Australia's Birthstain: The Startling Legacy of the Convict Era by Babette Smith

Book Description

Secondhand. Good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Slight lift to front cover and some wobbling of early pages.

A groundbreaking history of convicts in Australia which lays bare the distortions and myths that caused the nation to deny its own past.

Babette Smith traces the stories of hundreds of convicts over the 80 years of convict transportation to Australia. Putting a human face on the convicts' experience, she paints a rich picture of their crimes in Britain and their lives in the colonies. We know about Port Arthur, Norfolk Island, chain gangs and floggings, but this was far from the experience of most. In fact, most convicts became good citizens and the backbone of the new nation. So why did we need to hide them away?

Australia's Birthstain rewrites the story of Australia's convict foundations, revealing the involvement of British politicians and clergy in creating a birthstain that reached far beyond convict crimes. Its startling conclusion offers a fresh perspective on our past. (publisher blurb)