Course description
Many aspiring writers get their first byline by writing a book review. Many successful writers continue to write book reviews throughout their careers. This course prepares students to excel at this genre of writing with the goal of having a book review pitch accepted for publication by the end of the course. We discuss the different types of book reviews, from the evaluative review to the round-up review to the review-essay. Students learn how to pitch a book review, how to read a book for the purposes of reviewing it, and how to conduct the outside research necessary for writing a strong review. Course readings include book reviews from a range of publicationsthe New York Times, the New Yorker, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and the London Review of Books, among othersto show the different approaches to book reviewing. Guest speakers provide students with insight into how to launch a career as a reviewer and how to use book reviews to develop other writing projects.
