Elizabeth Macarthur: A Life at the Edge of the World by Michell Scott Tucker is a biography of Elizabeth Macarthur. She was born in England in 1766. In 1788 she married army officer John Macarthur. She migrated with him to colonial New South Wales, arriving in 1790. I chose to read this book because I am interested in Australian history.
One theme of the book is relationships between people. Elizabeth was a supportive wife to John Macarthur. Being his wife was sometimes challenging, as he had a tendency to get involved in conflict, and in later life had physical and mental health problems. She had seven children and several grandchildren. The book shows the affection between the family members, including at times when they were on the other side of the world from each other. The book also mentions Elizabeth’s many friendships.
Another reason I liked the book is that I learnt about the history of colonial New South Wales. John Macarthur was involved in the development of the colony. He also owned and ran farms, and Elizabeth helped him with this. Sometimes John was absent, so Elizabeth ran the farms without him. These farms were important in the development of the wool industry. The book mentions convicts, and also mentions interactions between the colonists and the Aboriginal people; there was friendliness from both sides, but also hostility from both sides. The book also mentions the status of women and their important contributions. The author writes: ‘Her successes, and those of women farmers like her, truly deserve to be one of the iconic stories of Australian history’ (p.330).
I recommend Elizabeth Macarthur: A Life at the Edge of the World to adult readers who would like to learn about this important and influential family who lived in colonial Australia.
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Alice
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