MBA 5680 – Organizational Behavior and Group Dynamics

Book Review Hints for Success

Identify the main points you want to make in a rough outline form. Focus on providing some breadth (maybe 4-5 major points, or one per page), but also provide depth explaining why you’ve chosen this as a major element and why it is important to you as a manager, a student of management, or an employee.

Tell a story with your review – keep in mind your audience and layout your review with headings, reference citations, and formal discussion.

Typical elements also covered by book reviews (all quoted from the sources given):

  • What do you like or dislike about the book's writing style? Is it funny? Does it give you a sense of the place it's set? What is the author's/narrator's "voice" like? ( Retrieved 12/6/2005)
  • Make sure your review explains how you feel about the book and why, not just what the book is about. A good review should express the reviewer's opinion and persuade the reader to share it, to read the book, or to avoid reading it. ( Retrieved 12/6/2005)
  • A typical outline of a book review has the following elements ( Retrieved 12/6/2005)
  • Introduce the subject, scope, and type of book
  • Briefly summarize the content
  • Provide your reactions to the book
  • Describe the book: Is it interesting, memorable, entertaining, instructive? Why?
  • Respond to the author's opinions: What do you agree with? And why? What do you disagree with? And why?
  • Explore issues the book raises: What possibilities does the book suggest? Explain. What matters does the book leave out? Explain.
  • Relate your argument to other books or authors: Support your argument for or against the author's opinions by bringing in other authors you agree with.
  • Relate the book to larger issues: How did the book affect you? How have your opinions about the topic changed? How is the book related to your own course or personal agenda.
  • Conclude by summarizing your ideas
  • Close with a direct comment on the book, and tie together issues raised in the review. Briefly restate your main points and your thesis statement if your teacher requires it. If you like, you can offer advice for potential readers.

There are other sites on the web that provide advice on writing book reviews. Look for ones that are targeted at university level book reviews (don’t try to emulate the middle school or high school approach as a book report!).