An important book on Australia's first Settlement. This is not about the history of Sydney, it is a history of the decision behind the sending of the First Fleet to Botany Bay. Most Historians have said it was the excess convict population that was both the major and the only cause of the dispatch of the First Fleet. But Alan Frost looks at the issue not only from Britain's perspective but from the perspective of Britain's Imperial ambitions. It is a much more complete answer and one I largely accept. Unfortunately the book is written not for the average reader but for Historians and their groupies, i.e. me, so it is alittle dry, not boring only dry. Also I have the large paperback and the front and back covers are extremely ugly. But as the old saying goes don't judge a book by it's cover, I'm glad I didn't ( )