Listed below are several online sources that provide an overview to searching for book reviews in history at Berkeley. In general, there is a substantial time lag between the publication date of a book and the appearance of a serious review, and another lag between the appearance of the review and the indexing of that review in a database. Knowing the date of the publication is a critical factor in determining what database/source will yield the best results.

History Book Review Sources | General Book Review Sources

History Book Review Sources

America History and Life

Use for post-1974 reviews of U.S history only. (NOTE: Historical Abstracts, the companion database to AHL, which covers non-US history, does not include individual book reviews, only lengthier review essays.)
SEARCH TIP: In the Limit to field click Book Reviews. In the Add/Remove Search Field click on Author. Enter author's name in pop up field. Searches yield book reviews of the author's work as well as book reviews written by the author.

History Cooperative

Full text of many current U.S. History journals-- approximately the past five years.
SEARCH TIP: Use Advanced Search. Select Article Type: Review

History Journals Guide Online Review Index

Links to current online reviews from a wide variety of recent history sources. Reviews are listed alphabetically by the author of the work reviewed and by publication type: exhibition catalogs, diaries, autobiographies.

History of Science, Technology and Medicine, 1975--

SEARCH TIP: Do a Keyword, Author, or Title search. Then, from the list displayed click on Limit and select Form/Genre-- Book Review and Apply Limit.

JSTOR

Around sixty core history and history of science journals are included in this full text multi-subject index. Full back files are available for all titles. However, coverage for recent dates- approximately the past five years, is not available on this database. To check coverage dates see Browse Journals.
SEARCH TIP: On the Advanced Search screen limit your search to Reviews by checking the box at the Narrow Your Search to--These types: Review. Author search results: book and review authors.

Project Muse

Another multi-subject full text index; history is one of many humanities subjects covered by this database. Project Muse is useful for reviews published since 1993. To check coverage dates see Browse Journals.
SEARCH TIP: From the Search screen use the pull down menu to select Author Reviewed or Title Reviewed.

Reviews in History

This is the online review journal of the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London. Since 1996 the journal has published nearly 500 reviews of a broad range of scholarly interest in history

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General Book Review Sources

American Periodicals Series, 1740-1900

Searchable full text of many 18th and 19th century periodicals.
SEARCH TIP: There is not a separate book review index: use the word Review as part of your Title or Author search.

Periodicals Archive Online, 1770-1995

Good coverage of American, British, and some continuential European periodicals from the 19th and 20th centuries.
SEARCH TIP: Search for the title in Article Title Keyword and under Scope select Book Reviews Only.

Nineteenth Century Masterfile (Also known as Poole's Index to Periodical Literature, 1802-1906)

Includes American and British periodicals. This index contains reviews, but the word "review" is not always in the citation.
SEARCH TIP: Use Author or Title searches to locate reviews.

Reader's Guide Retrospective (1890-1982)

SEARCH TIP: In the Document Slot at the lower end of the Search screen select Book Review.

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