The Heart of James McAuley examines the work of the famous poet, editor, critic, and political
thinker. It places the poetry in its biographical context from his anarchistic
and avant-garde youth to the libertarian conservative and Catholic convert of
later years. It takes a new look at the great Ern Malley hoax, his profound
essays on the decolonization of New Guinea, his association with such major figures
as B.A.Santamaria and Sir John Kerr, his involvement with the Industrial Groups
in the ALP and with the DLP, his founding of the magazine Quadrant, and his
response to a number of controversies from the CIA scandals to the New Left
assaults on the universities. No other biography of McAuley encompasses all the
wide-ranging activities of this great poet.
