Of enormous use to anyone, philosopher or classicist, student or instructor, who wants to know more about Aristotle's work on literature . . . more than I would have believed possible, [Janko makes] the text of the Poetics transparent and accessible to nonclassicists. The translation is based on a meticulous study of the text. Deviations from the standard text by R. Kassell . . . are listed in transliterated Greek; and textual questions are discussed and explained lucidly. The brief introduction is full of useful information, on Aristotle, on the background of the Poetics, on its structure, and on major controversies. In addition to all this, the text is followed by a little treasury of sources that permit a sketchy reconstruction of the lost second book of the Poetics. --Ann N. Michelini, University of Cincinnati