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English Passengers: A Novel (Man Booker Prize Finalist) Paperback – January 16, 2001

by Matthew Kneale (Author)

4.2 1,021 ratings

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In 1857 when Captain Illiam Quillian Kewley and his band of rum smugglers from the Isle of Man have most of their contraband confiscated by British Customs, they are forced to put their ship up for charter. The only takers are two eccentric Englishmen who want to embark for the other side of the globe. The Reverend Geoffrey Wilson believes the Garden of Eden was on the island of Tasmania. His traveling partner, Dr. Thomas Potter, unbeknownst to Wilson, is developing a sinister thesis about the races of men.

Meanwhile, an aboriginal in Tasmania named Peevay recounts his people’s struggles against the invading British, a story that begins in 1824, moves into the present with approach of the English passengers in 1857, and extends into the future in 1870. These characters and many others come together in a storm of voices that vividly bring a past age to life.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"English Passengers is what fiction ought to be: ambitious, narrative-driven, with a story and a quest we don't mind going on. On page after page I found myself laughing or nodding or simply envious. I was compelled from first to last, and beyond. The characters are still living with me."
--Nicholas Shakespeare

"A triumph."
--Margaret Forster

"The brutal hand of British imperialism provides the foundation for this broad historical swashbuckler about the English colonization of Tasmania... Kneale's careful research and colorful storytelling result in an impressive epic."
--Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A richly satisfying debut... an original, impressively knowledgeable, and very moving historical novel."
--Kirkus (starred review)

From the Back Cover

In 1857 when Captain Illiam Quillian Kewley and his band of rum smugglers from the Isle of Man have most of their contraband confiscated by British Customs, they are forced to put their ship up for charter. The only takers are two eccentric Englishmen who want to embark for the other side of the globe. The Reverend Geoffrey Wilson believes the Garden of Eden was on the island of Tasmania. His traveling partner, Dr. Thomas Potter, unbeknownst to Wilson, is developing a sinister thesis about the races of men.
Meanwhile, an aboriginal in Tasmania named Peevay recounts his people's struggles against the invading British, a story that begins in 1824, moves into the present with approach of the English passengers in 1857, and extends into the future in 1870. These characters and many others come together in a storm of voices that vividly bring a past age to life.

About the Author

Matthew Kneale, the author of several novels, lives in Italy. English Passengers is his American debut.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Say a man catches a bullet through his skull in somebody's war, so where's the beginning of that? You might say that's easy. That little moment has its start the day our hero goes marching off to fight with his new soldier friends, all clever and smirking and waving at the girls. But does it, though? Why not the moment he first takes the shilling, his mouth hanging wide open like a harvest frog as he listens to the sergeant's flatterings? Or how about that bright sunny morning when he's just turned six and sees soldiers striding down the village street, fierce and jangling? But then why not go right back, all the way, to that long, still night when a little baby is born, staring and new, with tiniest little hands? Hands you'd never think would grow strong enough one day to lift a heavy gun, and put a bullet through our poor dead friend's brain.
If I had to choose a beginning for all these little curiosities that have been happening themselves at me, well, I'd probably pick that morning when we were journeying northwards from a certain discreet French port, where tobacco and brandy were as cheap as could be. Not that it seemed much like the beginning of anything at the time, but almost the end, or so I was hoping. The wind was steady, the ship was taking her weather nicely, and as we went about our work I dare say every man aboard was having a fine time dreaming money he hadn't yet got, and what pleasures it might buy him. Some will have been spending it faster than a piss over the side, dreaming themselves a rush of drink and smoke, then perhaps a loan of a sulky female's body. A few might have dreamed every penny on a new jacket or boots, to dazzle Peel City with fashion for a day or two. Others would have kept cautious, dreaming it on rent paid and wives quieted.
And Illiam Quillian Kewley?
As the Sincerity jumped and juddered with the waves I was dreaming Castle Street on a Saturday morning, all bustle and everyone scrutineering everyone else, with Ealisad walking at my side in a fine new dress, both of us holding our heads high as Lords, and nobody saying, "Look see, there's Kewleys--don't you know they used to be somebody." Or I dreamed my great-grandfather, Juan, who I never met, but who was known as Big Kewley on account of being the only Kewley ever to make money rather than lose it. There he was, clear as day, leaning out of heaven with a telescope, and calling out in a voice loud as thunder, "Put a sight on him, Illiam Quillian, my own great-grandson. Now there's a man who can."
Then all of a sudden our dreamings were interrupted. Tom Teare was calling down from the masthead, where he was keeping watch. "Sail. Sail to the northwest."
Not that anyone thought much on his shout then. The English Channel is hardly the quietest stretch of ocean, so there seemed nothing too worrying in discovering another ship creeping along. The boys went on scrubbing down the deck, while chief mate Brew and myself carried on standing on the quarterdeck, making sure they kept at it.
But you should know a little about the Sincerity, as there was a wonder all made of wood if ever there was one. Truly, you couldn't imagine a vessel that looked more normal from the outside. I dare say she was a little old--her prow was round and blunt and well out of fashion, and her quarterdeck was too high for modern tastes--but other-wise she seemed as ordinary as seawater. I'd wager you could've spent all day aboard and still been none the wiser. Unless, that is, you had a particular eye for the measure of things. Or you happened to take a look above the inside top rim of the door to the pantry.
And that would be hardly likely.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Anchor; Reprint edition (January 16, 2001)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 446 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 038549744X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385497442
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.2 x 1 x 8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #438,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,449 in Sea Stories
- #22,626 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- #25,990 in American Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.2 1,021 ratings

