The Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory

I bought this book for my graduate-level course at college named Practical Criticism (renamed to Critical Theory this year actually) and it has been so useful. It has everything in it! Or almost. i could just sit down and read some of the things in this book just for fun. It is fascinating stuff. Purchase this book now! Used or New. W/e is cheaper.

The entries in this dictionary are great and informative, but it just seems like it could have had even more in it (plus, there are a few entries that probably didn't need to be in there such as Karl Popper, a great philosopher of science and all, but how much does he really affect critical theory?). Still, the smaller size does make it even more portable, which is kind of a plus, and for the amount of information that is... Read Full Review

For anyone interested in recent intellectual traditions Macey's book is worth keeping on the desktop. Spare minutes can profitably be spent browsing, or the history of a particular line of thought can be traced through multiple entries. Clearly written and wonderfully informative.

A DICTIONARY OF CRITICAL THEORY by David Macey is one of those books that ought to be held in one hand while the other holds another text on literary theory. It is no easy task to succinctly summarize let alone analyze an imposingly long list of terms, writers, movements, and schools of critical thought, but Macey has come close. Assume that a reader is about to try to plow his way through the denseness that is the thought... Read Full Review

Yes and no. For some time, I have referred to the Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy. This I have found to be particularly helpful. I thought I might find the same with the Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory. But first, what is critical theory? While there are several possible definitions, perhaps the following would make most sense. Scientific theory, in whatever field, uses "instrumental reason" for the purpose of... Read Full Review