What Are Book Summaries?
A summary by definition is something that is comprehensive yet brief. A book summary, therefore, consists of the most important elements of a work. It retells (in condensed wording) a book’s beginning, rising action, climax, falling action, and ending. Good book summaries also capture essential elements about the central characters and the setting or settings in which the action unfolds.
When you have read a well-written summary, you ought to be able to say in your own words what the book is generally about, who the main characters are, and where it takes place. Imagine going to a bookstore or a library. You might have forgotten the name of the book, but you can recall enough of the pertinent information to help the clerk or librarian find the book for you.
Some of the most popular book summaries available on eNotes include:
Great Expectations book summary
Lord of the Flies book summary
A Tale of Two Cities book summary
To Kill a Mockingbird book summary
The Scarlet Letter book summary
Source: eNotes Publishing, ©2013 eNotes.com, Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Full copyright.
Did this raise a question for you?
