During the past forty years, Dana Gioia has had as transformative an impact on American literature as any living author. A major poet, creative visionary, and forthright critic, he has played a pivotal role in the field by arguing for more honest reviewing, questioning the isolated state of American poetry, and advocating for the return to form and narrative. This collection of twenty essays is the first multi-author critical effort to explore the extent of Gioia's influential presence on the literary world. Dana Gioia: Poet and Critic brings together more than thirty years of scholarship to illuminate the scope of his artistic achievement and cultural impact. The book includes the most significant critical responses to his award-winning poetry and prose. It also provides an unparalleled foundation for understanding his literary influences, preoccupations, and intentions. The essay collection is divided into three sections covering Gioia's early career (Daily Horoscope, The Gods of Winter, and Can Poetry Matter?), mid-career (Interrogations at Noon and Nosferatu), and later career (Pity the Beautiful, 99 Poems, and Meet Me at the Lighthouse). In addition to providing close readings of individual poems and essays, it examines the overarching themes of his work, such as his religious faith, love of California, and engagement with the Western intellectual tradition.

Contributors include Ned Balbo, Matthew Brennan, Christopher Clausen, Roxana Elena Doncu, Jack Foley, Joshua Hren, Hilton Kramer, Shirley Geok-lin Lim, April Lindner, Franz Link, Samuel Maio, David Mason, Janet McCann, Robert McPhillips, Leslie Monsour, William Oxley, Jon Parrish Peede, Anne Stevenson, Kevin Walzer, James Matthew Wilson, and John Zheng.