You don’t need to be a literary expert to craft captivating book reviews. With one in every three readers selecting books based on insightful reviews, your opinions can guide fellow bibliophiles toward their next literary adventure.
Learning how to write a book review will not only help you excel at your assigned tasks, but you’ll also contribute valuable insights to the book-loving community and turn your passion into a professional pursuit.
In this comprehensive guide, PaperPerk will walk you through a few simple steps to master the art of writing book reviews so you can confidently embark on this rewarding journey.
What is a Book Review?
A book review is a critical evaluation of a book, offering insights into its content, quality, and impact. It helps readers make informed decisions about whether to read the book.
Writing a book review as an assignment benefits students in multiple ways. Firstly, it teaches them how to write a book review by developing their analytical skills as they evaluate the content, themes, and writing style .
Secondly, it enhances their ability to express opinions and provide constructive criticism. Additionally, book review assignments expose students to various publications and genres, broadening their knowledge.
Furthermore, these tasks foster essential skills for academic success, like critical thinking and the ability to synthesize information. By now, we’re sure you want to learn how to write a book review, so let’s look at the book review template first.
Table of Contents
Check out these 5 straightforward steps for composing the best book review.
You’ve decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let’s take a step back and plan your approach. Knowing how to write a book review that’s both informative and engaging is an art in itself.
First things first, pick the book you want to review. This might seem like a no-brainer, but selecting a book that genuinely interests you will make the review process more enjoyable and your insights more authentic.
Next, create an outline that covers all the essential points you want to discuss in your review. This will serve as the roadmap for your writing journey.
As you read, note any information that stands out, whether it overwhelms, underwhelms, or simply intrigues you. Pay attention to:
Remember to reserve a body paragraph for each point you want to discuss.
When planning your book review, consider the following questions:
In this second step of “how to write a book review,” we’re focusing on the art of creating a powerful opening that will hook your audience and set the stage for your analysis.
Begin by mentioning the book you’ve chosen, including its title and the author’s name. This informs your readers and establishes the subject of your review.
Next, discuss the mental images or emotions the book’s title evokes in your mind . This helps your readers understand your initial feelings and expectations before diving into the book.
Take a moment to talk about the book’s cover. Did it intrigue you? Did it hint at what to expect from the story or the author’s writing style? Sharing your thoughts on the cover can offer a unique perspective on how the book presents itself to potential readers.
Now it’s time to introduce your thesis. This statement should be a concise and insightful summary of your opinion of the book. For example:
“Normal People” by Sally Rooney is a captivating portrayal of the complexities of human relationships, exploring themes of love, class, and self-discovery with exceptional depth and authenticity.
Ensure that your thesis is relevant to the points or quotes you plan to discuss throughout your review.
Incorporating these elements into your introduction will create a strong foundation for your book review. Your readers will be eager to learn more about your thoughts and insights on the book, setting the stage for a compelling and thought-provoking analysis.
You’ve planned your review and written an attention-grabbing introduction. Now it’s time for the main event: crafting the body paragraphs of your book review. In this step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the art of constructing engaging and insightful body paragraphs that will keep your readers hooked.
Begin by summarizing a specific section of the book, not revealing any major plot twists or spoilers. Your goal is to give your readers a taste of the story without ruining surprises.
Next, choose three quotes from the book that support your viewpoint or opinion. These quotes should be relevant to the section you’re summarizing and help illustrate your thoughts on the book.
Write a summary of each quote in your own words, explaining how it made you feel or what it led you to think about the book or the author’s writing. This analysis should provide insight into your perspective and demonstrate your understanding of the text.
Dedicate one body paragraph to each quote, ensuring your writing is well-connected, coherent, and easy to understand.
For example:
By following these guidelines, you’ll create body paragraphs that are both captivating and insightful, enhancing your book review and providing your readers with a deeper understanding of the literary work.
You’ve navigated through planning, introductions, and body paragraphs with finesse. Now it’s time to wrap up your book review with a conclusion that leaves a lasting impression . In this final step of “How to write a Book Review,” we’ll explore the art of writing a memorable and persuasive conclusion.
Begin by summarizing the key points you’ve presented in the body paragraphs. This helps to remind your readers of the insights and arguments you’ve shared throughout your review.
Next, provide a conclusion that reflects your overall feelings about the book. This is your chance to leave a lasting impression and persuade your readers to consider your perspective.
Now, answer the question: Is this book worth reading? Be clear about who would enjoy the book and who might not. Discuss the taste preferences and circumstances that make the book more appealing to some readers than others.
For example: The Alchemist is a book that can enchant a young teen, but those who are already well-versed in classic literature might find it less engaging.
Avoid simply stating whether you “liked” or “disliked” the book. Instead, use nuanced language to convey your message. Highlight the pros and cons of reading the type of literature you’ve reviewed, offering a balanced perspective.
By following these guidelines, you’ll craft a conclusion that leaves your readers with a clear understanding of your thoughts and opinions on the book. Your review will be a valuable resource for those considering whether to pick up the book, and your witty and insightful analysis will make your review a pleasure to read. So conquer the world of book reviews, one captivating conclusion at a time!
You’ve masterfully crafted your book review, from the introduction to the conclusion. But wait, there’s one more step you might consider before calling it a day: rating the book. In this optional step of “how to write a book review,” we’ll explore the benefits and methods of assigning a rating to the book you’ve reviewed.
Sometimes, when writing a professional book review, it may not be appropriate to state whether you liked or disliked the book. In such cases, assigning a rating can be an effective way to get your message across without explicitly sharing your personal opinion.
There are various rating systems you can use to evaluate the book, such as:
Choose a rating system that best suits your style and the format of your review. Be consistent in your rating criteria, considering writing quality, character development, plot, and overall enjoyment.
Here are some tips for rating the book effectively:
By including a rating in your book review, you provide your readers with additional insight into your thoughts on the book. While this step is optional, it can be a valuable tool for conveying your message subtly yet effectively. So, rate those books confidently, adding a touch of wit and wisdom to your book reviews.
In this segment, we’ll explore additional tips on how to write a book review. Get ready to captivate your readers and make your review a memorable one!
Keep your introduction precise and to the point. Readers have the attention span of a goldfish these days, so don’t let them swim away in boredom. Start with a bang and keep them hooked!
When learning how to write a book review, remember that reviewing fiction is often more engaging and effective. If your professor hasn’t assigned you a specific book, dive into the realm of fiction and select a novel that piques your interest.
Don’t shy away from adding your own opinion to your review. A good book review always features the writer’s viewpoint and constructive criticism. After all, your readers want to know what you think!
If you adored the book, let your readers know! Use phrases like “I’ll definitely return to this book again” to convey your enthusiasm. Conversely, be honest but respectful even if the book wasn’t your cup of tea.
Feeling lost? You can always get help from formats, book review examples or online college paper writing service platforms. These trusty sidekicks will help you navigate the world of book reviews with ease.
Remember to uplift new writers and pieces of literature. If you want to suggest improvements, do so kindly and constructively. There’s no need to be mean about anyone’s books – we’re all in this literary adventure together!
When adding criticism to your review, be clear but not mean. Remember, there’s a fine line between constructive criticism and cruelty. Tread lightly and keep your reader’s feelings in mind.
Resist the urge to compare one writer’s book with another. Every book holds its worth, and comparing them will only confuse your reader. Stick to discussing the book at hand, and let it shine in its own light.
Writing a book review can be a delightful and rewarding experience, especially when you balance analysis, wit, and personal insights. However, some common mistakes can kill the brilliance of your review.
In this section of “How to write a book review,” we’ll explore the top 7 blunders writers commit and how to steer clear of them, with a dash of modernist literature examples and tips for students writing book reviews as assignments.
Mistake: Diving headfirst into a plot summary instead of dissecting the book’s themes, characters, and writing style.
Example: “The Bell Jar chronicles the life of a young woman who experiences a mental breakdown.”
How to Avoid: Delve into the book’s deeper aspects, such as its portrayal of mental health, societal expectations, and the author’s distinctive narrative voice. Offer thoughtful insights and reflections, making your review a treasure trove of analysis.
Mistake: Spilling major plot twists or the ending without providing a spoiler warning, effectively ruining the reading experience for potential readers.
Example: “In Metamorphosis, the protagonist’s transformation into a monstrous insect leads to…”
How to Avoid: Tread carefully when discussing significant plot developments, and consider using spoiler warnings. Focus on the impact of these plot points on the overall narrative, character growth, or thematic resonance.
Mistake: Allowing personal bias to hijack the review without providing sufficient evidence or reasoning to support opinions.
Example: “I detest books about existential crises, so The Sun Also Rises was a snoozefest.”
How to Avoid: While personal opinions are valid, it’s crucial to back them up with specific examples from the book. Discuss aspects like writing style, character development, or pacing to support your evaluation and provide a more balanced perspective.
