Herbert Lindenberger was one of the first literary critics to call for some kind of return to historical thinking in literary criticism. His ten essays cover canon formation, the historical status of genres, and the ways that art and criticism are embedded within institutional frameworks.

Lindenberger argues that, "what we label 'historical' assumes strikingly different shapes in different historical situations" and that present shape empowers new kind of knowledge. He writes, "We may well discover that our century-old form of organization within the humanities no longer fits the type of knowledge we are producing."

The lively and topical essays of The History in Literature demonstrate Lindenberger's capacious and diverse knowledge, his incisive wit, and his formidable critical skills.