For the Term of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus; illustrated by Douglas Albion
- Used
- Hardcover
- Condition
- Very Good+ with no dust jacket
- ISBN 10
- 0864380488
- ISBN 13
- 9780864380487
- Seller
-
Dunedin, New Zealand, New Zealand
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Sydney: Reader's Digest. Very Good+ with no dust jacket. (1987). Hardcover. 0864380488 . No signatures. ; 488 pages. Red papered boards with grey spine. Page dimensions: 229 x 151mm. Loosely included is a [4] page leaflet by Reader's Digest, which is mainly biographical about the author Marcus Clarke, with an inset about the artist to this edition, Douglas Albion. This is 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. .
Synopsis
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.
Reviews
On Jul 23 2016, CloggieDownunder said:
"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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Details
- Bookseller
- Renaissance Books (NZ)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 21410
- Title
- For the Term of His Natural Life
- Author
- Clarke, Marcus; illustrated by Douglas Albion
- Format/Binding
- Hardcover
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good+ with no dust jacket
- ISBN 10
- 0864380488
- ISBN 13
- 9780864380487
- Publisher
- Reader's Digest
- Place of Publication
- Sydney
- Date Published
- (1987)
- Keywords
- 0864380488
Terms of Sale
Renaissance Books
Any book not as described may be returned within 14 days of receipt for a full refund.
About the Seller
Renaissance Books
Biblio member since 2005
Dunedin, New Zealand
About 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.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Good+
- A term used to denote a condition a slight grade better than Good.
- 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....