A brilliant historical detective story unmasks the real Fletcher Christian, BOUNTY mutineer. Doubleday Australia: paperback: color and B&W illustrations: 448pp: published Sydney, April 28th 1999
FRAGILE PARADISE is the only biography of Fletcher Christian, and because the infamous mutiny on BOUNTY is essentially the story of one man's revolt against another, thus remains the first and only book able to tell the full story of the two friends who became mortal enemies on April 28th, 1789.
Ever since first published in 1982, FRAGILE PARADISE has been a seminal work of reference, a `must have' for all Bounty enthusiasts and historians. Now author Glynn Christian, a great-great-great-great grandson, has revised it extensively, finally answering the question that even William Bligh eventually asked: was Fletcher mad, or just mad to do it?
New research gives a clearer picture of the tension aboard BOUNTY after sailing from Tahiti, there is more evidence about Bligh's method of captaincy and, for the first time, a full chapter on the Tahitian women, who they were, how they thought and how, even though overlooked for two centuries, they are crucial to the survival of Christian's remote settlement on Pitcairn Island.
In almost 450 pages FRAGILE PARADISE authoritatively tells you everything you wanted to know about the world's most famous story, and includes Glynn Christian's own expedition to Pitcairn Island.
This new edition was launched on April 28th, 1999, the 210th anniversary of the mutiny by internationally-renowned author Thomas Keneally (Schindler's List et al). Standing on the deck of the replica BOUNTY which sails Sydney Harbour, Keneally said this book was `the final word'. Glynn Christian added: "Here, I hope you will discover and understand why Fletcher Christian mutinied against William Bligh, and blame neither".
FRAGILE PARADISE went on to Australia's best seller list almost immediately and will be published in the USA, UK and Europe late in 1999 or early in 2000. The original edition is one of the hardest of all Bounty- related books to obtain second hand and can be very expensive indeed: the new edition is available by air from - books@gleebooks.com.au.