Dear SPME Faculty Network Colleagues:
We are now trying to set up a book review project under the auspices of SPME and need your help.
Our goal is to build a book review section which will give a good sense of what is being written in the field and keep our readers informed of new scholarship and ideas.
I have had some experience as editor for book reviews of the Jewish Political Science Review which is published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
The main job of a book review editor is to match up good reviewers with good books. Since we must begin at the beginning, we are looking for both.
If you would like to review for SPME, please send me your CV and a description of the types of books you would like to review. Please indicate of your preferences for languages in addition to English.
If you would like to propose books for review, please send me your suggestions.
We shall not define our subject matter narrowly. We are prepared not only to consider titles which deal with the Middle East but also relevant and timely books of transcending importance that the intelligent reader may find of interest. We are prepared to accept reviews of books published abroad and in languages other than English. Occasionally, we may accept a review in another language. In such a case, we shall need volunteers to translate the reviews into English. (The most common foreign languages with literature of interest seem to be German and French.)
As for reviewing guidelines, there is a generally accepted form for book reviews which we follow.
In fact, most book reviews are based on the principle of balance, except for the exceptions. The reviewer should first describe what the book is about and explain the author’s method and point of view. He or she then states the book’s good and weak points. If the book is good, and we are in agreement, we say why. If we are critical, we do the opposite. In other words, we tell what the book is all about. We should give our opinion but always try to give the reader enough space to form his or her own opinion. We must avoid going ad hominem.
When one writes a review, it is necessary to keep a bit of distance from the subject, and while it is possible to say everything that one wishes, it is preferable to do so in moderate and balanced language. If the book is poor, the reviewer should describe its shortcomings — for example, the conclusions are not supported by facts. If the book truly lacks merit, or the author is in gross bad faith, or is unprofessional, one may call things by their right name.
This is why we depend on our reviewers for their maturity and good judgment.
The objective of SPME is to publish compact and succinct reviews of roughly one thousand to twelve hundred words, which will give the reader a clear indication of a book’s merit and its place in the field. In order to make our reviews more useful to our readers, may we suggest some issues for our reviewers’ attention.
1. Who is the author?
2. What is the subject matter of the book, its main findings, and conclusions?
3. Is the contribution of this book descriptive or analytical — or both?
4. Does the author support his or her interpretation with sound reasoning and evidence?
5. Does the author come forward with new ideas?
6. Does the book offer a new interpretation, which could influence the development of the field?
7. Does the author use new sources?
8. How does this title fit in with the existing literature?
9. Has the scholarship of others been properly acknowledged and attributed?
10. Has the author omitted important information?
11. Is the author intellectually honest?
12. What is the quality of the scholarship?
13. Summing up: the reviewer’s clearly stated evaluation.
14. Excessive praise of authors and a lengthy enumeration of an author’s accomplishments, works or virtues are not acceptable, all the more so if the reviewer is on terms with the author.
If you would like to review for SPME, or propose titles for review, or translate reviews, or ask any questions about the guidelines, or just be in touch with suggestions, please write to me at joel.fishman@gmail.com. Please be sure to write SPME in the header.
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Joel S. Fishman, Ph. D.
Book Review Editor
Scholars for Peace in the Middle East
Jerusalem
01.01.10