A pointed collection of essays and prefaces offering literary criticism, cultural commentary, and satirical observations on writers, critics, and public taste. The pieces argue that criticism should assess an author by intent and achievement rather than moralizing or rigid formulas, and they attack prevailing academic and popular standards. Other essays survey language, magazine culture, sexuality in art, and portraits of notable literary figures, combining close reading with polemic and humor. The volume assembles short, discrete studies that critique institutions and personalities while advancing a skeptical, iconoclastic view of modern letters and social conventions.