Customer Reviews

Satire: A Critical Reintroduction

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I spent most of my college English courses dreading the appearance of a volume of literary criticism on my book lists. This book, however, is not worthy of such loathing. It lacks the condescending tone often found in such volumes, and the author is not in the typical literature-scholar habit of using ten words when one will do.

Griffin also has an impressive grounding in his field of study. His examples are well-chosen, and his subjects are interesting, particularly the chapters on satiric play and satiric closure. (Other topics include theories of satire, satiric provocation, politics of satire, and pleasures of satire.)

I hope that all teachers of staire will do their students a favor by introducing them to this book; and I hope that students of satire will introduce themselves to this book of their instructors do not do so. Reading Griffin's histories and theories is almost as good as reading satire itself.