Mistake: Resorting to generic, vague language that fails to capture the nuances of the book and can come across as clichéd.
Example: “This book was mind-blowing. It’s a must-read for everyone.”
How to Avoid: Use precise and descriptive language to express your thoughts. Employ specific examples and quotations to highlight memorable scenes, the author’s unique writing style, or the impact of the book’s themes on readers.
Mistake: Neglecting to provide context about the author, genre, or cultural relevance of the book, leaving readers without a proper frame of reference.
Example: “This book is dull and unoriginal.”
How to Avoid: Offer readers a broader understanding by discussing the author’s background, the genre conventions the book adheres to or subverts, and any societal or historical contexts that inform the narrative. This helps readers appreciate the book’s uniqueness and relevance.
Mistake: Letting personal preferences overshadow an objective assessment of the book’s merits.
Example: “I don’t like stream-of-consciousness writing, so this book is automatically bad.”
How to Avoid: Acknowledge personal preferences but strive to evaluate the book objectively. Focus on the book’s strengths and weaknesses, considering how well it achieves its goals within its genre or intended audience.
Mistake: Failing to mention the book’s target audience or who might enjoy it, leading to confusion for potential readers.
Example: “This book is great for everyone.”
How to Avoid: Contemplate the book’s intended audience, genre, and themes. Mention who might particularly enjoy the book based on these factors, whether it’s fans of a specific genre, readers interested in character-driven stories, or those seeking thought-provoking narratives.
By dodging these common pitfalls, writers can craft insightful, balanced, and engaging book reviews that help readers make informed decisions about their reading choices.
These tips are particularly beneficial for students writing book reviews as assignments, as they ensure a well-rounded and thoughtful analysis.!
Many students requested us to cover how to write a book review. This thorough guide is sure to help you. At Paperperk, professionals are dedicated to helping students find their balance. We understand the importance of good grades, so we offer the finest writing service , ensuring students stay ahead of the curve. So seek expert help because only Paperperk is your perfect solution!
Who is the target audience for book reviews and book reports, how do book reviews and reports differ in length and content, can i write professional book reviews, what are the key aspects of writing professional book reviews, how can i enhance my book-reviewing skills to write professional reviews, what should be included in a good book review.
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Other forms: reviews; reviewed; reviewing
To review means to look back over something for evaluation or memory. "The year in review " is a popular form of news feature near the end of December.
If your boss wants to give you a review, she wants to look over the history of your job performance. A doctor might review your medical record to help diagnose your sickness. The review of a book or movie often evaluates the work in question based on its strong and weak points, sometimes ending with a recommendation (or a dismissal). Before a big test, you might want to review ("brush up on") your notes.
Context is king — that’s the lesson you need to internalize as you begin preparing for the vocabulary questions on the SAT. We have identified this pool of 200 words that cut across the disciplines and lend themselves well to context-dependent interpretation. As you learn this list on Vocabulary.com, you will have to rely on context clues in order to determine each word’s meaning in particular sentences. This is the same type of thinking you will need to develop in order to succeed on the SAT! Following our Roadmap to the SAT ? Head back to see what else you should be learning this week.
A thorough survey of various textbooks, assignments, content area standards, and examinations yields the following list of words compiled by Jim Burke . You cannot expect to succeed on assignments if you do not understand the directions.
On the ACT Reading Test, you'll encounter questions that ask you to determine the meanings of common words in context. We've identified 200 high-frequency, multiple-meaning words of the sort that you'll see on the exam. As you practice this list, you'll have to rely on context clues in order to determine each word’s meaning in a particular sentence. Be careful! Several of a word's meanings might show up as answer choices — but only one answer will capture the meaning of the word in the context of the sentence.
Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement..
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[ ri- vyoo ]
a literary review.
Synonyms: reexamination , reconsideration
to review the troops.
to review the situation.
Synonyms: criticize
a decision to review the case.
He reviews for some small-town newspaper.
/ rɪˈvjuː /
to review a situation
he reviewed his achievements with pride
the general reviewed his troops
a review of the political situation
the Saturday Review
Origin of review 1
Example sentences.
When in doubt, scour budget blanket reviews to make sure the one you’re eyeing will satisfy your dreams.
The task force was meant to conclude its review and give advice in time for administrators to update the 2021-2022 academic calendar.
Marshall wrote in an email to VOSD that the Housing Commission staff have done an expansive review of research and methods other jurisdictions have used.
If your business has a great review rating and flattering reviews, you’re very likely to earn a spot in the Google 3-Pack.
