I was familiar with the poetry of T.S. Eliot, but I had not read any of his essays when I saw this book in a local store and picked it up. His points are well constructed and logical, and while some individuals may find the writing dry I enjoyed his insights. What caught my attention was how he evaluated the criteria used by art and literary critics in creating their standards. For example, a common art criticism today is that something isn't original enough. However, as Eliot points out, originality is sometimes a crutch used to compensate for lack of form or other substance in the work. In other words, the work of art should be evaluated as a whole and not on isolated criteria.

I wouldn't blindly recommend this book to readers. The content is excellent, but it will appeal to a smaller audience. If you thrive on understanding art, literature, and the standards of criticism then this is a book you will love. ( )