This book's success will not be in any conceptual structure it proposes, but in the pleasure of the poems and the pleasure of slowing down to reflect upon them. This book is a radically original and beautifully written one that addresses issues of eros in both Chinese and Western poetry. Moreover, it does so in a thoroughly poetic fashion by refusing to entangle itself with the poetically recalcitrant agendas of recently fashionable critical theory. His mode of discussion is beautifully equipped to deal with poetry in Chinese and at the same time is appliled seamlessly to texts in French, Italian, Greek, Latin, Provencal, Spanish, and English. It is a rewarding pleasure to read this book.
Subtle discussion is delivered with wonderful warmth and clarity.