After earning rave reviews early in the pandemic, Newsom is now under heavy fire, even from allies, for his handling of the coronavirus.
In an email exchange a friend said many had repeated this same succinct review but they could never elaborate.
“[I]ndeed, the Civil War was more or less administered from there,” an Esquire review asserts.
The tweets linking to the National Review, that bastion of LGBT equality.
In any case, I welcome the conversation as part of the review of the upcoming slate that we're doing tomorrow.
John L. Smith is a columnist with the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
And now I am going on to a review of the broad facts of the educational organization of our present world.
We haven't even seen a review of the piece; the footlights go up with a jump, and now the curtain rises.
Nothing will be easier then to throw the Poles into the shade of the picture, or to occupy the foreground with a brilliant review.
She did not perceive that she was talking like her father as the sleek geldings ambled in review before them.
It would have been a sort of review—in the face of the city of Dublin, in open defiance of all order and government.
More about review, what is a basic definition of review .
A review is judgement or discussion of the quality of something. Review also means to go over a subject again as part of study or to look at something another time. Review has many other senses as both a noun and a verb.
A review is a critique of something—a look at something’s good and bad points. Reviews are very common in every industry, and many people rely on them to learn more about something they are interested in, especially something they want to buy. A person who writes a review is a reviewer .
Review is used in this sense as a verb to mean to write or otherwise create (like a video) a review of something.
Review is also used to mean to go over a subject again to master it or to remember the material better. Your school teachers likely reviewed previous lessons with your class more than once before a test. When studying a new language, you will review words and grammar rules many times to help commit them to memory.
Review is used in this sense as a noun to refer to an exercise or session that involves reviewing subject matter.
As a verb, review can also mean to read, view, or look at something again.
The first records of review come from around 1555. It ultimately comes from a combination of the Latin revidēre , meaning “to see again.”
What are some other forms related to review ?
What are some synonyms for review ?
What are some words that share a root or word element with review ?
What are some words that often get used in discussing review ?
Review is a very common word that often refers to criticisms of products or to reexamining information to understand it better.
I’m happy to announce that, after almost a year, I have watched every episode of the Simpsons available on disney+. My review: pretty good. — Mac Bacon (@therealmacbacon) December 1, 2020
Spanish teacher: We’ll review for the exam tomorrow. The entire class: Um the exam is tomorrow? — Carson Artrip (@CarsonArtrip) December 19, 2017
Battery works! Got it up and running. Now I just need to review the directions on how to use the darn thing. — batgrl1970 (@batgrl1970) May 7, 2009
Is review used correctly in the following sentence?
Most critic reviews of the movie said it was terrible and not worth the ticket price.
(Entry 1 of 2)
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Thesaurus Definition of book (Entry 2 of 2)
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'book.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
You'll enjoy these words more than a bibliotaph in a bookery.
Telling an entire story in a single word
Parts of a Book: Quire, Colophon, and...
There are a lot of chapters in this collection.
Cite this entry.
“Book.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/book. Accessed 5 Sep. 2024.
Nglish: Translation of book for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of book for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about book
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Stephen Budiansky's “A Day in September” examines the advances in military science, medical treatment and other American institutions generated by the institutional failures that made the Battle of Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862, the bloodiest day in Ameri...
About 57,000 books have been published on the American Civil War so what possibly could be left to explore ?
Quite a bit, it turns out, particularly regarding the bloodiest battle of the war and in American history, Antietam. In one day of savage fighting, Sept. 17, 1862, an estimated 6,500 soldiers were killed and at least 15,000 wounded.
In 291 brisk, fact-stuffed but engaging, thought-provoking pages, “A Day in September” by Stephen Budiansky examines how ill-prepared we as a nation were for war, but more significantly, what we learned and how those advances led to better military training, rapid improvements in battlefield medical care and the beginnings of a reconciling of the differences in North and South society, values and beliefs.
Some key American institutions at the outbreak of the Civil War were astonishingly primitive and Antietam revealed just how bad. Pre-Civil War, for example, most graduates of the U.S. Military Academy were well-schooled in math and engineering, much less so in military tactics.
Many soldiers lacked even rudimentary training such as target shooting. Militias often behaved like fraternal organizations or a mob, Budiansky writes.
Medical care was primitive. For example, most doctors of the Civil War era did not understand how disease was transmitted. Treatment of the wounded at Antietam typically was chaotic; drivers charged with taking wounded to field hospitals often were drunk, the book observes.
What might have made the book even more engaging would be to carry the lessons learned from these failings to the present day.
