1788

Author(s): Watkin Tench

World History

Watkin Tench sailed to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788. In his late twenties, a captain of the marines, he was insatiably curious about the new British colony of Australia. In his four years in the country, he wrote two books about the early settlement which were bestsellers in their day. These are A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany Bay (1789) and An Account of the Settlement at Port Jackson (1793). Both are included in full in this edition under the title 1788. Tench is the most readable of writers, and his books are fascinating for the vivid portraits they provide of early Australia. He was commissioned to write them by a London publisher before he left, as the British were so hungry for information about unknown lands. Tench introduces us to the iconic figures of Arthur Phillip and Bennelong, and provides fascinating descriptions of the infant colony. This popular edition of his two books should be read by every Australian. Tench stands out amongst the storytellers of Australian history because of his lively and accessible writing, his ability to tell his tale with gusto and wit. 1788 is without doubt the most detailed and comprehensive account of the first years of British settlement.

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Professor Tim Flannery is one of Australia’s leading writers on climate change. An internationally acclaimed scientist, explorer and conservationist, Professor Flannery was named Australian of the Year in 2007.

Professor Flannery has held various academic positions including Professor at the University of Adelaide, director of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Museum and Visiting Chair in Australian Studies at Harvard University in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.

General Fields

  • : 9781921520044
  • : Text Publishing Company
  • : Text Publishing Company
  • : 0.232
  • : November 2008
  • : Australia
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : illustrations
  • : 320
  • : 994.402
  • : English
  • : 2nd edition
  • : Paperback
  • : Watkin Tench