Karen Kossie-Chernyshev, Editor, Recovering Five Generations Hence: The Life and Writing of Lillian Jones Horace (Texas A & M University Press, 2013)

Paragraph 1. Explain the author’s thesis–the main point or points that he/she is trying to make in the book. This is not a description or summary of the book; it is an explanation of the author’s purpose, the central idea or ideas around which the book is organized. Next 3-4 paragraphs. Give a broad, general summary of the book. You cannot in 3-4 paragraphs summarize the entire book, but you can give an example of the author’s arguments that capture the flavor of the book. Next paragraph. Discuss the sources upon which the author bases his/her book. What research materials did he or she use? Last paragraph. Assess the book. DO NOT tell me whether or not you like it or found it interesting, but tell me how successful the author was in achieving his/her objective