The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's FoundingThe Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding
Score Classic
What it's about
Between 1788 and 1868, Britain shipped about 160,000 men, women and children thousands of miles to Australia as convicts. Art critic Robert Hughes tells the full story of the penal colonies: the brutal voyages, the floggings and prison settlements, the escapes and the dispossession of Aboriginal people, and how this system created a nation.
Why it's worth reading
It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It's a vivid, harrowing history that reads like an epic.
You'll love it if you liked
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
King Leopold's GhostGood to know
It's long, detailed and often brutal. Each part can be read on its own.
By the numbers
- Readers88 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller5 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Adventurous
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Quick answers
Is The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding worth reading?
Yes. It's on TIME's list of the 100 best nonfiction books. It ranks #426 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 79.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding about?
Between 1788 and 1868, Britain shipped about 160,000 men, women and children thousands of miles to Australia as convicts. Art critic Robert Hughes tells the full story of the penal colonies: the brutal voyages, the floggings and prison settlements, the escapes and the dispossession of Aboriginal people, and how this system created a nation.
How long does it take to read The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding?
About 19 hours (754 pages), or about 5 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding?
If you liked it, try The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown or King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild.