The Thorn Birds by Collen McCullough, Futura
The Thorn Birds was written by Australian neuropathologist Colleen McCullough (1937–2015).
In the rugged Australian Outback, three generations of Clearys live through joy and sadness, bitter defeat and magnificent triumph, driven by their dreams, sustained by remarkable strength of character… and torn by dark passions, violence and a scandalous family legacy of forbidden love.
The Thorn Birds is a poignant love story, a powerful epic of struggle and sacrifice, a celebration of individuality and spirit. Most of all, it is the story of the Clearys’ only daughter, Meggie, who can never possess Ralph de Bricassart, the man she so desperately adores. Ralph will rise from parish priest to the inner circles of the Vatican… but his passion for Meggie will follow him all the days of his life.
First published in Great Britain in 1977 by MacDonald & Jane Publishers, this is a paperback version first published in 1978 by Futura Publications.
The book’s interior (not shown here) is set in Linotype’s Times Roman; I’d say in 9 or 9½ pt type size.
The front of the book is set in ITC Serif Gothic Bold for the red text. So is the author’s name in black. “The international bestseller” is added in all-caps Univers Condensed. The quotes on the back are set in Serif Gothic’s Regular weight, with the sources highlighted in red caps. The small print uses Futura.
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The design – including the use of ITC Serif Gothic – follows the first-edition jacket designed by Janet Halverson for Harper & Row: