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Journal for the Study of Spirituality: Book Reviews

Guidelines for Book Reviewers


ALL reviews are commissioned soley by the Book Reviews Editor.

If you have accepted an invitation to act as a Reviewer, thank you. Please note the following guidelines::


A review for JSS should be in the region

of 800-1,500 words. 


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A review should aim to:

  • Include a brief summary of the book, including its main arguments and overall structure; tell readers not just about the ‘what?’ but also about the ‘so what?’ factor of the book.
  • Outline the text’s strengths and provide a reflective and thoughtful critique and evaluation of it, assessing any major shortcomings or weaknesses in a constructively critical manner.
  • Provide an analysis of the book’s contribution to its relevant field(s) and indicate the main audience(s) to which it will appeal
  • Comment on the extent to which the author succeeds in her/his intentions for the text.
  • (For an edited collection) Provide an overview of the volume and illustrate your commentary with examples from a limited number of chapters; identify which chapters are particularly valuable, and why.
  • Keep any quotations from the book brief; cite page numbers in parenthesis next to the quotation, not in footnotes.


Essential information

1. The review should be preceded by all of the following information:

  • Title of book [in bold],
  • Author/s name/s (or state ‘Edited by’ followed by Editor/s name/s),
  • Place of Publication,
  • Publisher,
  • Date of Publication,
  • Number of pages in book,
  • Price of book in GBP,
  • Paperback or Hardback,
  • ISBN Number.
2. The review should conclude with a section headed ‘Notes on contributor’. This should be of no more than 1-2 sentences

     about the reviewer, including role/research interests.

3.  The reviewer's name, institutional affiliation (if appropriate) and email address must be included.

4.  Reviews should not be undertaken where there may be any conflict of interest.

5.  Reviews should be in the following format:

  •  MS Word file, typed double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins.


Click here to see a list of books that have already been reviewed in JSS.


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