How to Find Book Reviews

This guide is a starting point for finding book reviews. The following indexes and databases will guide you to book reviews published in a wide variety of popular magazines and scholarly journals. To verify that the Library owns a magazine or journal, search the Journal Title List. If you need further assistance, please consult with a Reference Librarian.

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Jump to: Humanities/Fine Arts | Social Sciences | Sciences | Internet Sites

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GENERAL SOURCES

Academic Search Premier (1965-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. For articles about a book, enter author and title words. Limit results by selecting Book Reviews under Document Type.

Alternative Press Index (1991-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Search for title or author and limit Article Type Phrase to Book Reviews.

Book Review Digest, 1905-2001. Reference Indexes.

Book reviews from popular magazines.

Book Review Digest Plus, 1983-present.

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Over 10,000 full text reviews of fiction and non-fiction.

Book Review Index, 1965-1975; 1983-present. Reference Indexes.

Current Book Review Citations, 1976-1982. Reference Indexes.

Book reviews from a wide variety of scholarly journals.

Christian Science Monitor Index, 1979-1993. Reference Indexes.

Look under subject heading: Book reviews. Continued online on Newspaper Source, 1995-present.

Hispanic/American Periodicals Index (HAPI) (1970-present).

Available from the Hatfield Library Web site. Search by author or title.

JSTOR (dates vary).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Choose Advanced Search and search by author or title and narrow Search Type to Review.

Lexis Nexis Academic (dates vary).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Full-text information from newspapers, journals, and magazines. Select Guided News Search, then choose Category: Arts & Sports News, then News Source: Book, Movie, Music, & Play Reviews, and search using author and title words.

New York Times Index, 1851-1993. Reference Indexes.

Look under subject heading: Book reviews.

New York Times, June 1980-present for full text.

NYTimes Historical, 1851-2003.

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Choose Advanced Search and more search options. Search by author or title and choose Review for document type under more search options.

Project Muse (dates vary).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Select Advanced Search and limit Document Type to Review.

Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, 1976-present. Reference Indexes.

See Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

Readers' Guide Retrospective (1890-1982).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Select Advanced Search and limit Document Type to Book Review.

HUMANITIES/FINE ARTS

America: History and Life, 1974-1996. Reference Indexes.

From 1974-1988, look in Part B, "Index to Book Reviews". From 1989, look in either the "Author Index" or the "Cumulative Book and Film Title Index" sections of the Annual Index under the name of the book author.

America: History and Life (1964-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. On Advanced search screen, type author's last name in Authors field, and limit to Book Reviews.

Art Index (1929-1984; 1984-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. On Advanced Search screen, search by author or title and limit Document Type to Book Review.

Arts and Humanities Citation Index (1980-1993; 1989-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. In ISI Web of Knowledge (1989-present), select General or Advanced Search and select database. Search by author or title and limit Document Type to Book Reviews. In First Search (1980-1993), search by author or title and limit Article Type phrase to Book Review.

ATLA Religion Database (1949-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Search by author or title and limit Publication Type to Review.

Humanities Index, 1974-2001.

See Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

Music Index (1976-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Select Advanced Search and search by author or title and limit Document Type to Printed Material Review.

Music Index, 1949-1978. Reference Indexes.

Look under subject heading: Book reviews

Philosopher's Index (1940-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Select Advanced Search. Search by author or title on the first line and on the second line type "review" and choose Publication Type in the drop down box for that row.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Business Source Premier (1922-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. For articles about a book, enter author and title words. Limit results by selecting Book Reviews under Document Type.

Business Periodicals Index, 1958-1998. Reference Indexes.

See Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

Education Index (1983-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Search by author or title and limit Document Type to Book Review.

Education Index, 1929-1983. Reference Indexes.

See subject heading Book Reviews for years prior to 1976. Following 1976, see Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

Library Literature, 1958-1983. Reference Indexes.

See Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

Social Sciences Citation Index (1989-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Select General or Advanced Search and select the database. Search by author or title and restrict search by Document Type to Book Review.

Social Sciences Index, 1974-2001. Reference Indexes.

See Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

SCIENCES

General Science Index, 1978-2001. Reference Indexes.

See Book Reviews section at the end of each volume.

Science Citation Index (1989-present).

Available online from the Hatfield Library Web site. Select General or Advanced Search and select the database. Search by author or title and restrict search by Document Type to Book Review.

INTERNET SITES

The Internet offers another good place to look for book reviews. The following are examples of some of these resources:

Amazon.com

This online bookstore also provides reviews from popular resources as well as from readers. Search by title or author. Book reviews will follow purchasing information.

AcqWeb Directory of Book Reviews on the Web

An online site with a collection of links to many general and specific book review sources.

For additional assistance with using any of the sources listed above

please ask a Reference Librarian!

Updated by Beth Chapman; maintained by Julie Sparks on 3/2007