Book Review:

Review a book relevant to our course material and published by a reputable, academic press. The review asks you to be a critic of critics-a skill necessary for honing your confidence and competence in using secondary sources. This portion of the course will allow me to assess your understanding of a scholarly contribution to the field of Shakespeare criticism and your involvement in the interrogation of, and reflection about, issues significant to the course's debates.

You will spend some time summarizing the content of the book, but the purpose of this exercise is to evaluate, and not just explain, the book's contribution to the field. The written review should be 1200-1700 words. Citations should follow MLA format which includes in text citation of the literature and a works cited page at the end of the document.

Questions to consider for the Book Review

What, if any, is the value of this book?

After exploring the book's goals, how well does the author achieve those goals?

What has the book left out?

What specific points are not convincing?

Is there evidence from the play texts that seems in conflict with the book's analyses?

Think of your own reading of the play texts; how has the book affected or changed your initial reactions?

Is there anything in the evidence or the execution that needs further explanation and/or seems erroneous?