This work investigates the evolution of live poetry performance as a distinct cultural and social practice in the English-speaking world between 1900 and 1970. Peter B. Howarth examines the shift from private reading to public spectacle, analyzing how poets utilized the stage to influence literary reception. By synthesizing archival records of readings, lecture tours, and radio broadcasts, the author argues that the live circuit fundamentally altered the relationship between the poet and the public audience.

Scholars in the field of literary history identify this text as a rigorous examination of the material conditions surrounding poetic performance. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a comprehensive look at the intersection of performance studies and literary canonization.