Primarily for students of the classics, but also other scholars who have the impression that literary theory is a closed room accessible only to initiates, Schmitz (Greek language and literature, U. of Bonn) introduces both the idea of literary theory and some current examples of it as applied to texts he knows and loves the best. He himself translated the 2002 Moderne Literutheorie und antike Texte, published by Wissenschaftliche Buchgellschaft, Darmstadt, making few changes beyond updating references. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)