The vitriol of these essays could be overlooked if Logan actually had original critical insights which might help orient a reader. He's a very conservative reader, uncomfortable with real experimentation and in love with moth-eaten European high culture. Celebrating the leaden verses of producers of "highbrow" poetry like Hill and Hecht (and other writers of that ilk), he systematically attacks pretty much anything written by a woman or a minority. Possibly the two bravest and most exciting writers in the language--Charles Wright and Jorie Graham--come in for repeated abuse at Logan's hands. If you're ever worried that Logan might actually be on to something, however, just take a glance at his own poetry and you'll see where his sort of thinking leads.

All the Rage is a collection of early reviews from William Logan, 'the most hated man in poetry.' Though with this collection it is tough to see why. Most of the reviews are fair and pretty accurate reviews. He doesn't get too rough on the poets, though you can see in some of the later reviews where his reputation as a tough reviewer begins. Over all most of the reviews were done in an uninteresting way, but then Logan himself admits that this is all the apprentice reviews that he wants to save. The collection starts off with an essay "The Prejudices of Aesthetics" which is interesting. The center essay is a poorly written essay on Auden ("Auden's Images"). One of the more interesting pieces of the collection is the interview with Logan at the end of the book. Otherwise there are reviews, some written poorly and others well written. As to his reputation as the most hated man in poetry, I'll have to read his later reviews to see where it comes from. This book is interesting as a history of William Logan, but nothing that demands to be on your shelf.