Robert Hughes - The Fatal Shore: The Epic of Australia's Founding

Pros: Excellent book with depth and quality writing. Filled with excellent anecdotes.
Cons: Story is not contiguous. Long book, jumps around at times.

This is a fascinating, intelligent book that is both well-written and amazingly researched. Hughes also has a published introduction to modern art that is well-respected in many circles, showing his range.

I knew nothing about Australia's founding before I read this book, and now I feel like I know a whole lot. Hughes uses such vivid descriptions of the country, from the wombats that "have a metabolism like a blast furnace" and the natives, who didn't know what to make of the first Englishmen who showed up, and had to look at their privates so they could tell if they were men or women.

In general this is not your typical Stephen King or Dean Koontz novel, where you feel like you've been entertained, but didn't learn anything from the experience. You can both enjoy the ride, and come away from this book feeling fully satisfied that you've spent your time learning more about the world you live in.