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Book Reviews for HIST 104 DCE This document describes an assignment for HIST 104 DCE. The assignment addresses two of the goals of the course: learning to think like a historian, and proficiency in discursive prose. Requirements1. Select and read a book pertaining to the content of the course. Ordinarily this will be a book (not Tocqueville, but a book about him is fine) listed in the bibliography or in a study guide for one of the lectures. If you’re going to read something not listed in the bib or a study guide, then it should be approved in advance by your instructor. Generally the book should be a nonfiction work of History; in some cases a novel or a work from some other genre may be approved, provided it has clear historical import. 2. Write a critical review of the book. Submit your review as an e-mail message to your instructor with the subject heading, “Book Review.” (Be sure to put in the subject heading, because your instructor gets a lot of mail.) You have to submit the assignment by e-mail; no written reports will be accepted. The assignment earns up to 30 points toward your soft-points total in the course. The assignment may be repeated, with each instance worth up to 30 soft points. Specifications for the Review• Length: 300 words • Use of first person (I, me) is OK, but don’t overdue it. • When you write about the book or its author, write in present tense (what we call the “literary present”). • When you write about historical events, write in past tense (the historical past). Tips on Writing Book ReviewsIn college you don’t write book reports, you write book reviews. The difference is that in a review, you should take a critical approach to the work. Here are some tips for getting into a critical posture. • To begin with, fundamentally, you are not writing about the events of the past. You are writing about the book and its author. You will mention historical events, of course, perhaps relate some of them, but the book and its author are your subjects. • Spend only a few words, perhaps one brief paragraph, summarizing content. Tell what the author does in the book, capture the argument, and give some highlights. Key point: be sure to state the author’s purpose in writing the book. The author’s purpose is the basis for evaluating the book. (Be sure to read the preface, because historical authors usually say in their prefaces what they are trying to do with their books.) • Evaluate how well the author achieves her purpose. Does the work stay on message? Does if martial good evidence? Does the author communicate findings well? • And if the author does achieve her purpose, so what? What is the significance of it? Evaluation of the AssignmentYou will receive a score for the assignment as an e-mail reply from your instructor. Here is the rubric by which your work on this assignment will be evaluated.
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