For example, can we resolve our current differences peacefully ?
This is an absorbing, illuminating, compelling book that calls on us to consider the advances in military strategy, medical care and diplomacy that Antietam gave us at horrific cost.
It also asks us to consider a rift between science and religion that emerged after the war. The book notes that our religious leaders also fell short, telling the populace on both sides during the Civil War that God was on their side, but as the author quotes Lincoln as observing, one side must be wrong.
Then and now, reasoned discussions and diplomacy largely failed and some Americans are openly talking about a potential Civil War II.
They would not if we absorbed some of the lessons from this book.
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews
24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events
Related terms for review - synonyms, antonyms and sentences with review, similar meaning.
Proper usage in context.
This book cover image released by Norton shows “A Day in September: The Battle of Antietam and the World It Left Behind” by Stephen Budiansky. (Norton via AP)
This cover image released by W.W. Norton shows “A Day in September: The Battle of Antietam and the World It Left Behind,” by Stephen Budiansky. (W.W. Norton via AP)
About 57,000 books have been published on the American Civil War so what possibly could be left to explore ?
Quite a bit, it turns out, particularly regarding the bloodiest battle of the war and in American history, Antietam. In one day of savage fighting, Sept. 17, 1862, an estimated 6,500 soldiers were killed and at least 15,000 wounded.
In 291 brisk, fact-stuffed but engaging, thought-provoking pages, “A Day in September” by Stephen Budiansky examines how ill-prepared we as a nation were for war, but more significantly, what we learned and how those advances led to better military training, rapid improvements in battlefield medical care and the beginnings of a reconciling of the differences in North and South society, values and beliefs.
Some key American institutions at the outbreak of the Civil War were astonishingly primitive and Antietam revealed just how bad. Pre-Civil War, for example, most graduates of the U.S. Military Academy were well-schooled in math and engineering, much less so in military tactics.
Many soldiers lacked even rudimentary training such as target shooting. Militias often behaved like fraternal organizations or a mob, Budiansky writes.
Medical care was primitive. For example, most doctors of the Civil War era did not understand how disease was transmitted. Treatment of the wounded at Antietam typically was chaotic; drivers charged with taking wounded to field hospitals often were drunk, the book observes.
What might have made the book even more engaging would be to carry the lessons learned from these failings to the present day.
For example, can we resolve our current differences peacefully ?
This is an absorbing, illuminating, compelling book that calls on us to consider the advances in military strategy, medical care and diplomacy that Antietam gave us at horrific cost.
It also asks us to consider a rift between science and religion that emerged after the war. The book notes that our religious leaders also fell short, telling the populace on both sides during the Civil War that God was on their side, but as the author quotes Lincoln as observing, one side must be wrong.
Then and now, reasoned discussions and diplomacy largely failed and some Americans are openly talking about a potential Civil War II.
They would not if we absorbed some of the lessons from this book.
AP book reviews: https://apnews.com/hub/book-reviews
Critic’s Notebook
One of the biggest threats to America’s politics might be the country’s founding document.
Credit... Photo illustration by Ben Denzer
Supported by
By Jennifer Szalai
The United States Constitution is in trouble. After Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, he called for the “ termination of all rules, regulations and articles, even those found in the Constitution.” Outraged critics denounced him for threatening a document that is supposed to be “sacrosanct.” By announcing his desire to throw off constitutional constraints in order to satisfy his personal ambitions, Trump was making his authoritarian inclinations abundantly clear.
It’s no surprise, then, that liberals charge Trump with being a menace to the Constitution . But his presidency and the prospect of his re-election have also generated another, very different, argument: that Trump owes his political ascent to the Constitution, making him a beneficiary of a document that is essentially antidemocratic and, in this day and age, increasingly dysfunctional.
After all, Trump became president in 2016 after losing the popular vote but winning the Electoral College (Article II). He appointed three justices to the Supreme Court (Article III), two of whom were confirmed by senators representing just 44 percent of the population (Article I). Those three justices helped overturn Roe v. Wade, a reversal with which most Americans disagreed . The eminent legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky, worried about opinion polls showing “a dramatic loss of faith in democracy,” writes in his new book, “No Democracy Lasts Forever”: “It is important for Americans to see that these failures stem from the Constitution itself.”
