"This book has something for everybody. On the one hand it introduces the reader to the depth and importance of an important emotion—shame. On the other hand, this attention to shame suggests original approaches to the work of well-known poets, novelists, and philosophers." — Marshall Alcorn, George Washington University"The topic is central to psychoanalytic studies and literary criticism. In fact, I see a good chance that this book could break new ground in criticism, thus becoming a frequently cited work. As I read the book, I realized how significant shame is in the work of many writers who are not even mentioned here—e.g., Coleridge, Conrad, Dickens, and, most of all, Doestoevsky." — Daniel W. Ross, Columbus State University