Perspectives on Science DHST Early Career Workshop #1: Introduction in Writing Good & Fair Book Reviews
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Sep 22, 2025 Gleb Albert, Assistant Professor in General and Eastern European History at the University of Lucerne and seasoned book review editor, shares insights on crafting effective scholarly book reviews. He discusses the critical balance of criticism and the importance of connecting reviews to prior work. Gleb emphasizes the significance of deadlines, communication with editors, and understanding a book’s goals while structuring engaging reviews. He provides early-career writers with practical tips and encouragement to navigate the review process confidently.
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A Review Sparked Ongoing Collaboration
- Barbara described how a single book review led to collaboration, joint panels, publications, and teaching opportunities.
- She used this story to show how reviews can kickstart academic networks and careers.
Shift In Who Writes Reviews
- Book reviews shifted from senior-only gatekeeping to being largely written by junior scholars today.
- This opened space for novel approaches but increased reluctance to harsh criticism due to career hierarchies.
Junior Reviewers Change Tone And Risk
- Junior-dominated reviewing yields fresher voices but creates many positive-skewed reviews due to career risks.
- Editors try to manage hierarchical mismatches when assigning books to avoid conflicts.