"Epstein is probably the most important figure in Russian literary theory in the post-Bakhtin, post-Lotman era. What he has to say is of great interest to everyone interested in cultural studies."—Walter Laqueur, Center for Strategic and International Studies

"Epstein has been a major theoretician of Russian postmodernism since the early 1980s. His essays on contemporary culture are an essential part of current debates on totalitarian discourse and its role in shaping Russian art of the late twentieth century. Epstein's contribution is unique insofar as he is both a major scholar and a vital participant in the cultural processes that constitute the focus of his work."—Nancy Condee, University of Pittsburgh

"Among the many varieties of critical theorists extant in the contemporary world, Mikhail Epstein figures as a Russian rara avis who has yet to be sighted (let alone cited) in Western mappings of cultural discourse. Despite his emigration to the United States in 1988, the English-speaking community of literary scholars is largely still unaware of Epstein's formative role in the intellectual upheaval that has shaped the 'post-Soviet' mentality. That ignorance is soon to be corrected, however, with the publication of After the Future."—Dale Peterson, Amherst College