Bound for Botany Bay: British Convict Voyages to Australia by Allan Brooke and David Brandon

Book Description

Secondhand. Near fine condition.

A riveting and enlightening account that offers a fascinating insight into the plight of those bound for Botany Bay.

One of the strengths of this book is that we’re offered accounts from various perspectives: letters from convicts' families, official records & court reports, journals of ship surgeons, and diaries of the convicts themselves, among others.

There are some heart-rending stories (particularly those involving young offenders separated from their families), but also those with a happy ending, as convicts who had served their time but had little hope of returning to a decent life in their own country were able to start afresh in a land of opportunity.

As well as being meticulously researched and therefore offering a wealth of intriguing facts, this account offers a narrative that’s as compelling as any historical novel. (publisher blurb)