The Europeans in Australia

The Europeans in Australia #1

by Alan Atkinson

Among the ancient stories told by people of the Australian north coast is one of the Shark that left its ocean home to make its mark on the shore. The ocean-borne power of the first Europeans in Australia, in and after 1788, had some of the savage mystery of the Ancestral Shark. In the first volume of his major new multi-volume history of Australia, Alan Atkinson covers the first impact of European power on Australia. He argues that the Europeans were not simply conquerors, that their own cultures were infinitely complex, thickly woven with ideas about spirituality, authority, self and land, all of which influenced the development of Australia.

Genres: History, Australia, Classics, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published April 30, 1997

Reviews

[Michael King · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Europeans in Australia (The Beginning)" was an enjoyable read. It is long. It takes its time. It is descriptive and paints a very broad picture of early Australian colonial history with richness and adequate level of detail. This probably isn't the type of book for someone who has a very specific interest in an event or person of early settlement. However, if like me you have the time and interest in getting a broad picture of the settlement of Australia and learning about its culture and people, this is worth the read.