Book Title:
The Rich Get Richer and the Poor Get Prison: Thinking Critically about Class and Criminal Justice by Jeffrey Reiman and Paul Leighton.
Clarification:
The purpose of a book review is not to summarize the content, but to situate the historical merit of the book and to critically evaluate the author’s purpose, thesis, contentions, and methods of analysis. Hence, the bulk of the body of one’s review essay will be an evaluation of how convincing the author’s presentation of their thesis is, and a commentary on the book’s contribution to one’s understanding of important issues in race and crime.
Requirements: Book reviews must be at minimum 1,000 words in Times New Roman, 12 points font, double-spaced pages with 1” margins.
Questions to Consider as you prepare to write your review:
What is the thesis-or main argument-of the book?
What exactly is the subject or topic of the book?
How does the author support their argument?
How does the author structure their argument?
How has this book helped you understand the topic?
Structure of the Book Review
Introduction: The introduction should include:
The name of the author, the book title and the main theme
Relevant details about who the author is and where they stand in the field. You could also link the title to the subject to show how the title explains the subject matter.
The thesis of the book.
Your thesis about the book
Summary of the Content:
Brief summary of the key points of each chapter or group of chapters.
Paraphrase the information, but use a short quote when appropriate.
Evaluation and conclusion
Give your opinion about the book. Is the book easy to read or confusing? Is the book interesting, entertaining, instructive? Does the author support their arguments well? What are the book’s greatest strengths and weaknesses? Who would you recommend the book to?
