How I write a book review
05-08-2024 • Ryan Prendergast
I publish book reviews. I never like the ones you see in newspapers, and I write mine differently. So, I thought I'd explain how I write them.
I have no desire to achieve completeness. The standard format for a book review is: first summarize the plot, and then analyze the book's themes. I don't believe in thematic analysis, so I will not even try that. Nor will I guarantee or attempt to summarize the book to any reasonable metric of completeness. The way I write book reviews is this: after I finish the book, I jot down all of the things which stuck in my memory. I might remember when character Y said this, or I might remember the sidenote on germ theory. I try to recall these memories as accurately as possible. I tidy this list into coherent paragraphs, then publish.
I read books is because sometimes I read something which, against my intentions, sticks with me. These ideas keep me company on walks or mull with me in the shower. My reviews aren't reviews as much as they are lists of memories.
I am not writing a corpus survey. I have not read all the books of a type and ranked them. Nor will I try to classify genres. Nor any kind of classification at all.
My book reviews are lists of memories. That's all. If I'm lucky, you'll remember them, too.