'I met Professor Dennis Haskell some years ago at the 14th Biennial Symposiumon Literature and Culture in the Asia-Pacific Region, in Perth. Even though hiswife Rhonda was terminally ill at the time, he did not let the pressures and crisisinterfere with his commitment as a host to participants like me who were from outside Australia. I remember how he offered to keep his mobile on at an unearthly hour at dawn because I was new to Australia and travelling alone.' (Introduction)