Reading Response II: Book Critique

This is your opportunity to choose a subject, read a scholarly monograph, and obtain more in depth
information from scholars in the subject than you can get from a history textbook. Below is the list from
which you will choose one. The topics include Colonial Era environmental history, Salem Witch trials, the
enslavement of a free black man, the Corps of Discovery, and Abigail Adams. Two topics, environmental history
and free blacks who become enslaved, often receive little to no space in history textbooks and classes. In
the writing your paper, you will be asked to compare your chosen book with what material is presented in your
text, the videos, podcasts, and the online documents.
Choosing Your Book

Some of you may immediately decide, “Ah, that’s the book I’ve been wanting to read” and begin immediately.
Some of you may choose the book with the least number of pages. Whatever your reason, I encourage you to
begin reading as soon as possible. If you begin one book and decide that is not the one for you, you are free
to select another from the list, however, your paper still is due on the assigned due date.
Please choose one you have not already read from the following list. They are readily available at PCC and
local libraries, new, used, and online book stores.

Akers, Charles W. Abigail Adams: A Revolutionary American Woman
Ambrose, Stephen. Undaunted Courage (this is about the Lewis and Clark Expedition focusing mainly on
Meriwether Lewis)
Cronon, William. Changes in the Land (environmental history addressing the changes in New England’s plant and
animal communities that occurred when the area shifted from Indian to Euro-American domination)
Gaustad, Edwin S. Neither King nor Prelate: Religion in the New Nation 1776-1826
Ellis, Joseph. Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
LaPlante, Eve, American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, the Woman Who Defied the Puritans.
Northup, Solomon. Twelve Years A Slave (this is also is available as an e-book from two sources:
Gutenberg Press https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/15399 and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
https://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/northup/northup.html )
Reis, Elizabeth. Damned Women: Sinners and Witches in Puritan New England
The Critique:
The book critique is not a chapter by chapter account of the book. Rather, it is a critique in which you will
discuss the book in terms of History 201. You must relate your book to the historical context in which it was
set. While not all of the following questions will pertain to your specific book, many of them will. You
should address all that do pertain to your book. Factors to consider and include are: What is the main theme
of the book? What is the author trying to tell the reader? Is the author biased? Does the author take sides?
Is he/she trying to convince the reader of his/her point of view (“shove his/her agenda down the throat of
the reader”) or is the book well balanced? How does he/she portray people of various ethnicities and
socio-economic classes? Is the book scholarly? If non-fiction, was the book well researched? What sources did
the author use? Primary? Secondary? If fiction, was the book historically accurate? Why/why not? Was the book
readable? Discuss vocabulary, sentence structure, and ability to engage the reader. For example: Did you find
the book difficult to read because of too many unfamiliar words or concepts? Was there dialogue that added to
the realism of the book or did you find it made the book more difficult to read difficult? Was the book a
“page turner” that you found difficult to put down or was it boring? Explain. Please be specific, support
your statements with specific data/examples from the book and/or assigned readings and videos .
*** You must respond to the following: Was this book appropriate for History 201? How does this book fit in
with the course? Is the book historically accurate? Does it conflict with anything in this course (be sure to
consult textbook, online documents, and videos)? Does it contribute to your understanding of history? Why and
how? Why not and how not? Again, please be specific. In order to complete this portion of the assignment, it
may be necessary for you to look ahead in your readings and videos.
Please make sure you know the difference between a novel and a non-fiction book and use the terminology
appropriately. Caveat: In your introduction, do NOT tell me what you intend to do ( “In this paper I will
attempt to ?”) — “just do it.” Your introductory statement should be written as a thesis statement which
will tell your reader what your paper is going to say. For example, “Keith Peterson’s work is an
outstandingly well written and well documented source on salmon and the development of dams on the Snake
River. It was captivating yet at times it is too detailed.”
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