The Fatal Shore: History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia, 1787-1868: Amazon.co.uk: Robert Hughes: Books

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Product Description

Washington Post
‘Popular history in the best sense…its attention to human detail and its commanding prose call to mind the best work of Barbara Tuchman’ --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Sydney Sunday Herald
‘With its mood and stature…The Fatal Shore is well on its way to becoming the standard opus on the convict years’ --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Customer Reviews

15 Reviews

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4.7 out of 5 stars (15 customer reviews)

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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic insight into the forgotten British gulags, 8 Aug 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fatal Shore: History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia, 1787-1868 (Harvill Panther) (Paperback)

I studied English history for many years at school, and not once was the shameful secret of transportation mentioned in the syllabus. The scale of cruelty and barbarism described by Hughes in some parts of the Colony is staggering, but what strikes most about the book is its evenhandness. The convicts' backgrounds and unconventional social mores are fully investigated, as is their treatment at the hands of unknowing and uncaring British petty colonialists. What are more uncertain are Hughes' assertions about the effect of the convict past on the Australian character of today - is the convict past really an issue in Australian social politics (other than a friendly taunt to visiting pommies)? Still, an enthralling, deeply moving and informative read, a must for students of English or Australian history, or visitors to Australia.

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, 16 Jan 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fatal Shore: History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia, 1787-1868 (Harvill Panther) (Paperback)

I read this during a year working in Sydney and couldn't put it down (which says a great deal for a work of non-fiction!). The descriptions of the hardships faced by convicts were so vivid that I went to see many of the places for myself. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well worth the read., 21 Jul 2003

By	k n coulby (gerrards cross, buckinghamshire United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fatal Shore (Paperback)

This book is an excellent read, both accessible and fluid in its writing as well as detailed and well researched.
I'm sure that this book will be an invaluable resource for those studying or interested in the transportation process and Australian history in general.
While the main focus is on the penal colonies, the book opens with fascinating insights into both the Aboriginal group around Sydney harbour at the time and also the Georgian "Working" and "criminal" class. Both of which give depth and range to the subject at hand.
Being a history teacher myself I can recommend this book for teachers who are looking for something new and interesting to spice up the industrial revolution. And for the general reader I would recommend this book as a fascinating and balanced insight into a very different world. One that is both part of and a world away from the Georgian world we so often hear about.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fatal Shore
The book came in really good condition. It is a very interesting book for anyone who is researching their convict ancestors. Read more

Published 16 days ago by Valerie Rushton

5.0 out of 5 stars Sets The Standard
"The Fatal Shore" by Robert Hughes is the one book which is always mentioned when it comes to books about the history of Australia, and for good reason. Read more

Published 11 months ago by Dave_42

5.0 out of 5 stars A Humane Account
At first glance, the title of this brief review may appear something of an oxymoron. However, this is exactly what Robert Hughes does by applying his almost tangible decency to a... Read more

Published 12 months ago by Mark Rowantree

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
In 'The Fatal Shore' Robert Hughes has weaved together a magnificent web of history and the stories of brave individuals in the newly founded colony of Botany Bay. Read more

Published 23 months ago by a nice guy who likes reading

5.0 out of 5 stars The Fatal Shore
A great insight into the "indeliable stain". An insight into the darker side of colonial history which has gone largely unnoticed in academic life today. Read more

Published on 25 Feb 2007 by Mr. R. A. Matthews

5.0 out of 5 stars A History of British Brutality
Robert Hughes "The Fatal Shore" is a compelling, readable, and meticuously documented account of the settlement of Australia. Read more

Published on 11 Aug 2006 by Mr. L. J. Atterbury

4.0 out of 5 stars Odd
My only gripe was: An Australian author, writing on England (let's face it, it wasn't 'Britain' doing any of this and most people outside Great Britain think Wales and Scotland... Read more

Published on 27 May 2006 by Species 8472

3.0 out of 5 stars Emancipists and Currency
The Fatal Shore is a thorough investigation into the convict system between Great Britain and Australia with a strong slant from the perspective of the convicts themselves through... Read more

Published on 2 Sep 2003 by Mr. Dr. Washbrook

4.0 out of 5 stars A history of The Convict Stain
From Captain cook's discovery of Botany Bay and The First Fleet's cargo of convicts this is comprehensive history of the transpotation system and the earliest days in the... Read more

Published on 18 Aug 2003 by hughjjr

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read.
I agree with general consensus of opinion that this is an absolutely fascinating book, superbly researched and gripping in its narrative. Read more

Published on 14 Oct 2001

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The Fatal Shore: History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia, 1787-1868 (Paperback)

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