The Thorn Birds
Published in 1977, The Thorn Birds is a historical romance novel by Colleen McCullough. The story is set in Australia and New Zealand, in 1915–1917. Characters include Padraic Cleary, Fiona Cleary and the Clearys. Readers will find themes of Clergy, Catholic Church, catholics and man-woman relationships.
Open Library readers give it an average of 3.7 out of 5 from 13 ratings, and 196 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 79 editions across 10 languages.
It runs to roughly 597 pages — 10–11 hours of reading at an average pace.
About The Thorn Birds
The Thorn Birds is a 1977 best-selling novel by Australian author Colleen McCullough. Set primarily on Drogheda – a fictional sheep station in the Australian Outback named after Drogheda, Ireland – the story focuses on the Cleary family and spans the years 1915 to 1969.
Quick answers
Who wrote The Thorn Birds?
The Thorn Birds was written by Colleen McCullough and first published in 1977.
What genre is The Thorn Birds?
It is usually shelved as Historical Romance.
How long is The Thorn Birds?
The median edition has 597 pages, about 10–11 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.
What books are similar to The Thorn Birds?
Readers who like it often enjoy Green Dolphin Country; or, Green Dolphin Street, Captain Corelli's Mandolin and The Persian Boy.
More by Colleen McCullough
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A Creed for the Third Millennium
Colleen McCullough
Books like The Thorn Birds
Green Dolphin Country; or, Green Dolphin Street
Elizabeth Goudge
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Louis de Bernières
The Persian Boy
Mary Renault
The Right Path
Nora Roberts
Kiss the Moonlight
Barbara Cartland
Achilles, a Love Story
Byrne Fone