Book Reviews

Book reviews are a type of literary criticism which is usually associated with the commercial industry of publishing and marketing novels. Book reviews are often used as marketing tools to promote new works of popular authors. This type of literary critique is also employed in various objective forums which allow the readership of an individual novel or book to voice their opinions on the work in the form of a brief review. These reviews are often accompanied by a scale or measuring system to signify what level of success that the reader/critic felt the author has achieved with their work.
  • How to Write a Good Book Review
    When writing a book review, you want it to be original and interesting. Follow these tips to write an excellent book review.
  • Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
    In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury creates a world in which books are illegal and firemen start fires instead of putting them out.
  • Book Review: Better Than Great by Arthur Plotnik
    A review of Arthur Plotnik's latest book, designed to help writers eliminate the use of drab and humdrum superlatives
  • Book Review: The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard
    The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard is a moving novel. This brilliant piece of young adult literature tackles heartbreak, change, family, and growing up after losing a loved one to the September 11 attacks.
  • Review of Thomas Pynchon’s The Crying of Lot 49
    The Crying of Lot 49, Thomas Pynchon’s second novel, is often thought to be a good introduction to Pynchon’s fiction because of its brevity and the ease of the narrative. This review argues that, not only is it a good introductory work, it is in many respects better than the more canonical Gravity’s Rainbow.
  • Camus' Plague
    The well-known French writer Albert Camus, expresses his deep concern and wish for social solidarity in his novel "The Plague" which depicts how people manage to survive together in the end, in spite of trials.
  • St. Exupery and His Quotes
    Antoine De Saint-Exupery was a French writer, and also a thinker, reputed for his quotes that attest his true knowledge of the human nature and of the human relationships. Here are some St. Exupery's deep thoughts...
  • The Sacred and the Profane
    In "The Sacred and the Profane" Mircea Eliade, a well-known Romanian writer and thinker expresses his view on the religious man.
  • De Amicitia - True Friendship
    A true friend is a rare jewel; know more about true friendship and what great thinkers had to say about it, from the following segment.
  • A Review of Tom McCarthy's "Remainder"
    The debut novel from English writer Tom McCarthy hints at a long-awaited escape from many of the trends that have plagued literature in the English language for the past few decades. This review does not contain spoilers.
  • There And Back Again - A Hobbit Tale
    J.R.R Tolkien's epic trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" is well-known and it was turned into a movie. The same author wrote "The Hobbit" - a book that was intended for children, but find out what it turned into, from this article.
  • The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
    This novel named "The God of small things" offers a kaleidoscopic view over life and values, and is a critique to the values in the Indian society.
  • The Inheritance of Loss - Kiran Desai
    Among successful contemporary authors, Kiran Desai stands out with her novels and the one discussed here is The inheritance of the Loss; see why she received a Booker Prize for it.
  • The Feminist Version of Beauty and the Beast
    "The Courtship of Mr. Lyon", although it is nothing else but the Feminist version of the classical "Beauty and the Beast" fairy-tale, see more of this perspective!
  • The Chronicles Of Narnia - A Parallel To Christianity?
    Many people believe that The Chronicles are aiming only a low-age public and that they are pure fantasy, having as only purpose that of entertaining children. By contrast, the critics and even the author agree that these books can be perceived as fine literature for adults who are still allowing their selves to be filled with wonder. So, given the author's background, could the Chronicles be a parallel to Christianity?
  • Lewis' "The Big Short" is Non-Fiction that Reads Like a Novel
    For those familiar with Michael Lewis, it will come as no surprise that his latest book, "The Big Short," is an excellent read, providing both an in-depth look at the events that led to the financial meltdown and into the minds of the men and women who saw it coming.
  • Water's Message
    Masaru Emoto is a Japanese researcher and author of "The Message from Water", a book that describes the incredible effect humans can have on water.
  • Love and the Incredibly Old Man: A Review
    A ghostwriter is hired to tell the life story of an elderly man claiming to be the 540-year-old Juan Ponce de Leon.
  • Symbolism and Themes in the Grapes of Wrath
    Grapes of Wrath is the Pulitzer prize winning novel of the acclaimed American writer, John Steinbeck. The Nobel laureate author comprehends the plight of a poor American family - The Joads who are victims of poverty, misery and ill-treatment.
  • I am an Old Communist Hag - A Controversial Book
    Dan Lungu, the author of this book, talks about communism in Romania, as it was perceived by the people representing that "golden age".
  • Little Women
    "Little Women" is a novel written by Louisa M. Alcott, an American writer who attentively describes the journey to maturity of the novel's characters.
  • Letters from the Underworld - Dostoevsky
    In the short novel, "Letters from the Underworld", the misery and disappointment of the main character are making their point: he hates the world because of its injustices but hopelessly comes to the conclusion that he is no better himself.
  • Boris Vian, "Foam of the Days"
    The book, "Foam of the Days" written by Boris Vian charms through playful mixing of people with objects but in the same time it teaches deep truths like that of real friends and where selfishness leads.
  • Haroun and the Sea of Stories
    Salman Rushdie's story resembles the main theme of "Arabian nights" focusing on the hindered freedom of speech in his country. See more about the charming way the author puts it into words.
  • Spiritual Coach Diane Hall Publishes Book on Life Purpose
    Spiritual Coach Diane Hall has compiled 25 easy steps of obtaining spirituality in one easy to read source.
  • Economy - The Good Society
    John Kenneth Galbraith - nominee for the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2003 - in his book "The Good Society. The Humane Agenda", brings to light an important idea: although it cannot be perfect, a society must tend to be stable and growing towards its best version. See more in the article below.
  • Rip Van Winkle - Washington Irving
    Washington Irving's story points the author's view about the effect of constant nagging, and what being constantly henpecked means. It is indeed devastating and makes you think about finding a right approach.
  • An Analysis of Sun Tzu's Art of War
    Sun Tzu was the author of the ancient treatise on military strategy, the Art of War. Here is an analysis of the ideas he propounded, and how it is applicable to us even today.
  • Christopher Paolini
    Christopher Paolini, the young writer who has churned out novels like Eragon and Eldest. Let us get to know more about him.
  • Book Review - He's Just Not That Into You
    It has, according to the publicity blitz, 'helped millions of women end bad relationships or stop pining over uninterested men'.
  • Book Review - A Little Princess
    Some things never go out of fashion - although there are some that might cynically scoff at them as sentimental - things like humanity, kindness, imagination, and fortitude in face of the most demanding trials and tribulations.
  • Can The Invisible Man See?
    H.G.Wells classic novel "The invisible man" may have inspired a lot of ideas in the new generation, but if we think deeper, the question should arise Can an Invisible man see??. If one knows the details about optics and the laws of refraction, one can safely say that the invisible man will be blind and helpless.
  • Book Review - The House on Prague Street
    Originally published as 'Ein Haus in Bohmen' and translated from the German into English by its Czech author Hana Demetz, 'The House on Prague Street' is one of the most well-written books on the Holocaust that I've come across.
  • To Kill A Mockingbird - The Challenge
    Before I start making my point, I would like to state here that I am only a student studying this novel and...
  • First Christmas by Alastair Macdonald - A Classic is Born
    A book review generally consists of a perusal of the writer's style, the story line and the flow and the viability of the subject matter. That would be nearly impossible with Alastair Macdonald's "First Christmas." Both the birth of Christ and the birth of Macdonald's book hold far too much for one brief review. Here is part one of two or perhaps three.
  • Memoirs of a Survivor The City and Apocalypse
    Doris Lessing - Memoirs of a Survivor