Back in 2018, Chemerinsky, the dean of Berkeley’s law school, still seemed to place considerable faith in the Constitution, pleading with fellow progressives in his book “We the People” “not to turn their back on the Constitution and the courts.” By contrast, “No Democracy Lasts Forever” is markedly pessimistic. Asserting that the Constitution, which is famously difficult to amend , has put the country “in grave danger,” Chemerinsky lays out what would need to happen for a new constitutional convention — and, in the book’s more somber moments, he entertains the possibility of secession . West Coast states might form a nation called “Pacifica.” Red states might form their own country. He hopes that any divorce, if it comes, will be peaceful.
The prospect of secession sounds extreme, but in suggesting that the Constitution could hasten the end of American democracy, Chemerinsky is far from alone. The argument that what ails the country’s politics isn’t simply the president, or Congress, or the Supreme Court, but the founding document that presides over all three, has been gaining traction, especially among liberals. Books and op-eds critiquing the Constitution have proliferated. Scholars are arguing that the Constitution has incentivized what Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt call a “Tyranny of the Minority.”
The anguish is, in some sense, a flip side of veneration. Americans have long assumed that the Constitution could save us; a growing chorus now wonders whether we need to be saved from it.
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A Mostly Oral History of America’s Most Important Alternative Weekly Paper
What an artfully deejayed book Tricia Romano has spun for us, the (mostly) oral history The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of The Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture (Public Affairs, 2024). This 571-page doorstop of a volume covers the full history of the Voice , from its founding by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, and Norman Mailer in 1955 to its demise in 2018. (The Voice rose back to online life in 2021, with occasional print editions, but you know how zombies are.) To tell the fractious tale, Romano — who wrote about New York nightlife for the paper — weaves together more than 200 interviews, digs up archival material from those already gone, and quotes clips from stories capturing landmark events like Stonewall, the AIDs crisis, and the rise of some nepo-baby scumbag real estate developer who was a jerk in 1979 even before the rest of the world got to (unfortunately) know him.
It’s easy to get lost in the cavalcade of great writers of the past 75 years, and for just a sample there’s Ellen Willis, Colson Whitehead, Leslie Savan, Robert Christgau, Susan Brownmiller, Michael Feingold, Stanley Crouch, Lisa Jones, Wayne Barrett, Barry Michael Cooper, C. Carr, Vince Aletti, Gary Giddins, Mary Perot Nichols, Lester Bangs, Greg Tate. Alas, this list leaves out cartoonists and photographers like Jules Feiffer and Sylvia Plachy. To keep all the players straight, Romano wisely provides a cast of characters (pun surely intended) to open the book. Or one can read for the dollops of gossip (only fitting as the Voice’s Michael Musto redefined that kind of column for a hip sensibility), as when Lucian K. Truscott IV, of all things a West Point cadet, crashes a Voice party with the following entrance: “I opened the door and I hit Mayor Lindsay on the elbow, and he spilled his drink on Bob Dylan.”
But what’s most powerful about the book is the case it makes for the Voice ’s advocacy journalism goosing loose the notion that objectivity means presenting two sides to every story (note: we need to relearn this lesson again, right now). Founder Dan Wolf put it in a flip, if sly, way, saying, “We wanted to demolish the notion that one needs to be a professional to accomplish something.” Instead of being capital-J Journalists, the Voice welcomed people who actually did things. And then wrote. So pioneering experimental filmmaker Jonas Mekas was one of its first film critics. A writer who zinged the paper with a letter-to-the-editor one week might become a freelancer the next.
The paper also permitted some of the first uses of first person in journalism, in parallel with the New Journalism movement brewing elsewhere (see Tom Wolfe, Hunter S. Thompson, Joan Didion). “The danger of personal journalism is you end up talking about yourself,” is how trenchant feminist writer Vivian Gornick puts it. “I learned early that ‘I’ was an instrument of illumination. ‘I’ was not what it was about. It was to use myself to open up the subject and to interact with it…. A lot of that work was marred by amateurism, but a lot of it really made its mark.”
Those marks were in more fields than one can count, the staff were intersectionalists before that notion was cool or even a term. The Voice invented the Obies, elevating off-Broadway and growing the space for experimental theater. They fought for a feminism that “was free-thinking, undogmatic, culturally oriented, literary, and playful.” They made the case for renters’ rights, regularly lambasting the worst landlords in the city, and even spearheaded the first takedown of ugly urban planner Robert Moses. They advocated for gay rights, if not always as quickly as activists hoped. (They still ate The New York Times’ lunch on the issue — editor Abe Rosenthal refused to use the word “gay” in his paper into the 1980s.) Their cultural coverage illuminated music (from punk to a hip-hop nation cover one writer called “our 1619 Project”), film (Spike Lee was just one auteur rightfully recognized, so early in his career they wrote about his NYU thesis film), art (including the ground-breaking performance art of Karen Finley and the ensuing NEA fights), and clubbing (not shying away from when the scene turned sour with the murderous Michael Alig).