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4.2 out of 5

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bebejane

I am now so much better informed about the early days of this island including ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2018

Verified Purchase

When I first picked up this novel, i knew almost nothing about Tasmania not really even its exact location. I am now so much better informed about the early days of this island including its convict settlement at Port Arthur, the British settlers and of course, the sad story of the genocide and eventual extermination of the aborigine population. And, I must say, as sad as that story is , this novel was a delightful and informative read. It is one of the best plotted and well written books that i have read in years. The continuous turns of plots and the intruiguing interplay of the characters voices made the book a delight to read and one I didn’t want to put down. It Certainly ranks up in the top twenty of my most favorite novels.

5 people found this helpful

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Roger Brunyate

Colonizing Eden

Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2006

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Three Englishmen set out on a Manx sailing vessel to reach Tasmania. One is a cleric who believes the island is the site of the Garden of Eden, another is a surgeon with pre-Hitlerian ideas about racial stereotypes, and the third is a young botanist. Interwoven with this is the story of the exploitation and near-extermination of the aboriginal peoples at the hands of the English colonists, whether exploitative or well-intentioned. Taken together, the various interwoven stories, told in a variety of different voices, present a well-researched but damning portrait of colonialism and other nineteenth-century attitudes. Kneale's multiple-narrator technique permits a good deal of irony and even outright humor, and his inclusion of the Manx sea captain and part-time smuggler among these voices adds the picaresque flavor of a sea yarn. My only disappointment, though, is that the author ends by tying up these narrative threads on the comic and adventure-story level, without rising to the kind of spiritual catharsis that his brilliant exposition might have made possible.

The book makes an interesting companion to Barry Unsworth's SACRED HUNGER , another novel that deals with English attitudes towards other races in the context of a sea story, though Unsworth's book is set almost a century earlier. Both books also touch upon the concept of a utopian society, and the various forces which inevitably destroy it. Readers who have enjoyed one book should certainly try the other. While Unsworth has the greater gravitas, Kneale uncovers less well-known areas of history, introduces a more varied cast of characters, and makes the more enjoyable read.

3 people found this helpful

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D. Watson

Great fun

Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2010

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I loved this book. I came across it entirely by accident while searching for a hiking guide for Tasmania - and it was a real stroke of luck. I won't go on at length, since many people have written detailed and glowing reviews, but it is an extremely pleasant read - very funny, even as it also deals with some very serious themes. Pretty educational too. It turned out to be a fine introduction for my trip to Melbourne, where visits to local museums touch upon the historical events and themes treated in the novel. I won't say it's perfect - some of Dr. Potter's diary passages = rambling + indulgent in my view (although the early bits are hysterical), and I thought the culmination of the expedition to find the Garden of Eden fell a bit flat - but these are small criticisms. I started reading it before leaving for Australia and finished it, a happy and satisfied reader, as the plane was taking off from Melbourne. Highly recommended.

5 people found this helpful

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J. Carroll

Killing with kindness and cruelty

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2001

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The destruction of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania is at the heart of this novel. Told by various characters in letter, journal entries, and eyewitness accounts; English Passengers sees the genocide of these people from many different viewpoints like those of racial supremacists, religous do-gooders, Manx sailors, and Peevay, the man who shows the reader what his people have lost. The skill of the author is evident by speaking in so many different voices, but it becomes a matter of style over substance. The emotional resonance is lost with all the shifting styles and commentaries. A valiant effort, but it left me wondering if any one character might have given this book more emotional weight; a weight this heinous crime deserves. I understand the author is using the amazing stupidity of many of his characters to make his comments for him, it just didn't quite work for me.

