The Thorn Birds (Virago Modern Classics)

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We see them go from the 1920s to the 1960s, so it's a sprawling story. WWII is really the only major world event that has a real impact on the story, but it takes place all over Europe. The heart of the story beats in Australia. Colleen must love that part of the world dearly for it shows in her descriptions.

Raised by her mother in Wellington and then Sydney, McCullough began writing stories at age 5. She flourished at Catholic schools and earned a physiology degree from the University of New South Wales in 1963. Planning become a doctor, she found that she had a violent allergy to hospital soap and turned instead to neurophysiology – the study of the nervous system’s functions. She found jobs first in London and then at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Just finished this book and review & it's 11pm here – I will sleep very, very well tonight indeed. Goodnight. Highlights: 1) the death of one of the Cleary boy's via warthog asphyxiation immediately following the death of his father via fiery "holocaust." 2) Ralph meeting his love at her retreat where she is in isolation is definately one of the most romantic notions I have ever read... it is written with the finest sense of what love really is. 3) learning what "French Letters" mean. 4) transition from New Zealand to Australia to Rome, Greece, London. Such sprawls indicate that life can expand from its moldy origins to experience infinite possiblities, arrive at distal ends. Sex was a verboten topic with my religious mother, right up there with "But how do you really know God exists?" and "Why does Dad sleep on the couch so often?"

It is difficult to say more without spoiling the story. Yes it is not a short book but I would say worth every minute spent reading it. The historical epic follows three generations living on a sheep ranch. If that sounds like a lot of sheep shearing and not much fun, rest assured that the whole plot moves into steamier romantic territory with forbidden love affairs and betrayals galore. McCullough went on to write several more novels before passing away this week at age 77, but The Thorn Birds remained her defining work.

I remember when the mini-series was re-aired in the 80s and I was at a family reunion and the adults how this running during the summer and I saw bits and pieces of it. I never read the book and in the last few years the book has crept into my consciousness and I found myself yearning to read this story. I'm very glad that I did and got a piece of life so different from mine. Colleen Margaretta McCullough (married name Robinson) was an Australian author known for her novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds.

The Thorn Birds is one of those books that might be as great as I remember . . . or it might have been a real turd. However, it consistently pops up on my feed due to other friends reading it and I felt it was high time to explain my 5 Star rating (and Tadiana’s review of a different book added some inspiration).