book review

CAS 370

Asian Cities

Winter 2019

Book Review Instructions

As part of the Asian Cities course, you are expected to submit a book review ( worth 25% of the course) of the text “Beautiful Forevers” by Katherine Boo on Quercus by 20th March. The word count for the novel should not exceed 2,500 words and should be double spaced (11, Times New Roman). The bibliographic citation format should be in APA style. Please note that you are expected to strictly adhere to these above stated rules. If you don’t follow these rules, marks will be deducted. In the review, you are expected to make a central argument/thesis about the novel. In that sense, I expect a review that is a critical commentary, not a mere summary of the novel. You have to relate the novel with any of the theories and discussions you have heard or noted in class or engage with a broad body of literature (theories of global cities and ordinary cities, Indian and Chinese urban development, Lewis model, McGee’s desakota framework, Friedmann and Geertz’s work etc. are some examples) we have covered in the class.

In the review, I expect to a see a clear opinion/thesis statement about the book and then you have to provide evidence to back up this statement. An example would be what you find noteworthy or deficient about the book’s argument or how this book changed or did not change your understanding of urban studies or the urban context in developing countries in Asia. Try to use the theory covered in the first four weeks of class when you read the novel. Boo’s arguments about gender relations, the role of the state in urban development and the region’s political economy, the importance of researcher positionality or gender relations. Mumbai’s status in the hierarchy of global cities, the level of Indian economic development, social inequality in India, the urban-rural relationship, the status of agrarian reform in India, urban informality, Boo’s interviews and research with communities etc. are some further examples/suggestions for focus for the review. Please try to be as original as possible in your review It is important to start with a summary of the book (please make it as brief as possible) and then focus on a few quick examples from the book to support your main argument. You can meet me in person during office hours to discuss this book review assignment.

Further Guides on how to write a book review

http://guides.library.queensu.ca/bookreviews/writing http://guides.lib.uoguelph.ca/BookReview http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/specific-types-of-writing/book-review