Enchanting Criticism: Dana Gioia as Literary Critic
Poetry as Enchantment: And Other Essays By Dana Gioia. Paul Dry Books, 2024. Paperback, 272 pages, $21.95. Reviewed by Oliver Spivey. In his essay titled “Reading,” W. H. Auden sets forth what he views as the special duties of the literary critic: What is the function...
Why Cervantes’ Don Quixote Matters
By Pedro Blas Gonzalez. Plainness, Sancho, for all affectation is bad (Llaneza, Sancho, que toda afectación es mala). – Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote Miguel de Cervantes addresses perennial concerns about human nature and reality, the snare of confusing...
Humane Literature and the Divided Soul
The Divided Soul: Duty and Desire in Literature and Life By Heidi White. Goldberry, 2025. Hardcover, 238 pages. $29.00. Reviewed by Gary Hartenburg. Heidi White’s debut book, The Divided Soul: Duty and Desire in Literature and Life, unites a memoir in fragments with a...
William F. Buckley Jr.: Literary Figure
By Bill Meehan. As his centennial year comes to a close, I’d like to advocate for a useful way to look back on the life and work of William F. Buckley Jr. Known mostly for his television show Firing Line and his journal of opinion National Review, the American public...
"If classical teachers believe that truth, beauty, and goodness can indeed change the world, then the sort of student (and teacher and school) described by Esolen is a net gain for this world. And his Classical Catechism serves as a helpful tool in building the necessary common