11 people found this helpful

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Tim Herring

Makes you laugh and then makes you think!

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016

Verified Purchase

Great mix of humour and serious historical perspective.
Interesting that the plot is seen from many points-of-view, which really makes you see things very differently.
More than that, it is an excellent and humorous romp from the Isle of Man to Tasmania and back.

To give a high accolade, I recommended it to two friends at lunch yesterday - I rarely do that!

One person found this helpful

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Reader

One of the greatest books ever written

Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2012

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This book has it all: 20 distinct voices, a sea-faring adventure, hilarious awful characters, innocent beauty and a plot that veers into the most delightful and unexpected places. I love LOVE this book by Matthew Kneale. What a stunning accomplishment!

One person found this helpful

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Marilyn

English Passengers

Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2010

Verified Purchase

This book has variety characters but as the story develop it incorporates each and every life.
You will be treated to a surprise ending. The author did a good job to give you different feelings for the characters. it has funny parts as well as serious.
The first of the book takes a little to get all the characters identifiesd By watching the dates on the chapters that helped me to understand the time period.
I enjoyed this book and hop that you do too.

One person found this helpful

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Linda Sylvia Silver

A really good read.

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2013

Verified Purchase

This is a great way to learn history. Its a great story, with many really funny parts, but you cannot miss the facts of how the English destroyed a whole native civilization in Austraila. You can feel the pain of the aboriginis and their absolute helplessnes in the face of the invading Englis.

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Top reviews from other countries

amazonian

Recommend read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 29, 2023

Verified Purchase

Superb and harrowing story. Told in several in different “voices”, it tells the story of a young adventurer and his discovery of treatment of the indigenous people of a far-off land.
The sort of book that makes you want to read further about British history.

Nazarin

Exceptional!

Reviewed in India on January 14, 2021

Verified Purchase

Title : English Passengers
Author : Matthew Kneale
Genre : Historical Fiction
Ratings :🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love this book, y'all should read this spectacular work of fiction. This book surprised me utterly. The story has a magnificient plot and convincing developments with multiple POVs, and 'multiple' precisely means 21. There are 21 narrators!!(Good heavens!). It includes first person accounts, letters & memoirs of 21 individuals and one newspaper report. I thought the plot was complex, at first; but Matthew Kneale is bloody brilliant!! He excellently composed the different narrations into a fine tale without creating any confusions to readers. I wasn't much aware of the Australian History until reading this book and reading it was like reading a history textbook.

A deeply impressive novel, it's pages hizzes with high comedy & dramatic terror. There were instances where I burst into laughter, sometimes into tears and sometimes, with anger. Hearty congratulations (and condolences) to Dr. Potter for being the most hateful fictional character in my list after Dolores Umbridge. Their expedition, an absolute absurdity and a bloody mess ends up with a total pack of action and humor, with murder, madness, betrayal, mutiny & shipwreck (*COMPLETE DISASTER*). This book has everything in it - Tasmanian history, the manx dialect, aboriginal psychology, racist theories of a mid-19th century physician and you can't miss this one.

Phredd

Great lock-down page-turner.

Reviewed in Australia on June 14, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book was recommended to me and I read it on my Kindle. I enjoyed it so much, I purchased it in paperback as a gift for a friend.

Carla Giuriato

Interesting plot, very well written

Reviewed in Italy on June 11, 2015

Verified Purchase

An interesting story , a huge number of characters perfectly depicted and displayed. Very accurate the language. I enjoyed reading it very much.

Amazon Customer

Map Mundi of the Manx - a splendid read about less splendid events

Reviewed in Germany on July 28, 2013

Verified Purchase

English Passengers – Voyage round the world, to discover... what?

One of the best reads this summer. The book was on my shelf for three years, and then when the Kindle edition arrived I decided to read it.

An extraordinary piece of writing, great characterisation (of English, Manx, Aborigines), original perspective on English colonialism (which doesn't make you want to be British) and tongue in cheek humour all the way, to take the edge off the cruelty and abomination of European treatment of Aborigines. It makes the pill look nicer, but the fact is, it doesn't make it right. Mr Kneale is very clever at communicating the essence of the problem without moralising.

An instructive and fascinating read: whites and their arrogance, Aborigines and the oppression they suffer(ed) a huge range of human emotions brought to life, and some wonderful experiments with language.

One person found this helpful

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