For the Term of His Natural Life

An Apple Books Classic edition.


In this heart-rending tale, Marcus Clarke explores the world of early 19th-century Australian penal colonies through the story of Rufus Dawes, a young aristocrat convicted of crimes he did not commit. Clarke paints a gruesome picture of an oppressive system that lasted for nearly a century-the horrors he depicts were still fresh in the minds of many people when For the Term of His Natural Life was published in 1874.


During the course of the book, we follow Dawes as he endures a rocky island confinement, encounters a cruel and deceptive nemesis, and faces murderous convicts and guards. It’s a dark tale of treachery and survival. And it remains sadly relevant in an age when innocent people, such as migrants and their children, are being detained for unjust reasons. In its brutal depiction of prison life, Clarke’s classic explores the toll imprisonment takes on prisoners, their families-and their jailers.