As you write your response to the questions asked above resist the temptation to drift into a simple narrative or merely to paraphrase the work. A successful book critique must clearly indicate not only that you have read the work and know the facts of the case that has been made, but that you also understand the author s approach. You must learn to make judgments concerning the quality of evidence used to arrive at major conclusions. Assess the weight given by the author to the different categories of sources. Every competent writer evaluates any source based on its reliability.
Historians expect bias, even mendacity, in primary sources.
The sound scholar always crosschecks primary sources. You might comment here too on the usefulness of the footnotes or endnotes to you as a reader. Explain how you used them and how they either helped or hindered fuller understanding. If there was an index, explain how you used it. Comment on its organization, its ease of use, and whether significant or pertinent subjects were omitted.