How to write a review or a resume of a book:
A book review should include the followings (not necessarily in the order below):
- An introduction to the subject with a short historical perspective
- An introduction to the author with an overview of his expertise and key achievements with emphasis on what is related to the subject of the book
- A detailed description and then analysis of the key statements/thesis/ideas put forwards in the book
- A comparison of above with other's statements/thesis/ideas
- A personal reporting on how:
- the book is written
- easy it is to read
- relevant it is to you
- A conclusion as to your opinion related to the statements/thesis/ideas put forwards in the book
- A short statement of any further action, any new ideas that has occured thanks to you reading the book.
Essentially the difference between a review and a resume is the lenght of your report. A review should be no more than few pages and be very direct and to the point. In the same style than an executive summary. On the other hand a resume is more like a shortened version of the book, with a lenght of no more than ±10% of the book.
Note that these are general guidelines and each review or resume is particular and need to be addressed on a per case basis.
Don't try to search for a review on the internet using a search engine and then present that review as if it were yours. This is called plagiarism and will get you into so many troubles that it is better to avoid it altogether. I would also advise against reading few reviews/resumes before writting your own. If you do so you will have troubles not rewritting what you read. Better to read the book and make your own conclusions. This will result in a stronger argumentation in your review/resume. having finished your review/resume you can then check and compar with others to see if you have missed any key point(s).
LINKS
See current issue of nature, go to the Books and Arts section where you will find some reviews.
See also Amazon as there are often book reviews to help you buy a book.
There is also ehow link on how to write a book review.