Select a work of Non-Fiction historical analysis for review of an agreed-upon topic. Book – Nothing Like It In The World by Stephen Ambrose The first page it will need to have – it will be the identification of the thesis, outline, and/or the main contributive points of the work . 1. Using proper format, Identify the Thesis of your book. This is the reason the book was written –

Select a work of Non-Fiction historical analysis for review of an agreed-upon topic. Book – Nothing Like It In The World by Stephen Ambrose The first page it will need to have – it will be the identification of the thesis, outline, and/or the main contributive points of the work . 1. Using proper format, Identify the Thesis of your book. This is the reason the book was written – so either copy the author’s statement or paraphrase in your own words. What is THE main theme, main argument, why does the book add to our understanding of a subject? There might be a secondary or tertiary thesis or themes and they should be included in your outline analysis. This should really be only two to three sentences at most, one sentence is preferred. 2. Write an outline regarding the scope of the work. In other words, what is the context the author is using to prove or demonstrate their thesis? This is not a listing of chapters and you do not have to have completed reading the book before analyzing its scope. You may formulate the scope chronologically or utilize the author’s direction or flow. A good academic work should have an introduction and conclusion that frame the thesis and provide the reader with an outline of the book. Identify dates (beginning and end, historical significance, legacy, etc) and the time period in question, what is the context, is this a comparison or contrasting work? What are the supporting arguments/facts/statistics that reinforce the thesis? This should be about a paragraph or two. The starting on the next page the book report…… Analyze the work, determine its validity, determine what it adds to the overall study of the topic, does it challenge the narrative, is it an important work, why did the author write it – and why did you read it? Notes for added help: After a critical analysis of an academic work agreed upon by you and the professor, it is important that you assess the contribution of the work to the cannon on the subject. Your analysis should address all of the following (but is not limited too…): What was the thesis or the main argument of the work? Did the author prove their thesis? Did the author show bias? (How and for what reason?) Was new information presented, or a new perspective utilized? Was the writing engaging? Were sources utilized correctly? Did the work overlook, ignore, dismiss, or omit information If so, what was it? How does the work help or hinder our understanding of the topic at hand? Does it clarify analysis, does it add new complexity? Do not write a summary-style high-school “book report” just to show you read and understood the book! DO NOT use the standard high school-level approach of just writing: “I liked this book because it is so cool and the ending made me feel happy,” or “I hated it because it was stupid, and had nothing at all to do with my life, and was too long and boring.” Instead, take a systematic, analytical approach to the text. 1) The goal is to present a coherent essay with a clear argument. …[Y]ou should state your general argument (your own thesis) in an introductory paragraph and then use the rest of the essay to support your position, making sure that you deal carefully with each of the issues raised somewhere in the paper. (Ie – the author presented a clear bias against the study by ignoring (this aspect). The omission of an accepted and peer-reviewed theory clouded the author’s perspective and left the reader questioning what other parts of the argument are embellished? Be very careful to avoid plagiarism. Do not use words or ideas from the Internet, from any publication, or from the work of another student without citing the source. Also, if you use more than three words in a row from any source, including the book you’re writing about, those words must be enclosed in quotation marks. You can also use appropriate background information from the textbook and lectures, or any resource that counters or validates your position about the work. Ensure that direct quotes are not more than 33% of the total work. Writing style counts. You need to revise your paper multiple times to be a successful writer. In the body of your review consider addressing some of the questions below: How much does the book agree or clash with your knowledge of the subject, and what you consider right and wrong? Use quotes as examples of how it agrees with and supports the accepted scholastic narrative. Use quotes and examples to discuss how the text agrees or disagrees with what you think about the world, history, and about right and wrong. How were your views and opinions challenged or changed by this text, if at all? Did the text communicate with you? Why or why not? Give examples of how your views might have changed or been strengthened (or perhaps, of why the text failed to convince you, the way it is). Please do not write “I agree with everything the author wrote,” since everybody disagrees about something, even if it is a tiny point. Use quotes to illustrate your points of challenge, or where you were persuaded, or where it left you cold. How well does the book address things that you, personally, care about and consider important to the subject? How does it relate to things that are important to your family, your community, your ethnic group, to people of your economic or social class or background, or your faith tradition? If not, who does or did the text serve? Did it pass the “Who cares?” test? Use quotes to illustrate. Reading “critically” does not mean the same thing as “criticizing,” in everyday language (complaining or griping, fault-finding, nit-picking). Your “critique” can and should be positive and praise the book as much as possible, as well as pointing out any possible problems, disagreements and shortcomings. To sum up, what is your overall reaction to the text? To whom would you recommend this text? Would you read something else like this, or by this same author, in the future or not? Why or why not?