of forming an opinion. In its most exalted form, the essay collection is about many things at once. Its goal is not to share information about a topic but to dramatize the formation of a perspective, the development of an informed point of view — a focus that makes the form much more dependent on the writer than the subject matter. “We’re Alone,” a collection of eight short essays by the celebrated Haitian American novelist and short story writer Edwidge Danticat, exemplifies that achievement.
Readers who have appreciated other voice-driven essay collections, such as Zadie Smith’s pandemic-inspired “Intimations,” Erica Caldwell’s “Wrong Is Not My Name,” Jordan Kisner’s “Thin Places,” Cathy Park Hong’s “Minor Feelings” or Elissa Gabbert’s “ The Unreality of Memory ,” will find something familiar with Danticat in “We’re Alone.” The thematic thread of this collection binds loosely around experiences of disconnection or isolation that are exacerbated by a sense of risk predicated on racial, political or social vulnerability. In the essay “A Rainbow in the Sky,” Danticat writes: “The less stable your house, the more terror you feel.” She has elegantly captured that those who face a storm with all foundations intact have a different relationship to the experience than those who were already struggling before it.
In the preface to the book, Danticat discloses that writing essays allows her to feel alone with herself and present with a reader. These pieces represent her outstretched hand, an invitation to spend shared time in reflection. Danticat took the book’s title from the French poem “Plage” by the Haitian writer Roland Chassagne, whose tragic history of imprisonment is also explored in the book. His poem envisions a night spent under palm trees, and the longing for the end of a deep disappointment. Here Danticat finds an early foothold into one of the book’s chief concerns: thresholds where someone’s feelings have been constricted for the sake of other people’s comfort. The title also invokes a plural self, a collective that shares in the writer’s experience of solitude and disaffection.
In the literary essay, a tradition that unites personal insight with anecdotes, evidence and reasoning, one of the most satisfying moments is finding where the writer’s logic breaks and she struggles to fully accommodate the proportions of her subject. Such moments make the inquiries appear vulnerable and honest, even when in reality they are simulations of sense-making. Not all essayists are invested in showing their struggle in understanding or are given the space to do so. But Danticat invites readers into the challenge of putting facts and feelings together. She excels at showing how hard it is to know what the right questions are to ask or how to answer them, and like many of us, she struggles to talk about difficult subjects, especially with her children.
For example, in “By the Time You Read This…,” Danticat debates how much and when to tell her children about how police violence affects the way Black people and immigrants think about safety. She writes, “Each time a young Black person is killed by a police officer or by a vigilante civilian, I ask myself if the time had come for me to write to my daughters a letter about Abner Louima and the long list of nonsurvivors who have come after him.” There is dignity in her doubt, which makes way for the kind of compassion that characterizes these essays.
Danticat’s insights are informed by accounts of the trials of friends and family: Her beloved mother wanders off in an airport; an uncle suffers from an irresolvable, progressive disorientation; Louima, a family friend, is attacked and raped by police; and two mentors, Toni Morrison and Paule Marshall, live through their final months. These experiences emphasize the possibility of loss and disconnection, reflecting a kind of hypervigilance that can be an inheritance of trauma. She approaches these accounts with the courage of an intentional witness, maintaining that perspective even when she looks beyond her own circle. In “Chronicles of a Death Foretold,” Danticat tells the story of a self-proclaimed prophetess who predicted the 2021 assassination of the Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, and the collection’s penultimate essay, “Wozo, Not Mawozo,” examines the weeks following the kidnapping of Christian missionaries in Haiti in 2021.
These are clearly the essays of an accomplished novelist. They move swiftly through detailed anecdotes and varied landscapes, even when the principal action the speaker engages in is “thinking.” There is room in an essay for dramatic action, for the expression of the body as it relates to thought, which was somewhat lacking here. At times, I struggled to see the author as a figure in the dramatic action she cited. Even so, it’s a testament to Danticat’s skill that these brief, intense works about serious matters do not feel heavy. She brings us close enough to the trouble at hand that we cannot mistake what we have seen.
