The goal of the essay is for you to read the book and critically evaluate the merits and the faults of the book’s argument or thesis. It is NOT a book report or a summary. You may wish to write a short summary of the reading to introduce your essay. The following is a list of questions that you should answer at minimum:
1) What is the book’s argument/thesis/main point?
2)Is the argument/thesis/main point convincing?
3)How does the author substantiate their claims? Use specific examples.
4)What critique (or perhaps fault) do you find in the claim? Even if you agree with the author you can still offer criticism.
5)What sources did the author use to write the monograph and make their argument? (If you are reading Blood Meridian you may use the internet for research. If you are reading either Tecumseh or Empire of the Summer Moon the authors list their sources at the end of the book)
6)Were these sources adequate? This may require you to find some of the sources and evaluate them.
7)Your overall impressions of the monograph and its effectiveness