The functions of book reviews in economics

This article examines the functions of book reviews in economics. Since most book reviews provide a description, an analysis, and an appraisal of a book’s content, their first function is to highlight the book’s existence, encourage or discourage readership, and offer post-publication peer review. Book reviews also facilitate knowledge transfer across languages, disciplines, and audiences. Moreover, for reviewers, writing a book review can be a way to signal their expertise to peers, to defend their ideas and positions, to supplement their income, or to expand their personal library. For authors and publishers, reviews provide feedback and visibility. For journals, book reviews can be a way to promote specific ideas, to attract readers interested in book reviews, to build connections with scholars, and to promote books by scholars associated with the journal. To examine these functions, this article primarily focuses on book reviews related to demand theory, monopolistic competition theory, and international trade theory from the mid-1940s to the late 1950s.