"The Metropolitan Critic" (1974), his first collection of literary criticism, was followed by "At the Pillars of Hercules" (1979), "From the Land of Shadows" (1982), "Snakecharmers in Texas" (1988), "The Dreaming Swimmer" (1992), "Even As We Speak" (2004), "The Meaning of Recognition" (2005) and "Cultural Amnesia" (2007), a collection of miniature intellectual biographies of over 100 significant figures in modern culture, history and politics. A defence of humanism, liberal democracy and literary clarity, the book was listed among the best of 2007 by "The Village Voice". Another volume of essays, "The Revolt of the Pendulum", was published in June 2009.