Voyages of the South Seas: in Search of Terres Australes by Danielle Clode

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges. Dust jacket has light creasing at edges and spine. Interior and binding are still excellent.

This book recounts the epic journeys of French explorers to Australia and encompasses a remarkable period of French and Australian history. It is the story of noble men impoverished by their passion, and nobodies who made their names through physical courage and intellectual achievement.

Tracing the often tragic voyages from 1768-1828, this book brings to life the changing society that launched these ambitious endeavours and the scientific discoveries they made. Voyages to the South Seas is an epic narrative encompassing a remarkable period of French and Australian history - when Australia was France's Mars and marsupials were her aliens.

Tracing the often tragic voyages of Bougainville, Laperouse, D'Entrecasteaux, Baudin, Freycinet, d'Urville and others to Australia from 1768-1828, Voyages to the South Seas documents the changing society that launched these ambitious endeavours and the scientific discoveries they brought back.

Australia may have been colonised by England, but for many years, by sheer weight of specimens and scientific documentation, Australia's biodiversity belonged to France.

Voyages to the South Seas is a swashbuckling adventure of ambition and discovery. Through revolution and empire, war and bloodshed, France remained fascinated by Australia, sending expeditions of dedicated young men to explore the utopian Paradise of the Pacific and to Australia, and to the frozen hell of Antarctica.

This is Australia through French eyes - beautiful, mystifying, untouched nature - an Australia few Englishmen ever saw.