Even the slim sports pages were something in the Voice’s heyday, where writers got to be both more sympathetic to players, as they weren’t beholden to teams liking them day in and out like beat reporters were, and they could also respond more like very well-informed fans. “In the Wall Street Journal , you’re writing about the Yankees, the first reference would be ‘Derek Jeter,’” Allen St. John recalls. “And the second reference would be the very stilted ‘Mr. Jeter.’ If you were writing about Derek Jeter for the Village Voice , it would be ‘Derek Jeter,’ and the second reference would be ‘Mariah Carey–banging motherfucker.’”
This crazy crucible of energy and ego — as art critic Peter Schjeldahl says, “It was easier to write every week … you don’t let the power plant cool down” — led to all sorts of fights and even fisticuffs (Stanley Crouch finally got canned for being a bruiser). The feminists always had to struggle with the macho men (think Pete Hamill and Jimmy Breslin, even Nat Hentoff thanks to his anti-abortion absolutism), even at such a liberal paper.
Romano’s book, giving each person their chance to tell their story, thickens each plot into a complicated testament very much like the Village Voice itself. Its ornery, driven to depth and detail approach meant it accomplished many righteous things, from being one of the first papers to defend the Central Park Five to winning its third Pulitzer in 2000 for Mark Schoof — an openly gay reporter — writing an eight-part series about AIDS in Africa.
Sadly things couldn’t last. Classifieds were half the paper’s revenue, which meant the advent of Craigslist and its ilk was the first death blow. The rest of journalism, heck, even the Old Gray Lady the Voice loved to zing, began to catch up, to the point of hiring away its downtown rival’s writers. As Gary Dauphin puts it, “The notion of an alternative space where people did a certain kind of writing moved into the general cultural DNA.” And then the web made it seem everything is free now. At first the Voice pivoted well, creating a website that won a National Press Foundation award before MSNBC, CNN, National Geographic , and even The New York Times won that award, but the glory days were gone. If you figure out how to monetize old-school journalism, let us all know.
It’s easy for those of us of a certain age to tearily reminisce about the days when print journalism still meant something. On one hand, what you read shaped your worldview; on the other, your choices reflect who you really, really were better than wearing a band T-shirt. And the Voice helped inspire the launch of hundreds of alterna-weeklies — you’re soaking in one now. Of all things, the Independent ’s current editor in chief held the same title at the Voice from 1976-1979, when of all people Rupert Murdoch, who then owned the Voice , let her go.
About that, the then-recently unionized paper (they were leaders in getting healthcare for same sex partners eventually too) threatened to walk out upon Murdoch’s decision. The rich man’s lawyers offered a huge settlement, to which Partridge said, “Oh my god, you have no idea what the Voice is. You don’t realize it’s practically a sacred duty to run it because of the people who work there.”
Who would have guessed the guy who would foist the abomination that is Fox News on the world night screw things up? For as Robert Christgau claims, “Marianne was the best editor the Voice ever had. People did not give her credit.”
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Find 43 different ways to say BOOK REVIEW, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Another way to say Book Review? Synonyms for Book Review (other words and phrases for Book Review).
Synonyms for book review include review, criticism, critique, notice, evaluation, commentary, assessment, write-up, judgement and rating. Find more similar words at ...
What's the definition of Book review in thesaurus? Most related words/phrases with sentence examples define Book review meaning and usage.
Synonyms for Book Reviews (other words and phrases for Book Reviews). Synonyms for Book reviews. 18 other terms for book reviews- words and phrases with similar meaning. Lists. synonyms. antonyms. definitions. sentences. thesaurus. suggest new. book evaluations. literary critiques. novel appraisals.
Synonyms for book review book re·view This thesaurus page is about all possible synonyms, equivalent, same meaning and similar words for the term book review. Princeton's WordNet. book review noun. a critical review of a book (usually a recently published book) Matched Categories. Review; How to pronounce book review? Alex.
More 100 Book review synonyms. What are another words for Book review? Criticism, comment, notice, judgment. Full list of synonyms for Book review is here.
How to write a book review. Note down the key points- This is an important step before writing a book review. Jot down your analysis about the characters, themes, plot, and your personal view. Also, note down the book title, author's name, and any relevant information about the book. Start with a strong introduction- Mention the author's ...
