Tom Paulin, a British poet and literary critic, is a subtle scrutineer of language. In this collection of essays, he gives an account of some of the greatest literary works in English, including Shakespeare's sonnets, Daniel Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" and James Joyce's "Ulysses". What interests Mr Paulin most is how to read and understand a literary text. Is it an autonomous work of art in its own right, something of beauty to be understood on its own terms? Or is it forever subject to the undertow of social and historical forces? For Mr Paulin, history and aesthetics always go hand in hand.
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