Including applied readings, this book explores the divide between practical criticism and theory in 20th century criticism to propose a new way of reading poetry. The history of poetry criticism in the 20th Century is often told as the story of two opposing sides. On the one hand, practical criticism emphasized close reading and a concern with authorial intention and technique; by contrast, the 'theory revolution' reacted against this in favour of a concern with the anonymous ideological forces at play in the text. Critically exploring this history of 20th Century literary criticism, "On Modern Poetry" draws on the insights of both traditions to offer a new way of reading poetry. Taking students through the work of such critics as T.S. Eliot, William Empson, Harold Bloom, Jacques Derrida and Martin Heidegger, the book considers such topics as rhyme, poetic 'voice' and language. The second part of the book then goes on to apply these critical insights through close readings of poems by such writers as Matthew Arnold, Thomas Hardy, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Alfred Lord Tennyson. A new exploration of poetry criticism in the last hundred years, "On Modern Poetry" is an essential guide for readers and students at all levels.

Ever want to have a bagel with Hegel? Eggs with Bacon? Or spend a day with Socrates, Mill, Herodotus, or Kant, able to pick their brains about the most mundane moments of your life? Former Oxford Philosophy Fellow Robert Rowland Smith thought he would, and so with dry wit and marvelous invention, Smith whisks you through a typical day, injecting a little philosophy into it at every turn. Wake up with Descartes, go to work with Plato and Nietzsche, visit the gym with Kant, have sex with Ovid (or Simone de Beauvoir).

As the day unfolds, Smith grounds complex, abstract ideas in concrete experience, giving you an informal introduction to applying philosophy to everyday life. Not only does "Breakfast with Socrates "cover the basic arguments of philosophy, it brings an irresistible, insouciant charm to its big questions, waking us up to the richest possible range of ideas on how to live. Neither breakfast, lunch, nor dinner will ever be the same again.

What is the role of fate in our lives? Why should we avoid repeating patterns? And how can we identify our purpose? In What It Means To Be Human, former Oxford don Robert Rowland Smith draws on his personal experience to answer some of life's most fundamental questions. Robert's story involves a love triangle, office politics, police raids and a near-death experience. We see him confronting his demons, but also looking out for angels. As we are led into Robert's private world- exploring themes like love, death, work and creativity - we gain an understanding of what it means to be human that is relevant to all. Previously published as AutoBioPhilosophy.

Including applied readings, this book explores the divide between practical criticism and theory in 20th century criticism to propose a new way of reading poetry. The history of poetry criticism in the 20th Century is often told as the story of two opposing sides. On the one hand, practical criticism emphasized close reading and a concern with authorial intention and technique; by contrast, the 'theory revolution' reacted against this in favour of a concern with the anonymous ideological forces at play in the text. Critically exploring this history of 20th Century literary criticism, "On Modern Poetry" draws on the insights of both traditions to offer a new way of reading poetry. Taking students through the work of such critics as T.S. Eliot, William Empson, Harold Bloom, Jacques Derrida and Martin Heidegger, the book considers such topics as rhyme, poetic 'voice' and language. The second part of the book then goes on to apply these critical insights through close readings of poems by such writers as Matthew Arnold, Thomas Hardy, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Alfred Lord Tennyson. A new exploration of poetry criticism in the last hundred years, "On Modern Poetry" is an essential guide for readers and students at all levels.

What if you could have your first kiss again, but this time see it through the eyes of Shakespeare? Or learn to ride a bicycle with Einstein? Or take your driving test with Jack Kerouac? In "Driving with Plato," former Oxford don Robert Rowland Smith lets history's greatest minds illuminate our defining moments. Following his highly acclaimed "Breakfast with Socrates," which walked through a single day in the company of thinkers from Aristotle to Arendt, he expands the "day in a life" concept to life's major milestones.

Start with being born. For some, like Sartre, you get off to a bad start: You didn't ask to be born, and unless you act, life remains meaningless. And yet for Heidegger, if you hadn't been born, you'd have no sense of your own being, and that would be a tragic loss. How about midlife crisis? When Dante wrote "The Divine Comedy," he deliberately set his story midway through life's journey, and it led to spiritual transformation. As for falling in love, is there always a chance, as suggested by Roland Barthes, that we're playacting? In a warm, humorous voice that revels both in life's absurdities and in the pure delight of discovery, Smith grounds abstract ideas in concrete experience. "Driving with Plato "helps us think more deeply about the key events in our lives even as it provides us with a philosophical education.