The Thorn Birds is arobust, romantic

saga of a singular family, the Clearys.

It begins in the early part of this cen-

tury, when Paddy Clcary moves his

wife, Fiona, and their seven children

to Drogheda, the vast Australian

sheep station owned by his autocratic

and childless older sister; and it ends

more than halfa century later, when

the only survivor of the third genera-

tion, the brilliant actress Justine

O Neill, sets a course of life and love

halfway around the world from her

roots.

The central figures in this enthral-

ling story aretheindomitableMeggie,

the only Cleary daughter, and the one

man she truly loves, the stunningly

handsome and ambitious priest Ralph

de Bricassart. Ralph s course moves

him along way indeed, from a re.mote

Outback parish to the hallsof the

Vatican; and Meggie s, except for a

brief and miserable marriage else-

where, is fixed to the Drogheda that

is part of her bones-but distance

does not dim their feelings though it

shapes their lives.

Wonderful characters people this

book: strong and gentle Paddy, hid-

ing a private mcmory; dutiful Fiona,

holding back love because it once be-,

trayed her; violent, tormented Frank,