For the Term Of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus
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"We convicts have the advantage over you gentlemen. You are afraid of death; we pray for it. It is the best thing that can happen to us. Die! They were going to hang me once. I wish they had. My God, I wish they had!"
For The Term Of His Natural Life is the best-known novel by Australian author, Marcus Clarke. It was first published in 1874, although it began as a serialised novel titled His Natural Life, published in the Australian Journal. Text Publishing have produced a handsome volume under their Text Classics banner.
There are significant differences in the plot between the original (unabridged) edition and later editions of this novel; the first book has been reduced to a prologue; the text has been condensed into a much more readable form, and much of the (frankly, boring and often unimportant) detail has been omitted; and the ending is completely different. Thus, for example, in excess of 150 pages of book 2 of the original edition are reduced to a much more manageable 75 pages in this edition.
Clarke managed to pack a lot into his novel: perhaps as it began in serialised form, each episode needed some drama: a parental estrangement, a very rich will, a secret identity, a wrongful conviction, transport on a convict ship, a mutiny, another wrongful conviction, flogging, suicide attempts, multiple escape attempts (at least one involving cannibalism), another mutiny, abandonment on a deserted shore, the construction of a coracle, yet another wrongful conviction, many years of penal servitude, the claiming of an inheritance by an imposter, quite a few confessions and a shipwreck.
This novel has been described as the Australian Count of Monte Cristo and while it is considered an Australian Classic, as historical fiction, it is not really up to the standard of Dumas's writing. The most exciting chapters, by far, are those detailing the escape from Port of Arthur of convict, John Rex. It is filled with improbable coincidences, and while he draws on many real occurrences in Tasmania's history, Clarke's emphasis is on the cruelty of convict life. Rufus Dawes is one very unlucky man!
This book will appeal to those who enjoy Australian historical fiction written from the closer perspective of fifty years as opposed to almost one hundred and fifty. A map of the relevant parts would have been helpful, but Wikipedia serves equally, these days. Text Classics include an introduction by author, Rohan Wilson and an evocative cover by the talented WH Chong. A beautiful edition of an Aussie Classic.
Available Copies
For the Term of his Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1983
- ISBN
- 9780858356902
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Wamuran, Queensland, AUS
- Item Price
-
£13.26
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For the Term of his Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Very Good Indeed
- Published
- 1929
- Binding
- Cloth
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
BATH, Somerset, GBR
- Item Price
-
£60.00
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus; illustrated by Douglas Albion
- Condition
- Used - Very Good+ with no dust jacket
- Published
- (1987)
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780864380487
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Dunedin, New Zealand, NZL
- Item Price
-
£64.61
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus; illustrated by Douglas Albion
- Condition
- Used - Very Good with no dust jacket
- Published
- (1987)
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780864380487
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Dunedin, New Zealand, NZL
- Item Price
-
£60.57
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For the term of his natural life.
by CLARKE, Marcus.
- Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Vianen, NLD
- Item Price
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£28.57
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by CLARKE, Marcus
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Edition
- Reprint.
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Auckland, NZL
- Item Price
-
£11.31
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For the Term of His Natural Life (Australian Classics Bicentennial Edition)
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Published
- 1968
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
-
£21.84
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For The Term of His Natural Life [Australian Classics]
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Good Condition
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780855505288
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Bowral, New South Wales, AUS
- Item Price
-
£7.43
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FOR THE TERM OF HIS NATURAL LIFE
by Clarke, Marcus
- Condition
- Used - Very Good+ in Very Good+ dust jacket
- Edition
- First thus.
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780207144523
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
WARRNAMBOOL, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£13.26
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For The Term Of His Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 1961
- Binding
- Hardback
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Oswestry, Shropshire, GBR
- Item Price
-
£14.95
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by CLARKE, Marcus
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780207140730
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Gloucester City, New Jersey, USA
- Item Price
-
£16.15
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus
- Condition
- Used - Very Good in Very Good dust jacket
- Edition
- Deluxe Edition
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780207144523
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Chilliwack, British Columbia, CAN
- Item Price
-
£14.13
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For the Term of His Natural Life - The Only Complete Illustrated Edition Series
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 2009
- Binding
- Medium Trade Paperback
- ISBN
- 9781876930004
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Traralgon, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£9.55
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For the Term of His Natural Life : A Specially Condensed Deluxe Edition
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Edition
- Abridged Edition
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780207144523
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Traralgon, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£14.06
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780855505288
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
melbourne, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£5.79
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Good. A pleasant enough reading copy. Heavy reading creases to the spine. Wrappers lightly tanned and soiled. Edges of the text
- Binding
- Paperback (No Dust Wrapper.)
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Peasedown St. John, Somerset, GBR
- Item Price
-
£15.49
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Clarke, Marcus
- Condition
- Used - Very Good Condition
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- Reprint
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780207144523
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
melbourne, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£10.62
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For the Term of His Natural Life: The Historic Epic
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Fair Condition
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 2000
- Binding
- Softcover
- ISBN
- 9780646182582
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
King River, Western Australia, AUS
- Item Price
-
£5.30
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- Condensed deluxe illustrated edition
- Published
- 1982
- Binding
- Hardback
- ISBN
- 9780207144523
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Wellington, NZL
- Item Price
-
£9.17
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For the Term of His Natural Life
by Marcus Clarke
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Fair
- Published
- 1979
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780207140730
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Traralgon, Victoria, AUS
- Item Price
-
£7.16