But we are not alone in trying to make sense of feelings that come from becoming a witness to this world. No one is.
Wendy S. Walters is the author of the prose collection “Multiply/Divide” and an associate professor of nonfiction at Columbia University.
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By The New York Times Books Staff Aug. 26, 2024
Print this version to keep track of what you’ve read and what you’d like to read. See the full project, including commentary about the books, here.
A PDF version of this document with embedded text is available at the link below:
The New York Times Book Review I've I want THE 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY read to it read it 1 My Brilliant Friend, by Elena Ferrante 26 26 Atonement, by lan McEwan 2 The Warmth of Other Suns, by Isabel Wilkerson 27 Americanah, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 3 Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel 28 Cloud Atlas, by David Mitchell 4 The Known World, by Edward P. Jones 29 The Last Samurai, by Helen DeWitt 5 The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen 30 Sing, Unburied, Sing, by Jesmyn Ward 6 2666, by Roberto Bolaño 31 White Teeth, by Zadie Smith 7 The Underground Railroad, by Colson Whitehead 32 The Line of Beauty, by Alan Hollinghurst 8 Austerlitz, by W.G. Sebald 33 Salvage the Bones, by Jesmyn Ward 9 Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro 34 Citizen, by Claudia Rankine 10 Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson 35 Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel 11 The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Díaz 36 Between the World and Me, by Ta-Nehisi Coates 12 The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion 37 The Years, by Annie Ernaux 13 The Road, by Cormac McCarthy 38 The Savage Detectives, by Roberto Bolaño 14 Outline, by Rachel Cusk 39 A Visit From the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan 15 Pachinko, by Min Jin Lee 40 H Is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald 16 The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, by Michael Chabon 41 Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan 17 The Sellout, by Paul Beatty 42 A Brief History of Seven Killings, by Marlon James 18 Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders 43 Postwar, by Tony Judt 19 Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe 44 The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin 20 Erasure, by Percival Everrett 45 The Argonauts, by Maggie Nelson 21 Evicted, by Matthew Desmond 46 The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt 22 22 Behind the Beautiful Forevers, by Katherine Boo 47 A Mercy, by Toni Morrison 23 Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage, by Alice Munro 48 Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi 24 The Overstory, by Richard Powers 49 The Vegetarian, by Han Kang 25 25 Random Family, by Adrian Nicole LeBlanc 50 Trust, by Hernan Diaz I've I want read to it read it
The New York Times Book Review I've I want THE 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY read to it read it 51 Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson 52 52 Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson 53 Runaway, by Alice Munro 76 77 An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones 78 Septology, by Jon Fosse Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin 54 Tenth of December, by George Saunders 55 The Looming Tower, by Lawrence Wright 56 The Flamethrowers, by Rachel Kushner 57 Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich ཤྲཱ རྒྱ སྐྱ A Manual for Cleaning Women, by Lucia Berlin The Story of the Lost Child, by Elena Ferrante Pulphead, by John Jeremiah Sullivan. Hurricane Season, by Fernanda Melchor 58 Stay True, by Hua Hsu 83 When We Cease to Understand the World, by Benjamín Labatut 59 Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides 84 The Emperor of All Maladies, by Siddhartha Mukherjee 60 Heavy, by Kiese Laymon 85 Pastoralia, by George Saunders 61 Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver 86 Frederick Douglass, by David W. Blight 62 10:04, by Ben Lerner 87 Detransition, Baby, by Torrey Peters 63 Veronica, by Mary Gaitskill 88 The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis 64 The Great Believers, by Rebecca Makkai 89 The Return, by Hisham Matar 65 The Plot Against America, by Philip Roth 90 The Sympathizer, by Viet Thanh Nguyen 66 We the Animals, by Justin Torres 91 The Human Stain, by Philip Roth 67 Far From the Tree, by Andrew Solomon 92 The Days of Abandonment, by Elena Ferrante 68 The Friend, by Sigrid Nunez 93 Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel 69 59 The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander 94 On Beauty, by Zadie Smith 10 70 All Aunt Hagar's Children, by Edward P. Jones 95 Bring Up the Bodies, by Hilary Mantel 71 The Copenhagen Trilogy, by Tove Ditlevsen 96 Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments, by Saidiya Hartman 72 22 Secondhand Time, by Svetlana Alexievich 97 Men We Reaped, by Jesmyn Ward 73 The Passage of Power, by Robert A. Caro 98 Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett 74 Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout 99 How to Be Both, by Ali Smith 75 15 Exit West, by Mohsin Hamid 100 Tree of Smoke, by Denis Johnson I've I want read to it read it
https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/08/20/gcse-results-day-2024-number-grading-system/
Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.
Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren’t what you’re expecting.
GCSE results day will be taking place on Thursday the 22 August.
The results will be made available to schools on Wednesday and available to pick up from your school by 8am on Thursday morning.
Schools will issue their own instructions on how and when to collect your results.
The shift to the numerical grading system was introduced in England in 2017 firstly in English language, English literature, and maths.
By 2020 all subjects were shifted to number grades. This means anyone with GCSE results from 2017-2020 will have a combination of both letters and numbers.
The numerical grading system was to signal more challenging GCSEs and to better differentiate between students’ abilities - particularly at higher grades between the A *-C grades. There only used to be 4 grades between A* and C, now with the numerical grading scale there are 6.
The grades are ranked from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest.
The grades don’t exactly translate, but the two grading scales meet at three points as illustrated below.
The bottom of grade 7 is aligned with the bottom of grade A, while the bottom of grade 4 is aligned to the bottom of grade C.
Meanwhile, the bottom of grade 1 is aligned to the bottom of grade G.
If your results weren’t what you were expecting, firstly don’t panic. You have options.
First things first, speak to your school or college – they could be flexible on entry requirements if you’ve just missed your grades.
They’ll also be able to give you the best tailored advice on whether re-sitting while studying for your next qualifications is a possibility.
If you’re really unhappy with your results you can enter to resit all GCSE subjects in summer 2025. You can also take autumn exams in GCSE English language and maths.
Speak to your sixth form or college to decide when it’s the best time for you to resit a GCSE exam.
Entry requirements vary depending on the college and course. Ask your school for advice, and call your college or another one in your area to see if there’s a space on a course you’re interested in.
Apprenticeships combine a practical training job with study too. They’re open to you if you’re 16 or over, living in England, and not in full time education.
As an apprentice you’ll be a paid employee, have the opportunity to work alongside experienced staff, gain job-specific skills, and get time set aside for training and study related to your role.
You can find out more about how to apply here .
The National Career Service is a free resource that can help you with your career planning. Give them a call to discuss potential routes into higher education, further education, or the workplace.
Whatever your results, if you want to find out more about all your education and training options, as well as get practical advice about your exam results, visit the National Careers Service page and Skills for Careers to explore your study and work choices.
You may also be interested in:
Tags: GCSE grade equivalent , gcse number grades , GCSE results , gcse results day 2024 , gsce grades old and new , new gcse grades
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What this handout is about This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews.
What is a book review? A book review is an honest reaction to a book that generally analyzes its themes, plotline, characters, dialogue, and use of literary devices (if applicable). Through this analysis, written in the first person, a reviewer combines their opinions with insights about the book, sometimes comparing it to other books by the same author or books in the same genre.
Learn how to write a book review with our comprehensive tutorial. Discover tips, examples, and the proper format for crafting impactful reviews.
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A book review is a critical evaluation of the book's content. Discover how to write a book review with book review examples and a useful template.
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.
