What do you look for in a Book Review?

Have you noticed the sign-ups so far, for our Love Affair with Books in March?

When I look at the titles our reviewers are selecting, the index is already a terrific source for me personally; the fact that they’ve made a choice from all the books possible is but the first signal to me that these are books worth investigating. I have a trip coming up this week where I know it is highly likely I’ll be spending some time in the local Barnes & Noble bookstore, and I’m printing the sign-up list to take with me and preview some of these books while I’m there.

I’ve signed up to be a reviewer too, and I’m wondering, What do you look for in a book review?  For instance, if you consider those reviews done at Amazon.com, or read them in your Sunday paper, which ones do you just skim over, and which ones will get you to stop and say to yourself, Interesting, this sounds like a book I’ll have to check out.

Perhaps we can get some conversation going here to help our reviewers write well for you, our readers here on Joyful Jubilant Learning. I’d guess you’re here reading these words at this moment because you are learners, so let’s sharpen the question somewhat … What do lifelong learners look for in book reviews?

Let’s get a dialogue going, shall we?

Do you have a story to share about the last book you bought on recommendation? Did it live up to your expectations, based on what the reviewer had written?

When there is such choice available to you, as there certainly is with books, how does a reviewer help you make the best selection for your valuable attentions?

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Post Author; Rosa Say of Talking Story and Managing with Aloha.

In our March Love Affair with Books, Rosa has signed up to review Setting the Table, The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business by Danny Meyer

Comments

[Rich G.]

I love amazon book reviews.

I like in a book review when the reviewer draws a comparison to a book I have already read to give me a sense of the book, some books are more technical, and some more anecdotal, and knowing which I'm getting is nice ahead of time. I like anecdotes, but don't like when that's all there is, for example.

I'm not a big fan of book reviewers who try too hard to be clever and impress me with their writing. If I want clever writing I'll read a book, not a book review.

"If Stephen King and David Allen wrote a book this would be the result!"

That sort of thing leaves me wanting to boil my eyes, not buy a book.

Some local radio personalities (Yes, drive time in the morning, I'm sorry) suggested Evolution of a Game and I got it based on their recommendation because I like their radio personae. It is/was a huge favorite of mine, and that was a risk as I don't know them in real life but was willing to trust them one reader to another, and it worked. It's a good book in spite of being about sports, which is something they pointed out in their review of the book.

So, my trust of the reviewer plays into the weight I put in a review. I have never met a professional reviewer that I trusted at all times.

When a reviewer acknowledges a book has shortcomings I'm more prone to trust the reviewer. It's the rare book that is perfect and above reproach. If a reviewer tells me that a book has no flaws I assume money changed hands and the reviewer is biased and I downgrade their review. So, knowing the reviewer wasn't just a fanboi or fangrl and recognizes there were areas for improvement does help lend credibility in my mind.

[Rosa Say]

Rich I think you’ve hit on why blogs and book reviews seem to go together like milk and honey; we choose the blogging communities we get involved with as both like-mindedness and trust develops. Reviewers in forums like the one we’re launching here are done by friends and people we admire, and they aren’t critics, but savvy early adopters. Blaine is a great example – he’s signed up to review a book that isn’t even being released until 6 days into our Love Affair!

[C.O. Solberg]

The #1 thing I look for in a book review is that it gives me a summary or crucial points the author is making, rather than me buying the book and digging for them. Based on these, I determine if I would like to buy the book and read more in-depth about the ideas.

[tim]

When I read a book review, I want the following:

a) Thumbs up or Thumbs down.
b) Tell me what the four, five, six, or twenty one main points are in the book.
c) Tell me how the book helped you grow, get better, or left you wanting.
d) Give me some quotes that capture the author's intent in writing the book.
e) Tell me one thing the author could have done to improve the book (this helps me know the reviewer actually read the book).
f) Show me a picture of the cover.
g) Give me a link to Amazon or Barnes & Noble so I can quickly click through if I want to purchase (or read other reviews).

Ultimately, I read book reviews because I want to make an informed decision about investing in a book or bypassing it. A good review will pique my interest in a book or throw up red flags.

[Rosa Say]

Those critical points then C.O. and Tim, are our learning points, and what we have to gain by delving into the author's thought process about them, wouldn't you say?

Before this month is over Tim, I think we'll get a booklist up on the sidebar of the blog to easily do the work of getting cover snapshots up with Amazon links for everyone. They can then be easily copied over for the reviews themselves too.

[Glenn (Customer Service Experience) Ross]

I'm looking for three things. First, I want to know about the content. Who is its intended audience? Is the information relevant to that audience and written so that they understand it. Like Tim above, I'd like to know the main points.

Second, how well written is it? Is it well organized? Is it boring? Is it too academic for the audience at which it's aimed?

Third, either give me the complete title and publisher, or link to it on Amazon.com. I'd also like to know the number of pages.

I'd like the reviewer to give me this information in less than 500 words, 400 if possible.

Regards,

Glenn

[Rosa Say]

Thank you Glenn! I so agree that a reviewer helps us out immensely when they share their feelings on a book's intended audience, for I have purchased books on the advice of a review to find that the reviewer was more interested in writing THE REVIEW for a broader audience, and in doing so misrepresented what I'd actually find between the pages of the book itself!

I've learned the hard way to at times question the reviewer's relationship with the author (or the publisher), and as an author I admit that a good (and good doesn't necessarily mean entirely positive) review from a complete stranger who has purchased my book is the one that feels the greatest. That is the one which will most help me improve as a writer.

Good thoughts too about some basics that all our March reviewers in the JJL Love Affair with Books can be adding to their write-ups.

[Blaine Collins]

Lots of good input here!

Tim, I especially like the way you enumerated the contents of a great book review. I wouldn't be surprised if several of us use your list as a concrete starting point for constructing our reviews.

I can summarize what I want from a book review in a short phrase: What were the "take-aways"?

Reviewer, please tell me what you walked away with from your experience in reading the book. It may be a feeling, a skill, an idea, or many of all the above. What was the nature of the value you received?

If I learn what the reader experienced, then I can better judge whether that is something that appeals to me.

[Joanna Young]

Rosa, I'm going to cheat a little and tell you a bit about what I'm trying to write in reviews - although it's based on what I look for in a review myself.

I've just started trying to review books I read on Amazon, partly as a way of crystallising my learning, and partly as a way of consolidating my online identity :-)

The things I'm trying to include as well as a rating are:

* Why you might want to read the book - who it might be useful for, the circumstances that might draw you to the book

* What I found most interesting - helpful - valuable in the book

* As Blaine said, my main take-away

* Some things that were missing, or I'd like to have been different, or words of caution, dampening down expectations

* A headline that sums it all up (and makes the review more readable)

* Keeping it short (I am a fan of brevity!)

* Consistency with other things I write and teach about - which relates of course to the point about trust discussed here, and as you say, why blogging and reviews go hand in hand

* Credibility - I want to be as clear as I can about what I did (and didn't) find of value, because anything I write is a reflection of who I am and what I'm about. It's the same way I try and approach any kind of recommendation - a blog to read, a link to follow, an idea to explore

When I look at this list I realise the first 4 are the content - what I want to include - the second 4 are the how, the way I try and approach it

I look forward to reading what other people say before I approach my own review. I haven't actually written a 'full' review in a blog post, only the short Amazon ones, and I haven't worked out yet just how to approach it (and am a little nervous being in the company of such experienced and expert reviewers!)

Joanna