Michael Payne is John P. Crozer Professor of English Literature at Bucknell University. His recent publications include A Dictionary of Critical and Cultural Theory (1996), Reading Knowledge (1997), and Renaissance Literature: An Anthology (2003) - all published by Blackwell Publishing.
"What a tribute to a long and distinguished career.""For three decades Stephen Greenblatt has been the most articulate, thoughtful, and daring voice in early modern studies. The breadth of his reading is vast, the connections he makes are unexpected and often revelatory, and his writing is, quite simply, brilliant. Most of all, his willingness to take chances has made him an exciting and uniquely provocative critic. It is wonderful to have these classic essays in a single collection; and especially to have the most ephemeral of the pieces, the exquisite meditations on his visits to China and Laos, easily available. This is a beautifully conceived, indispensable volume." Stephen Orgel, Stanford University