Convicted: A Fascinating History of Colonial Australia
Australian History Social History Biography Young Adult Non-Fiction Colonial History True Crime Genealogy
“Convicted: A Fascinating History of Colonial Australia” is the heavily-illustrated narrative non-fiction hit that turns dry colonial records into a gripping family detective story. Written by historian Peter Bradley and published by Ventura Press in 2018, this 400-page paperback follows one First Fleet convict’s journey from British courthouse to Sydney Cove, then traces how his descendants helped shape the nation. Along the way Bradley weaves in big-picture context—Governor Phillip’s orders, the Rum Rebellion, the forging of a new culture—so readers finish with a solid grasp of early Australian history without ever feeling lectured.
What makes this copy especially appealing to collectors and students is its immaculate, unmarked interior: no ex-library stamps, inscriptions, dog-ears or highlighter, just crisp pages and hundreds of rare maps, sketches and colour plates that bring the penal era to life. At 153 × 234 mm it is backpack-friendly, yet substantial enough for the bookshelf, and the 2018 first printing is already becoming harder to source in “very good” condition.
Teachers and home-schooling parents like the book because it meets Australian curriculum standards for senior secondary History while still reading like a novel; general readers love the genealogical angle and the way Bradley humanises “criminals” who were often guilty only of poverty. Whether you’re tracing your own convict roots, hunting a quality gift for a history buff, or filling a gap in a regional collection, this clean, illustrated first edition offers both narrative punch and long-term reference value.
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