English Passengers is a big book in every sense: an ambitious and successful epic novel that matches the high seas adventure of The Voyage of the Narwhal with the wit and masterful intelligence of An Instance of the Fingerpost and the historical depth of Robert Hughes's The Fatal Shore.
When Captain Illiam Quillian Kewley and his band of smugglers from the Isle of Man are intercepted by British Customs, they are forced to put their ship Sincerity up for charter. The only takers are two eccentric Englishmen, the Reverend Geoffrey Wilson and Dr. Thomas Potter, who want Kewley to take them to the Garden of Eden, which the Reverend believes is on the island of Tasmania. Fortunately for all concerned, British Customs has failed to confiscate all the smugglers' contraband, and so they're willing to embark for the other side of the globe via a circuitous route designed to evade authorities.
Meanwhile, in Tasmania, the British "civilization" of the aboriginal tribes is in full force. The clever and charming Peevay narrates the British colonials' genocidal assault on his tribe, which is being violently forced from its lands. In fact, every character of any significance has a voice in the narration of English Passengers, and so when Sincerity finally reaches Tasmania, the clash of cultures on all fronts gives rise to the outrageous confrontations, hysterical mayhem, and uniquely rendered personal truths of conquest and devastation.
The novel is truly a bravura performance by a writer of exceptional skill and talent, a novel that will set new standards for historical and nautical adventure writing.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Matthew Kneale lives in Oxford, England. English Passengers is his first book to be published in North America.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00077145942
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Acceptable. Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00072247470
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
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Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
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Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
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Seller: ThriftBooks-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0385259492I4N00
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Seller: Bahamut Media, Reading, United Kingdom
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780385259491
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Seller: A Good Read, Toronto, ON, Canada
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition; First Printing. A Good Read ships from Toronto and Niagara Falls, NY - customers outside of North America please allow two to three weeks for delivery. Some creases on edges of d/j. Foxing to edges of text block. ; 9.3 X 6.5 X 1.4 inches. Seller Inventory # 175600
Seller: The Book Scouts, Hamilton, ON, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Fine. First Edition. To our USA customers. We ship to the USA via "Deliver Duty Paid" shipping options. This means that there will be no duty or tariffs that you need to pay on your purchase! We're always buying collectible book collections. Contact us for details. We're happy to provide pictures of all books, please just ask! ~ SIGNED Canadian first edition, first printing. Published by Doubleday in 2000. Signed and dated (26th October 2001) on the title page by the author. Virtually no wear to the jacket! ! ! Jacket is NOT price clipped. Covers are clean and bright. Edges are sharp. The book itself is in Near Fine condition with no bumps or marks. Pages are clean and white. The binding is straight and tight. NO remainder mark. Oversize and heavy items may require additional postage. ; Signed by Author. Signed. Seller Inventory # sku520002324