Winterowd, WR. “Richards On Rhetoric – Berthoff, AE.” College Composition And Communication 43.1 (n.d.): 88-92. Arts & Humanities Citation Index. Web. 9 June 2015.
This quasi-positive review of Berthoff’s edited collection of Richards’ work claims that it’s best viewed as Berthoff “speaking through Richards…” (90):
The selections within these categories reflect the editor’s own values and her understanding of Richards-and that is perhaps the main value of the book. In the current history of composition/rhetoric, Berthoff vigorously and col- orfully represents an important cluster of related theories and teaching practices. Since in this collection, she is, I think, speaking through Richards, to understand Richards on Rhetoric and its current importance to the theory, politics, and practices of composition/rhetoric, one should first read the unfiltered Richards in four key works.
Clearly Winterowd favors Richard’s theories over Berthoff’s use of them, though he praises her bringing Richards back into “the conversation.” He is openly critical of the article’s exigency: “Given Richards’ place and importance in the history of rhetoric, it is difficult for me to understand the rationale of Richards on Rhetoric,which Berthoff states thus:…” According to Winterowd, Berthoff’s perception of the narrowness of linguistics and theory as merely positivist (and thus leaving out a place for Richards) is simply wrong.
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