Book excerpt: Originally published in French under the title Critique de la critique. This is a paperbound reprint of the 1987 translated edition, which includes an appendix written in response to American reactions to the French edition. It is the final volume in a trilogy devoted to the theory and tradition of literary criticism (its two predecessors are: Theories of the symbol and Symbolism and interpretation, both Cornell UP). Coverage here is of the Russian, German, French, and Anglo-American traditions. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR