This volume investigates the state of contemporary literature and critical theory at the ten-year mark of The Critical Quarterly's publication history. Editor C.B. Cox compiles a selection of essays and creative contributions to assess the intellectual climate of the late 1960s. The work serves as both a retrospective of the journal's influence and a survey of the evolving standards in literary analysis during this period.

Scholars and researchers frequently cite this anniversary edition as a useful primary source for understanding the editorial priorities of The Critical Quarterly during its formative years. The text is noted for its academic focus and its reflection of the specific critical methodologies prevalent in British literary circles of the 1960s.