What Is a Book Review: Definition and General Description A book review essay is a nuanced and subjective examination of a literary work that goes beyond a mere summary or plot recounting.
Enhance teaching skills with our comprehensive guide on how to write a book review, empowering educators to teach structured and effective review writing.
How do I structure a book review? In many ways, your book review can be structured like a typical essay, using an introduction, body, and conclusion.
61 How to Write a Book Review Book reviews are a way to think more deeply about a book you've read and to show your understanding of the author's main theme (s) or purpose. A book review should be both informative (what the book is about) and persuasive (why a reader should or shouldn't read this book). It should include both an objective summary and your personal comments and observations.
Learn the book review definition, read about the parts and layout of a book review, explore the various approaches to reviewing a book, and see...
Need to write a book review? Check our guide to find out the definition, structure, outline, writing steps and tips. Book review examples included.
A book review addresses the subject matter of a literary work, and assesses effectiveness and value. Book reviews keep publishers and the public aware of what is being thought and written in a wide range of subjects. When a new book is issued, copies are sent to reviewers; subsequent reviews appear in literary magazines, academic journals ...
A book review is a written work on specific ideas from a defined source, such as a novel, literary text, or story. In particular, people read texts and write reviews on some strengths or weaknesses of some aspects of an assigned work. Since writing requires a good understanding of a source and claims of an author or authors, people should know ...
Book reviews Structure and language Book reviews are sometimes used on undergraduate courses, and frequently appear in academic journals. This page considers what a book review is, how to structure one, and provides some language for writing a book review.
A book review's length may vary from a single paragraph to a substantial essay. Such a review may evaluate the book on the basis of personal taste. Reviewers may use the occasion of a book review for a display of learning or to promulgate their own ideas on the topic of a fiction or non-fiction work. ( Wikipedia.org)
Book Review Definition of genre A book review both describes and evaluates a work of fiction or non-fiction. It describes a book's over-all purpose, its structure, and style of narration, attempting to place the book in a larger context by comparing it to other books of its kind.
As a student, you may be asked to write a book review. Unlike an argumentative essay, a book review is an opportunity to convey the central theme of a story while offering a new perspective on the author's ideas.
Definition A book review is a decription, critical analysis, and/or evaluation of the quality, meaning, and significance of a book. Reviews generally range between 500-1000 words, but may be longer or shorter depending on the length and complexity of the book being reviewed, the overall purpose of the review, and whether the review is a comparative analysis examining two or more books that ...
The reviews are written in the form of a short scholarly paper [essay] rather than as a descriptive review of the books. The purpose is to compare and contrast the works under review, identifying key themes and critical issues and assessing each writer's contributions to understanding the general topics discussed in each book.
Book Reviews Like 17 people like this. What this handout is about This handout will help you write a book review, a report or essay that offers a critical perspective on a text. It offers a process and suggests some strategies for writing book reviews. What is a review? A review is a critical evaluation of a text, event, object, or phenomenon.
The book review reflects the individual's capacity to read and understand a book's contents while evaluating the arguments and issues raised by the author. Writing the book review shows similarities in making an essay, presenting evidence, and writing all the information in a clear and structured manner.
Book Report vs Book Review. First of all, a book report is simpler in its structure and it doesn't require any deep text analysis as opposed to a book review. That is why professors and teachers grade papers very low when they receive reports instead of reviews.
Book Review. We're Alone: Essays. By Edwidge Danticat Graywolf: 192 pages, $26 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support ...
The New York Times Book Review I've I want THE 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21ST CENTURY read to it read it 51 Life After Life, by Kate Atkinson 52 52 Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson 53 Runaway, by Alice ...
Thousands of students across the country will soon be finding out their GCSE results and thinking about the next steps in their education.. Here we explain everything you need to know about the big day, from when results day is, to the current 9-1 grading scale, to what your options are if your results aren't what you're expecting.