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 little-known figures that have helped shape history.
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