Orr has prepared a much-needed dictionary of the language of critical theory. All definitions are written from the perspective of literary critical use and entries generally include source information.

Interest in critical theory has grown enormously since the end of the 1960s and now seems to be fully integrated into most university programs. Leonard Orr has prepared a much needed historical and international dictionary of the language of critical theory. He includes terms that have appeared with great frequency in the indexes to anthologies of critical theory, either general or specific to a period or school; terms that have appeared in the indexes to standard histories of criticism; schools of criticism or broad types of criticism; and key terms from foreign-language critical theory. All definitions are written from the perspective of literary critical use. The entries generally include source information. Whenever possible, the reader is referred to sources in English. Cross-references are also provided as appropriate.

While the majority of readers of this work will be faculty members and graduate students in English, foreign literatures, or comparative literature, the definitions are accessible enough to be useful for undergraduates and non-academics.