Lost has received widespread acclaim as one of the most innovative, intelligent, and influential dramatic series in television history. Central to Lost's success has been its capacity to evoke audience interpretations of its mysteries, undiminished even with the series' definitive conclusion.

This collection of fifteen essays by critics, academics, and philosophers examines the complete series from a diverse but interconnected array of perspectives. Complementary and occasionally conflicting interpretations of the show's major themes are presented, including the role of time, fate and determinism, masculinity, parenthood, and the threat of environmental apocalypse.