There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth.  From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale.  One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles.  For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain . . . Or so say the legend. 

This book follows four generations of the Cleary family in the green hills of New Zealand, the dusty sheep stations of the Australian outback  and the marbled halls of the Vatican. 

 Fr. Ralph de Bricassart is banished to pastor the outback of Australia for  breaking his vow of obedience.  He finds himself in small town of Gillanbone and presiding over the surrounding sheep stations.  On the sheep station of Drogheda, he finds Mary Carson, the wealthiest woman of all Australia with no heirs ... or so he thought.  He sets his sights on Mary Carson's fortunes in order to advance himself in the Catholic church, fulfilling his dream of one day being a Cardinal.

But Mary does have an heir, brother Paddy in New Zealand.  She brings Paddy and his family to live and work on Drogheda.  Paddy, his wife Fiona and their children,  Frank, Hank, Jack, Stuart and the only girl Meghan.  Fr. Ralph takes the little girl Meggie under his wing when he notices that she is virtually ignored by the family.  Meggie grows up and Ralph finds himself not with a little girl anymore but a woman, and tries to distance himself.  Mary Carson notices his infatuation with Meggie, and when she dies she leaves an updated will leaving the Catholic Church all of Drogheda, but only under Ralph's supervision. Only  Ralph and the lawyer know about the last minute change.  Ralph has to choose between his desire  to be a Cardinal or the love of Meggie.  

We will watch, Father Ralph ascend  in Catholic Church hierarchy.  Witness Meggie's battles,  to make a life of her own without Ralph and her fight with God for taking the only man she loves. We will see Fee just stand by while her daughter makes the same mistakes she had.  Paddy struggles with his jealousy  with the relationship his son Frank has with wife Fee.  View the results of Mary Carson's cruelty.  

I read this book in 1980  when I was 18 years old, I'm quite a bit older now, but the lessons of life and death that it taught,  have never left me. This book is about choices and the consequences of the decisions we make. And most likely if given the chance we would make those same choices over again.  That is what I took away after reading this novel, I have a feeling each reader takes away something different. 

For those who have seen the mini-series and have not read the book...please do!  You get so much more insight to Ralph and Meggie that is impossible to describe in any media but the written word. 

The book debuted in 1977.  

  

Colleen McCullough Quotes
A very opinionated Colleen McCullough

McCullough on McCullough from Aussie web site
Article

The Age
Colleen McCullough on her failing eyesight. 

Review of The Thorn Birds

Very easy Thorn Birds Trivia
  Thorn birds Novel  trivia

Rabbit Population in Australia
Why I found the rabbit bit of the story so fascinating  is beyond me, I had just never heard that particular bit of Australian history. 

The author hated the mini-series based on this book.  I however loved it. Inside there are some images from the mini-series and a section of what was different or left out of the mini-series that was in the book.   Click here for a page devoted to the mini-series.  Which includes the differences between the mini-series and the novel.

After reading a book I usually end up at my computer looking for images of the settings where the book took place.  But The Thorn Birds was different for me. I read the book around 1980, no internet back then.  Then the mini-series came out so  I felt and still feel, I've seen all the settings in the book.  So below are some links for pictures of Vatican City and Australia. 

Terra Galleria Photography
Beautiful professional pictures of Vatican City

Pictures of Places
Pictures of Vatican City 

The National Library of Australia
Australian Pictorial Collection

Did you enjoy the book or the web site, book or mini-series? 
Feel free to sign the guest book! 

Michelle