Condemned

“A brilliant and moving work on how we came to be”—Guy Rundle, Crikey

“An interesting and informative read, which I thought was made all the more fascinating by the stories of some of the victims and perpetrators of the system.”—Literary Potpourri

‘An enthralling study of those “criminals” despatched “beyond the seas” to all corners of the globe and empire. Written with grace, it revives some of these unfortunate “ghosts” whose brief if enduring existence in the historical record ill reflects their impact upon the modern world.’—James Evans, author of Emigrants: Why the English Sailed to the New World

‘A wonderfully spirited account of the thousands of men, women and children shipped across the world as part of Britain’s criminal transportation system. The myriad stories are at once colourful and compelling, illuminating the often overlooked experiences of the unsung individuals whose forced labour transformed the British empire.’—Matthew Lockwood, author of To Begin the World Over Again