In this article, the two authors of "Becoming Critical: education, knowledge and action research" look back at the book's history since its publication 20 years ago. We describe how the book was originally written, and the diverse responses and reactions that it has produced. We identify some of the book's inadequacies and limitations, and consider some of the intellectual and educational changes that have occurred over the last 20 years that any new edition would need to address. We conclude by recognising how, in any new edition of the book, we would need to demonstrate the possibility and desirability of "staying critical" in the postmodern world.