Curious Case of Book Reviews

Academic book reviews are in a paradoxical situation in modern publishing system. Many scholarly journals especially in the fields of humanities, social sciences, law, and management are known to provide a section to feature book reviews. Few science journals also feature book review sections, but they do not hold much ground in readership. Book reviews are mainly commissioned as an invitation by the editor or potential reviewers provide their interest to pen book reviews for the journal. Book review sections have declined due to loss of interest amongst readers or inadequate peer reviewers available to provide reviews for published books. Nevertheless, it is a lost art form of academic writing and, thus, warrants a fresh perspective to understand the present status of book reviews and their place in scientific publishing. This chapter aims to provide a detailed understanding of book reviews, nuances of writing a critical book review, controversies, and other considerations.