PHYS 280 :: Physics Illinois :: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Current Announcements - Wednesday 2-25

RPPv2 will be due electronically, Wednesday, 3-4, at 10 pm. Late deadline 3-6 at 4pm.

(Extra) Extra Credit Assignment: Book review for Hersey’s Hiroshima due on Sunday 3-22 at 10pm.

(1) Read “Hiroshima” by John Hersey (~2 hours)

(2) Read a few book reviews to get a sense of style.

(3) You are to write a book review of Hersey’s Hiroshima. You have two options:

  1. You may role play as a reviewer writing in 1946, or
  2. You may write the review as a modern writer who is revisiting the work contextualize its historical impact and argue for its importance to a modern audience (read the 1985 version)

Note: This is not a book report – you are not merely summarizing, nor are you reflecting. You are reviewing. This means you must critically evaluate Hiroshima as a work of nonfiction by analyzing Hersey’s purpose, narrative choices, use of evidence, rhetorical impact, etc. Your review should assess the book’s effectiveness, historical significance, and limitations, and make a clear argument about its value to its intended audience (whether contemporary readers in 1946 or modern readers today). Claims should be supported with specific examples from the text and, where appropriate, relevant historical context.

Hint: A complete read of the book’s Wikipedia page will be incredibly valuable.