I’m half way through Morgan’s Run by Colleen McCullough. 883 pages is quite a huge challenge. To start with I was disappointed as I believed it was going to spend the majority of the book in Australia. Colleen McCullough is also the author of The Thorn Birds and I had visions of another epic with the delights of a character played so well by Richard Chamberlain in the film version.
However as the story rolls on the need for the background and the scenes being set become obvious. The appalling conditions of convicts and the decisions of the governments of the day to deport prisoners are eye-opening. I look back and wonder at the karma, we sent our worst people firstly to America and then to Australia. Today Britain looks to America for direction and superiority, while others of us flock to emigrate to Australia where a new life is full of attractions!
Today we take sea and air travel for granted. I’ve just been reading the part where the fleet of boats set sail from Portsmouth to Teneriffe, then they flowed with the currents across the Atlantic to Rio de Janeiro before setting back off to catch the seas which will take them back across to South Africa. I don’t think anyone should moan about it taking just 24 hours to fly from London to Sydney! Will hope to let you know about the rest of the book soon.
Rosie Amber 