This volume brings to completion the monumental trilogy George A. Panichas began to write more than thirty years ago. The Reverent Discipline, The Courage of Judgment, and this new collection are all outstanding critiques not only of literature and criticism but also of society and culture. The essays' unifying principle is the insistence that the critic's mission is to conserve universal values and truths in a world of flux and confusion. This timely collection of writings will challenge all readers concerned with moral disarray and spiritual barrenness in modern times.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

""[T]his is a book for any budding intellectual dissident to have on the shelf so as to dip back into, when discouraged, for a renewal of inspiration. . . .""--The University Bookman

""[Panichas] has proved once again that he is worthy of being included in the company of such critics as Matthew Arnold and Lionel Trilling. With courage, conscience, and clarity, he has brilliantly recorded the collapse of the traditional values and has urged the restoration of the proven ethical guidelines.""--Milton Birnbaum, Professor of English, American International College

""Panichas is always challenging, and his views derive from a broad intellectual background, sound scholarship, and, above all, an unquenchable faith in the permanent relevance to the human condition of the moral truths perceived by the critical intelligence.""--John W. Aldridge, Professor Emeritus of English, University of Michigan