The Origin of the Modern Literary Criticism

This is an original, ambitious book on an important theme. Earlier scholars have adumbrated in one way another its major theses — but never have these been argued with so much care, thoroughness, or bibliographical completeness. Ford’s synthesis is an impressive one that merits close attention from every scholar interested in the history of the Western Literary Tradition. The topic is right at the cutting edge of contemporary concerns and will be of wide interest not only to classicists but also to cultural theorists and literary critics. Ford’s argument constitutes a substantial reevaluation of the development of criticism and (more particularly) a significant reframing of the contribution of Plato and Aristotle. The whole book is very well written: clear, punchy and convincingly handled. It will be widely discussed.