The Salt Companion to John Tranter

This volume of essays covers all periods of the published output of John Tranter, one of the key figures in modern Australian poetry. Tranter is widely regarded by critics as the most important member of the so-called ‘generation of 68’, whose chief impact on Australian literature was in terms of its focus on an international, metropolitan culture whose most appropriate models were to be found in American and, to a lesser extent, French writing. Tranter’s cultural significance has been compounded in the last three decades by his activities as anthologist, particularly with The New Australian Poetry, and The Penguin Book of Modern Australian Poetry (with Philip Mead). During the 1990s he founded the internet poetry magazine Jacket, undoubtedly the leader in its field. Tranter’s work is now published to acclaim in the USA and the UK, as well as in Australia, and yet there is little extended criticism available in book form, and this is the first volume devoted exclusively to his poetry. The essays published here focus on key works in Tranter’s career to date, emphasising the importance of his work as editor as well as poet, both in an Australian and in an international context.