“… ‘The Pound Era’ bring; into one volume much of the same kind of insight and point of view found in Kenner’s earlier work. In particular, the book seems to have grown out of a situation Kenner discussed 22 years ago in his first treatment of Pound: ‘There is no ready‐typed role in which the essentially melodramat ic imagination of the literary historian can cast Ezra Pound, except perhaps the role of barbarian; hence he has little chance of starring in the academic extravaganzas of the 1960’s and ’70’s.’ Although not done melodramatically, Kenner, in his capacity as literary historian in ‘The Pound Era,’ seeks to rectify the dismal state of confusion surrounding ‘Old Ez’s’ appropriate role. Under Kenner’a impassioned direction, Pound is cast as the leading man in the pageant of 20th‐century literature, with a supporting cast of Eliot, Joyce, Lewis, William Carlos Williams (on tour in America) and…