Critical Book Review on Stories That Changed America: Muckrakers of the 20th Century

Critical Book Review

Here is some general information pertaining to the critical book review assignment on the Carl Jensen work, Stories That Changed America: Muckrakers of the 20th Century.

Here are some things you need to address in the process of writing your critical review. You should use the info below as a template for the review. This is not a book report, that is, it is not a recounting, nor a straight summary of the book, rather, it is an analysis of the overall book in historical context.

The paper should be between 1,000-1,500 words, double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 pt. font, cited in the Chicago Style with endnotes or footnotes. Here is what the paper must address for full credit:

1. What is the background of the author/editor? How is this relevant to understanding the purpose of the book overall?

2. What is the thesis of the book? How successful is the author/editor at getting his/her points across to the reader clearly and does the author ultimately prove what the thesis claims to show? Give factual examples of how and/or how not.

3. In the process of doing steps one and two above, choose three of the journalists in the book and use them as examples in the review itself. This implies a brief discussion about each of the three journalists selected, their writings, the significance of the issue addressed, and what happened as a result of his/her reporting. Please choose an author from the first third, middle third, and last third of the 20th century (spreading out your choices from the book).

4. Do you think that investigative reporting and a free press are important to a democracy? Why or why not? Give an example of a contemporary muckraking journalist and the issue he/she addresses, one not included in the Jensen book, and one active writing in the past decade. What is socially/politically compelling about the topic and what possible solutions are offered in the current example you chose? What role do these people play in the construction of our history?

5. Closing remarks/conclusion. BE SURE the paper is properly cited in Chicago Style, endnotes or footnotes.