GUIDELINES FOR A BOOK CRITIQUE
I. A book critique is a concise summary and evaluation of the book
The material should be printed, and double-spaced. It should not be more than five pages
in length. II The book critique is to include (a) the bibliographical entry, (b) content summary, and (c)
an evaluation.
A. Bibliographical Entry
Example, single author:
Krentz, Edgar. The Historical-Critical Method. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975.
Example, book, edition other than the first:
Anderson, Bernhard W. Understanding the Old Testament, 4th ed. Englewood
Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986.
See the Turabian form and style manual for other examples of bibliography
forms.
B. Content Summary
This section should be no more than three pages in length. The first sentence
should be as comprehensive and inclusive as possible. Summarize the book in one
sentence. The remainder of the summary will then be an elaboration of this
sentence, sharing your understanding of what the book is all about.
Be sure the summary covers the entire book. Do not be so detailed about the first
part of the book that subsequent sections are not adequately dealt with. To avoid
this problem, organize the summary carefully and logically. Also, do not get
bogged down in specifics. The task is to summarize the entire book, not to focus
on selected details. C. Evaluation
The evaluation is the most crucial part of the critique. This is not a summary of
the book’s content but a critical evaluation of what the author has to say. React to
the book both positively and negatively. First of all, remember that there are two main purposes behind a critique: 1. to
demonstrate that you have read the book; and 2. to engage thoughtfully with its
contents and note strengths and weaknesses. Do bear in mind that, when
discussing weaknesses, the difficulty of the book is not a weakness. A graduate
school course should have texts which stretch and challenge the mind.
Begin by carefully reading the introduction. Often, the introduction will present
a good and logical summary of what the book is about. In theology, writers are
attempting to present the truths of the Christian faith in a way that is
logical. This does not mean that our limited minds can understand all of
theology—much of it is a mystery, because it refers to a Supreme Being far
greater than we are.
But it is very important to understand the writer’s reasoning. Why does she or he
take a given position? How does the writer relate the various ideas
together? Some books can be difficult to grasp. I remember in college writing a
term paper on Paul Tillich’s doctrine of justification. He is very abstract. I
recall sitting at a table, staring at two pages of Tillich for what seemed like an
hour, trying to figure out what he was up to. Sometimes you have to fight your
way through a book to figure it out. Maybe carry on an argument with the writer
in the margins.
Finally, be grammatically correct. Microsoft Word will underline words or
phrases or sentences that are incorrect. Sometimes, if you click on that portion,
you will get an analysis or suggestion. If need be, have a colleague read over
your paper and make suggestions.

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