In The Great Shame, Thomas Keneally--the bestselling, Booker
Prize-winning author of Schindler's List--combines the authority of
a brilliant historian and the narrative grace of a great novelist
to present a gripping account of the Irish diaspora.
The nineteenth century saw Ireland lose half of its population to
famine, emigration, or deportation to penal colonies in
Australia--often for infractions as common as stealing food. Among
the victims of this tragedy were Thomas Keneally's own forebearers,
and they were his inspiration to tell the story of the Irish who
struggled and ultimately triumphed in Australia and North America.
Relying on rare primary sources--including personal letters, court
tran*s, ship manifests, and military documents--Keneally
offers new and important insights into the impact of the Irish in
exile. The result is a vivid saga of heroes and villains, from
Great Famine protesters to American Civil War generals to great
orators and politicians.