" . . . excellent book . . . " --The Classical Outlook

" . . . brief and readable . . . There is good tonic in these pages for the serious student of oral tradition . . . a remarkable book." --Asian Folklore Studies

"The bibliography is a boon for students and faculty at any level who are curious about the nature, composition, and performance of oral poetry." --Choice

" . . . concise, evolutionary account . . . " --Religious Studies Review

"As ever, Professor Foley's conscientious scholarship and sound judgements combine to make a further substantial contribution to the field." --E. C. Hawkesworth, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London, The Slavonic Review

"Foley is probably the only scholar who is in a position even to suggest the extent of what we should know to work in this area." --Speculum

"Foley's survey stands as a fitting tribute to the achievements of Parry and Lord and as a sure guide to future productive work in the field." --Journal of American Folklore

" . . . detailed and informative study . . . We are fortunate that John Foley chose to write this book." --Motif

" . . . Theory of Oral Composition . . . detailed account written in an elegant style which could serve equally as a textbook for college and graduate students and as a reference tool for scholars already in the field." --Olifant

"As an 'introductory history, ' The Theory of Oral Composition accomplishes its purpose admirably. It has the capacity to arouse interest on the part of the uninitiated." --Anthropologica

Presents the first history of the new field of oral-formulaic theory, which arose from the pioneering research of Milman Parry and Albert Lord on the Homeric poems.