The Birth of Sydney

By Tim Flannery

Book Overview

The story of the founding and rise to prominence of one of the world's greatest cities -- Sydney, Australia, site of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Blending together the writings of early Australian settlers, leaders, journalists, and explorers, in The Birth of Sydney editor Tim Flannery constructs a compelling narrative history of the early life of one of the world's most fascinating metropolises. From the majestic harbor city's infancy as a remote penal colony of the British Empire in 1788 to its emergence as a vital trading power in the nineteenth century, the book tells the stories of the people who made its history. In their own words and the words of their contemporaries, The Birth of Sydney brings to life the colorful personalities that built the city, from Bennelong, the Aborigine who befriended the early English settlers and eventually traveled to the court of King George III, to Nat Gould, an immigrant who turned his observations of life in colonial Australia into a series of best-selling books in his native England. It also includes observations by early visitors including Captain Cook, Charles Darwin, and Mark Twain.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0802136990
• ISBN13: 9780802136992
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Grove Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Stories of a city

This is a terrific book. Read in conjunction with John Birmingham's 'Leviathan: an unauthorised biography of Sydney', you will get more than a working knowledge of how and why Sydney is like it is.Flannery has written an introductory essay 'The andstone City', which gives a good overview. The bulk of the book is an anthology of voices from the earliest days to late 19th century -from Captain James Cook to Mark Twain, Aboriginal women, and British governors. 2000 saw a plethora of books on Sydney, as it hosted the Olympic Games. This is one of the best.