Peter Robinson's literary criticism began to gain national attention when Donald Davie reviewed "In the Circumstances: About Poems and Poets" (1992) in the "London Review of Books" noting that 'Robinson deserves every credit for forcing his way into the thickets.' "Poetry, Poets, Readers: Making Things Happen" (2002) was welcomed by Andrea Brady in "Poetry Review" when she remarked that 'The conviction, pleasures and gratitude of committed reading are evident in this affirmation of the poetic contract between readers and writers.'Angela Leighton summed up his critical contribution in her review for the "Times Literary Supplement" of "Twentieth Century Poetry: Selves and Situations" (2005) when she wrote that 'Robinson has been a generous promoter of contemporary poetry for decades, and this collection of essays bears witness to his dedication and energy. He writes with an unformulaic enthusiasm, moving easily from biographical, political and poetic context to the nitty-gritty of close reading, while also striking an easy, readable tone'. Five years later, in the same journal, Justin Quinn found that "Poetry & Translation: The Art of the Impossible" (2010) was 'Vigorously and wittily argued ... an excellent and provocative contribution to a complex debate.'