---
product_id: 6857848
title: "A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia"
price: "A$43"
currency: AUD
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 11
url: https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/6857848-a-commonwealth-of-thieves-the-improbable-birth-of-australia
store_origin: AU
region: Australia
---

# A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia

**Price:** A$43
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia
- **How much does it cost?** A$43 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.au](https://www.desertcart.com.au/products/6857848-a-commonwealth-of-thieves-the-improbable-birth-of-australia)

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## Description

desertcart.com: A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia: 9781400079568: Keneally, Thomas: Books

Review: A Commonwealth of Thieves - Take a motley assortment of thugs, thieves, pickpockets, and prostitutes guarded by a company of red-coated marines and supervised by a handful of bickering officers, set them down half a world away on an unexplored continent, and what do you have? The beginning of a new nation, Australia. Thomas Keneally, author of "Shindler's List" and other books, relates the curious enterprise based on official records and personal journals of some of the participants. There is much specific detail about the men and women of the colony. As exciting a tale as those of the first settlements of Virginia and Massachusetts.
Review: Nice historical read - Nice story to read about the history of Australia, always interesting to read about the place and understand why it is the least Asian of the Asian countries.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | 140007956X |
| Best Sellers Rank | #649,243 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #42 in Australia & New Zealand History #46 in Oceania History #6,722 in World History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars (51) |
| Dimensions  | 5.19 x 1.01 x 8 inches |
| Edition  | Reprint |
| ISBN-10  | 9781400079568 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1400079568 |
| Item Weight  | 10.4 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 401 pages |
| Publication date  | December 4, 2007 |
| Publisher  | Vintage |

## Images

![A Commonwealth of Thieves: The Improbable Birth of Australia - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81a8c6k-qjL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Commonwealth of Thieves
*by E***E on February 21, 2007*

Take a motley assortment of thugs, thieves, pickpockets, and prostitutes guarded by a company of red-coated marines and supervised by a handful of bickering officers, set them down half a world away on an unexplored continent, and what do you have? The beginning of a new nation, Australia. Thomas Keneally, author of "Shindler's List" and other books, relates the curious enterprise based on official records and personal journals of some of the participants. There is much specific detail about the men and women of the colony. As exciting a tale as those of the first settlements of Virginia and Massachusetts.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nice historical read
*by B***A on June 21, 2025*

Nice story to read about the history of Australia, always interesting to read about the place and understand why it is the least Asian of the Asian countries.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ history at it's best
*by W***T on March 25, 2013*

This is an excellent book recommended for those keen on history, and genealogists who often want to see a more colourful picture of the environment in which their ancestors lived.

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*Product available on Desertcart Australia*
*Store origin: AU*
*Last updated: 2026-02-25*