Book Review Synonyms. Meanings Synonyms Sentences Common Words Unique Words. A critical study ... blurb; Book Review Sentence Examples Spoilers have no place in a book review. Finally, the journal contains a book review section edited by a one-time edited by a one-time editor of the journal, Lucy Newton.
Find 140 different ways to say REVIEW, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.
Synonyms for REVIEW: retrospect, retrospection, reconsideration, reexamination, reappraisal, recapitulation, recap, rehash; Antonyms of REVIEW: preview, stabilization ...
It is a fantasy, but the book draws inspiration from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Rape of Nanking. Crime Fiction Lover reviews Jessica Barry's Freefall, a crime novel: In some crime novels, the wrongdoing hits you between the eyes from page one. With others it's a more subtle process, and that's OK too.
A critical appraisal of a book, play, film, etc. published in a newspaper or magazine. A reconsideration of a judgment, sentence, etc. by a higher court or authority. … more . Noun. . A formal assessment of something with the intention of instituting change if necessary. scrutiny. examination. analysis.
Step 1: Planning Your Book Review - The Art of Getting Started. You've decided to take the plunge and share your thoughts on a book that has captivated (or perhaps disappointed) you. Before you start book reviewing, let's take a step back and plan your approach.
Synonyms for REVIEW in English: re-examination, revision, rethink, retrospect, another look, reassessment, fresh look, second look, reconsideration, re-evaluation, …
Book review definition: a critical description, evaluation, or analysis of a book, especially one published in a newspaper or magazine.. See examples of BOOK REVIEW used in a sentence.
To review means to look back over something for evaluation or memory. "The year in review" is a popular form of news feature near the end of December.
a descriptive and critical or evaluative account of a book; a newspaper supplement or magazine devoted chiefly to book reviews… See the full definition Menu Toggle
Review definition: a critical article or report, as in a periodical, on a book, play, recital, or the like; critique; evaluation.. See examples of REVIEW used in a sentence.
Synonyms for BOOK: paperback, hardcover, treatise, volume, novel, tome, monograph, anthology; Antonyms of BOOK: ancient history, open secret, come, arrive, stay, show ...
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The book notes that our religious leaders also fell short, telling the populace on both sides during the Civil War that God was on their side, but as the author quotes Lincoln as observing, one ...
Another thing Hopkins excels at is bringing you down to the lowest low before managing to end on a high note. While "Sync" avoids veering into trauma porn, it does occasionally get pretty brutal — particularly about two-thirds of the way when Lake and Storm's fast descent toward rock-bottom goes from 45 to 90 degrees — but the hopeful ending is worth it.
Related terms for review- synonyms, antonyms and sentences with review. Lists. synonyms. antonyms. definitions. sentences. thesaurus. Parts of speech. verbs. nouns. adjectives. Synonyms Similar meaning. ... One cannot review a bad book without showing off. W. H. Auden. The review should cover all potential hazardous substances.
Book Review: Ellen Hopkins' new novel 'Sync' is a stirring story of foster care through teens' eyes. Book Review: 'Swallow the Ghost' a promising but uneven exploration of memory in internet age. Medical care was primitive. For example, most doctors of the Civil War era did not understand how disease was transmitted.
The Book Review Podcast: Each week, top authors and critics talk about the latest news in the literary world. Listen here. Advertisement. SKIP ADVERTISEMENT. Site Index.
What an artfully deejayed book Tricia Romano has spun for us, the (mostly) oral history The Freaks Came Out to Write: The Definitive History of The Village Voice, the Radical Paper That Changed American Culture (Public Affairs, 2024).This 571-page doorstop of a volume covers the full history of the Voice, from its founding by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, and Norman Mailer in 1955 to its demise in 2018.
A review code was provided by PlayStation for the purpose of this review. Trending Now: 1. Disney+ Adds Live Channels Streaming 24/7 Aaron Perine. 09/05/2024. 2.
Centuries before self-help sections buckled under the weight of "blue zone" guides and multimillionaires mainlined the blood of their sons in a quest for extended life, a Venetian nobleman named Alvise (Luigi) Cornaro was forty and exhausted: he had spent decades gormandizing, losing himself in the lees of wine, and seeking out sensual excess as if it were his last night on earth.
Synonyms of 'review' in British English. review. 1 (noun) in the sense of re-examination. Definition. a retrospective survey. She has announced a review of adoption laws. ... The book is a feminist critique of Victorian female novelists. commentary. He will be writing a twice-weekly commentary on American society and culture.