James McAuley brings the work of this poet and critic face to face with a range of deconstructive and feminist readings. It is a contentious work, not at home with earlier moral and biographical approaches. But James McAuley - one of the perpetrators of the infamous 'Ern Malley' hoax, and a founder of Quadrant - was a lover of debate. He responded intensely to a multitude of struggles, both public and private. In the changing world of literary studies, McAuley's voice was always a strong one. He has been championed and derided. Today, readers of his poetry and criticism must also absorb the claims of new theoretical positions, some of which threaten to swamp McAuley's fragile lyrics. Lyn McCredden here engages with both deconstruction and McAuley, essaying new readings of the poetry for new generations of readers. Some readers of McAuley may argue against the 'misreadings' of this book, but all will be rewarded, surprised and provoked by these sustained and speculative interpretations of this important body of work.