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Despite its title, this deeply nuanced study of Plato's philosophical methods does not focus primarily on the literary aspects of the dialogues. Rather, Sayre probes the art of conversation as performed between teacher and student in the dialogues but also includes us as engaged participants. The first, programmatic chapter draws from the Seventh Letter and Phaedrus the message that the living language of philosophy comprises movements in souls searching for direct access to reality. Sayre's view--that for Plato, philosophical knowledge cannot be expressed or taught in propositional, definitional form--is unfashionable but important, though it is defended too sketchily. He examines the Socratic method of inquiry and refutation (elenchus); recollection in Meno, Phaedo, and Phaedrus; erotic conversation and companionship in Symposium and Phaedrus; and dialect in Republic and later dialogues. Concluding chapters (the book's best) discuss the form of the Good in Republic and the nature of Logos in Theaetetus. The book is most useful as an extremely well written, accessible, but demanding introduction to Plato, with extensive summaries of key passages; scholars will find that much recent scholarship is ignored--e.g., on the Socratic elenchus. Recommended for college and university libraries. Upper-division undergraduate; graduate. J. Bussanich University of New Mexico