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For the Term of His Natural Life

For the Term of His Natural Life

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For the Term of His Natural Life

de Clarke, Marcus; illustrated by Douglas Albion

  • Usado
  • Tapa dura
Estado
Very Good with no dust jacket
ISBN 10
0864380488
ISBN 13
9780864380487
Librería
Puntuación del vendedor:
Este vendedor ha conseguido 5 de las cinco estrellas otorgadas por los compradores de Biblio.
Dunedin, New Zealand, New Zealand
Precio
EUR 71.06
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Sobre este artículo

Sydney: Reader's Digest. Very Good with no dust jacket. (1987). Hardcover. 0864380488 . A few small abrasions to fore edges of boards. ; 488 pages. Red papered boards with grey spine. Page dimensions: 229 x 152mm. An edition of a novel that was originally first published in 1870-1872, in monthly instalments of the "Australian Journal". With illustrations (wood-engravings/linocuts?) by Douglas Albion. With a 6 page Afterword by W. N. Scott (dated 1987). Series title: "The World's Best Reading". Novel of "the dismal condition of a felon during hist term of transportation." - from the author's Preface. Australian penal settlements. .

Sinopsis

For the Term of His Natural Life, written by Marcus Clarke, was published in the Australian Journal between 1870 and 1872 (as His Natural Life), appearing as a novel in 1874. It is the best known novelisation of life as a convict in early Australian history. Described as a "ripping yarn", and at times relying on seemingly implausible coincidences, the story follows the fortunes of Rufus Dawes, a young man transported for a murder which he did not commit.

Reseñas

El Jul 23 2016, CloggieDownunder dijo:
"We convicts have the advantage over you gentlemen. You are afraid of death; we pray for it. It is the best thing that can happen to us. Die! They were going to hang me once. I wish they had. My God, I wish they had!"

For The Term Of His Natural Life is the best-known novel by Australian author, Marcus Clarke. It was first published in 1874, although it began as a serialised novel titled His Natural Life, published in the Australian Journal. Text Publishing have produced a handsome volume under their Text Classics banner.

There are significant differences in the plot between the original (unabridged) edition and later editions of this novel; the first book has been reduced to a prologue; the text has been condensed into a much more readable form, and much of the (frankly, boring and often unimportant) detail has been omitted; and the ending is completely different. Thus, for example, in excess of 150 pages of book 2 of the original edition are reduced to a much more manageable 75 pages in this edition.

Clarke managed to pack a lot into his novel: perhaps as it began in serialised form, each episode needed some drama: a parental estrangement, a very rich will, a secret identity, a wrongful conviction, transport on a convict ship, a mutiny, another wrongful conviction, flogging, suicide attempts, multiple escape attempts (at least one involving cannibalism), another mutiny, abandonment on a deserted shore, the construction of a coracle, yet another wrongful conviction, many years of penal servitude, the claiming of an inheritance by an imposter, quite a few confessions and a shipwreck.

This novel has been described as the Australian Count of Monte Cristo and while it is considered an Australian Classic, as historical fiction, it is not really up to the standard of Dumas's writing. The most exciting chapters, by far, are those detailing the escape from Port of Arthur of convict, John Rex. It is filled with improbable coincidences, and while he draws on many real occurrences in Tasmania's history, Clarke's emphasis is on the cruelty of convict life. Rufus Dawes is one very unlucky man!

This book will appeal to those who enjoy Australian historical fiction written from the closer perspective of fifty years as opposed to almost one hundred and fifty. A map of the relevant parts would have been helpful, but Wikipedia serves equally, these days. Text Classics include an introduction by author, Rohan Wilson and an evocative cover by the talented WH Chong. A beautiful edition of an Aussie Classic.

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Detalles

Librería
Renaissance Books NZ (NZ)
Inventario del vendedor #
20193
Título
For the Term of His Natural Life
Autor
Clarke, Marcus; illustrated by Douglas Albion
Formato/Encuadernación
Tapa dura
Estado del libro
Usado - Very Good with no dust jacket
ISBN 10
0864380488
ISBN 13
9780864380487
Editorial
Reader's Digest
Lugar de publicación
Sydney
Fecha de publicación
(1987)
Palabras clave
0864380488

Términos de venta

Renaissance Books

Any book not as described may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a full refund.

Sobre el vendedor

Renaissance Books

Puntuación del vendedor:
Este vendedor ha conseguido 5 de las cinco estrellas otorgadas por los compradores de Biblio.
Miembro de Biblio desde 2005
Dunedin, New Zealand

Sobre Renaissance Books

We are located in Dunedin, in the South Island of New Zealand. We have in stock over 8,500 books. We are a general antiquarian and out-of-print home-based bookseller, with some specialty areas in English literature, Maori, Travel, Tibet, and New Zealand history.

Glosario

Algunos términos que podrían usarse en esta descripción incluyen:

Spine
The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Jacket
Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
Edges
The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...

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