Randolph Stow (1935–2010) was a writer who resisted critical containment. His complete oeuvre of eight novels, a children's novella, a libretto, translation work and several collections of poetry presents an accomplished and impressive literary legacy.

The collection republishes a number of significant essays but also presents new readings acknowledging the remarkable skill as well as the limitations of Stow's literary imagining. All are a testimony to the resonance of Stow's writing while acknowledging the critical complexities of his work.

'Commencing this project with the simple ambition to present a critical collection responding to the full breadth of Randolph Stow's work, I extended an invitation to literary scholars and critics whose work I knew addressed his writing. The responses were encouraging and generous, confirming the wide reach of interest in Stow's life and literature. It reminded me that while not as comprehensively studied as some of his contemporaries, Stow continues to enjoy the support of broad public and academic readership.' — Kate Rendell