Book Reviews
Book reviews supply information about the content, audience, and accuracy of books and can be valuable to your research.
You need to know the author's name and the title of the book to find a book review, and if you know the original publication year you can save a lot of time, since most reviews are written near the time of original publication.
For recently published books, begin with the online index which is most likely to cover the magazines or journals which would review the book (based on the subject).
| Popular Magazines & General Subjects |
Academic Search Elite available through EBSCOhost (1984- )
Mas FullTEXT Ultra available through EBSCOhost (1984- )
MasterFile Premier available through EBSCOhost (1983- )
Readers' Guide Abstracts available through FirstSearch (1983 - )
|
Social Sciences
& Humanities |
Academic Search Elite available through EBSCOhost (1984- )
Humanities Abstracts available through FirstSearch (1984 - )
Social Sciences Abstracts available through FirstSearch (1983 - )
|
| Business |
ABI-Inform available through ProQuest Direct (1970- ) |
| Science |
General Science Abstracts available through FirstSearch (1984 - )
|
Search Hints
Electronic Databases:
FirstSearch's advanced search allows you to limit to book reviews.
- Search by title of book.
- From the drop-down menu limit to Record Type: Book Review.
EBSCOhost includes reviews in the abstract.
- From the advanced search search by title of the book (all fields) and reviews (all fields).
- For example: The Poisonwood Bible and reviews
Annual Indexes:
Start with the year the book was published, then try the year after and the year before. Continue to look at 2 or three following years for a complete list of reviews.
For older books, when possible, begin with the cumulative index which covers the time (and subject, when appropriate) of the book.
All National Library Service Cumulative Book Review Index 1905-1974 Subjects (INDEX Z 1035 .N35 1975)
Book Review Index: A Master Cumulation 1969-1979 (INDEX Z 1035 .A1 B6)
The Times Literary Supplement Index 1940-1980 and The Times Literary Supplement Index 1981-1985 (INDEX AP4 .T45)
Social Sciences Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Humanities & Journals 1802-1974 (INDEX AZ 221.C645)
Humanities Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals 1886-1974 (INDEX Z 1035 .A1 C64)
Book Review Index to Social Science Periodicals (INDEX H 91 .B65)
When the years or subjects you need are not covered in the cumulative or online indexes, use these Annual Book Review Indexes or the Book Review Sections of thePeriodical Indexes which follow:
Book Review Index (INDEX Z 1035 .A1 B6) 1965 -
Book Review Digest (INDEX Z 1219 .C96) 1905 -
America: History and Life: Part B, Index to Book Reviews (INDEX Z 1236 .A48) 1964-
Applied Science & Technology Index (INDEX Z 7913 .I7) 1958 - 1990
Art Index (INDEX Z 5937 .Z78) 1929 -
Business Periodicals Index (INDEX Z 7164 .C81 B983) 1959 - 1991
Education Index (INDEX Z5813 .E23) 1929 - 1996
General Science Index (INDEX Z 7401 .G46) 1985 - 1993
Humanities Index (INDEX AI 3 .R492) 1974 - 1996
Library Literature (INDEX Z 666 .C211) 1933 - 1990
Physical Education Index (INDEX GV 341 .P49) 1985 -
Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature (INDEX AI 3 .R48) 1890 -
Social Sciences Index (INDEX AI 3 .R494) 1974 - 1991
