I used this book during college (in 1984), and enjoyed it very much. Martindale does a good job connecting or contrasting the many different theorists by their phylosophical view points and schools of thought. The section on classical theorists was better reading than that of contemporary theorists. Contemporary theorists, and their theories, seem to ramble on and on incoherently as if the theorists were either insane or just on a bad acid trip. It's at this point that they appear to try too hard to out do each other with their complex ramblings over minor issues that have already been clearly explained by earlier classical theorists. I also enjoyed the book because it contained photos of the theorists. I was upset that my wife through this book away which now causes me to buy it at an increased price in 2003.