Product Description
London, 1807. William Thornhill, happily wedded to his childhood sweetheart Sal, is a waterman on the River Thames. Life is tough but bearable until William makes a mistake, a bad mistake for which he and his family are made to pay dearly. His sentence: to be transported to New South Wales for the term of his natural life. The Thornhills arrive in this harsh and alien land that they cannot understand and which feels like a death sentence. But among the convicts there is a rumour that freedom can be bought, that 'unclaimed' land up the Hawkesbury offers an opportunity to start afresh, far away from the township of Sydney. When William takes a hundred acres for himself he is shocked to find Aboriginal people already living on the river. And other recent arrivals - Thomas Blackwood, Smasher Sullivan and Mrs Herring - are finding their own ways to respond to them. Soon Thornhill, a man neither better nor worse than most, has to make the most difficult decision of his life ...
This book was the winner of the 2006 Commonwealth prize and was also shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. A great read, I shall be looking out for more by this author.
I am reserving this book for my best of 2008 read.

This is reserved for Candy-is-Dandy for the Best of 2008 swap.

Posting off today as it doesn't seem we are going to meet up soon

Thanks Teachie. Arrived safely. Hope all is well with you.