Book Review #1
Paul Hollander, From Benito Mussolini to Hugo Chavez: Intellectuals and A Century of Political Hero Worship
Steps:
Read the Preface, Introduction, and Chapters 2-4.
Keep in mind as you begin pre-writing, you will be:
* describing in your paper’s Introduction,
* summarizing and analyzing in the Body, and
* assessing in your Conclusion
* citing page numbers with end notes or footnotes when using quotes or summarizing material from chapters in the book. I need to know where in the text you are drawing your information, so cite page numbers often. Failure to give page citations will result in a failing grade.
Introduce the book in half a page. Identify Hollander’s thesis and briefly summarize the major historical events that Hollander explores in chapters 2-4. End your introduction with, “In this paper, I will investigate and analyze…” Make sure you set this section off with the subhead, “Introduction.”
In the body of your paper, interpret and summarize the chapters on Mussolini, Hitler, and Stalin. Make sure to state each chapter’s thesis and best evidence/illustrations. You must weed out any fluff and rhetorical remarks and identify the best reasons and evidence Hollander cites without emoting your opinions. Even if Hollander expresses emotions and sarcasm at times, avoid writing a diatribe and this type of analysis yourself. Make sure to paragraph your ideas rather than shotgun information. Papers that shotgun information will be significantly marked down. Each chapter should be set apart with a creative subhead.
In a section called, “Historical Analysis,” critique Hollander’s overall argument. In one to two pages, tell me whether his evidence and reasoning supports his thesis. Justify your position using evidence and sound reasoning free of logical fallacies.
Finally, in a half page on the significance of the book, complete each of the following sentences with support for your response. Be sure to draw on specifics from the body of your review and use the subhead “Conclusion.”
The key to understanding Hollander’s book is…
This topic matters because…
One historical lesson that can be drawn from my review is…
Review: ask yourself, have I written to the best of my ability an unbiased, evidence-based review? Have I avoided writing a diatribe–that is, avoided making emotional statements and ethical value judgments in my analysis?
Works Cited or Bibliography page should be the last page of this review.
Warning: all work must be independent and, when appropriate, properly documented using either the M.L.A. or another academic style manual. Do not copy another person’s work and submit it as your own. Plagiarizing is a serious academic crime. Plagiarizers will be given an “F” for this project, which will likely result in an “F” for the course.