Review Detail

The Table of Contents is a great place to start in examining the content of the book. It is well-organized, easy to understand, and provides helpful clues to readers. Each chapter asks a question about violence and the media. There is one overview chapter, and then several chapters that provides answers to the bigger question. YES or NO is clearly states at the beginning of each chapter in the Table of Contents, so that readers know right away which view that chapter supports. Such well-organized and clear labeling for content is crucial for this type of viewpoint-focused non-fiction resources.

The chapters themselves are written by authoritative authors with experience in their field. They are short, to the point, and written in a very accessible manner. The only downside to the chapters is that there are no consulted sources, bibliography, or other works cited for the essays. Having a source for the information cited in each chapter would work to further the credibility of the author's claims. However, the extra resources at the end of the book do supplement this lack.

The book contains a list of additional resources and organizations to contact for more information. The organizational list includes primary sources as well as those supporting the variety of views from the text. The bibliography is extensive and for the most part, up to date, and is a great place for students to find additional resources for research projects and essays. The bibliography also features a variety of formats, such as books, periodicals, and internet sources. The periodicals and internet resources should have been separated into two different sections, but since they are both accessible online, it makes some sense for them to be together. The index at the very end of the book is also quite helpful: it is long, exhaustive, and easy to use.

Overall "Violence in the Media" is a well-constructed, easy to use, and up to date resource in the "Current Controversies" series of non-fiction books. I would recommend it to school librarians, as well as public libraries looking to supplement or update their current non-fiction collection.