Book description
In 1788 Watkin Tench stepped ashore at Sydney Cove with the first fleet of convict ships sent from England. This curious young captain of the marines was a natural storyteller. His account of the infant colony is the first classic of Australian literature, and 1788 belongs on the bookshelf of…
Why read it?
1 author picked 1788 as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I enjoyed reading this journal by a captain of the Marines with the First Fleet upon their arrival in New South Wales, who was, in effect, the first journalist to report from Australia.
I had previously only heard negative things about the arrival of the First Fleet, and Tench’s journal gave me a totally different understanding of life at that time, both about the indigenous people and the settlers.
From John's list on The best books on little-known figures that have helped shape history.
If you love 1788...
December on 5C4
Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!
On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…
Want books like 1788?
Our community of 13,000+ authors has personally recommended 65 books like 1788.
Share your top 3 reads of 2026!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
181
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like 1788, you might also like...
Sexy Selfie Nation
The problem is not with the actions young women take but with the toxic, sexist conditions they are responding to.
Tanenbaum found, based on six years of interviews with young people ages 14-30, that young women are navigating a culture littered with gendered dress codes, revenge porn, and sexually explicit…
In This Together
In This Together explores how we can harness our social networks to make a real impact fighting the climate crisis. Against notions of the lone environmental crusader, Marianne E. Krasny shows us the power of "network climate action"—the idea that our own ordinary acts can influence and inspire those close…
