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My Crowded Solitude
My Crowded Solitude is the story of Jack McLaren who went ashore at Cape York to establish a coconut plantation in 1911. The book traces his encounters with Australian Aborigines who were still living as they had in the stone age and his discovery that life in the wilderness can be rich and fulfilling.
- GenresNonfictionAustralia
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1926
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39 people want to read
About the author
Jack McLaren
46 books4 followersBorn John McLaren, he was the first son of the Reverend John McLaren, a Presbyterian minister, and his wife Mary, nee Brown, who parents were Scottish immigrants.
He attended Scotch College in October 1896, where he remained for four years before running away. He later worked as a cabin boy and seaman on a windjammer which sailed from Adelaide to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and back to Newcastle, New South Wales. He was later to record this voyage in his 'Blood on the Deck' that was published in London in 1933.
He continued at sea and worked his passage to North Queensland where, between 1902 and 1911, he variously worked as a miner, mule-driver and rabbit-poisoner engaged in tropical climes. He also searched for pearl-shell, working out of Thursday Island, for bêche-de-mer and tortoise shell on the Barrier Reef, and for sandalwood on Cape York. In addition he worked as an overseer, as a labour-recruiter, on cocoanut plantations in Malaya, the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
Continuing his travels he also visited Java and the Ellice Islands, and was shipwrecked in the Gulf of Papua. In New Guinea he contnued his peripatetic existence by running stores, prospecting, transporteing copper overland to Port Moresby, and hunting birds of paradise. Some of the stories from these years are included in 'My Odyssey' that was published in London in 1923.
After all his wanderings, he landed at Simpson's Bay on the west coast of Cape York in early October 1911. Along with the tribe of Aborigines, whom he paid to work for him, he built a house there and established a cocoanut plantation. Writing under the pseudonym, 'McNorth', he sent a series of articles to 'The Bulletin' in Sydney, and, deciding to become a full-time writer, he also completed his first novel, 'Red Mountain' in 1919. Some of his experiences at Cape York are recorded in 'My Crowded Solitude' that was published in London in 1926.
In 1919 he sold the plantation and moved to Sydney, where he intended to earn his living as a writer. He was fortunate enough to interest the New South Wales Bookstall Company, who gave him a small sum of money for his first two novels. To augment this modest income, he also worked as a laboratory assistant.
By March 1924 he was living at Northcote, Melbourne, where he gained some financial support from his friend Bernard O'Dowd and on 19 August 1924 he married a fellow novelist, Ada Elizabeth Moore, née McKenzie.
The couple moved to London in 1925 and he was to remain there, at various addresses, for almost 30 years. As well as writing his novels, he broadcast and wrote scripts for the British Broadcasting Corporation and during World War II he was in charge of the section of the Ministry of Information responsible for publicity about the Empire.
His wife died in 1946 and on 21 February 1951 he remarried a Chelsea lady, Dorothy Norris. Sadly their marriage was to last for only just over three years for McLaren died while on holiday in Brighton on 16 May 1954.
In all he wrote 21 volumes of fiction, mostly adventure tales with the occasional thriller, such as 'A Diver Went Down' published in London in 1929, and a number of autobiographical works.
Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2010
He attended Scotch College in October 1896, where he remained for four years before running away. He later worked as a cabin boy and seaman on a windjammer which sailed from Adelaide to Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and back to Newcastle, New South Wales. He was later to record this voyage in his 'Blood on the Deck' that was published in London in 1933.
He continued at sea and worked his passage to North Queensland where, between 1902 and 1911, he variously worked as a miner, mule-driver and rabbit-poisoner engaged in tropical climes. He also searched for pearl-shell, working out of Thursday Island, for bêche-de-mer and tortoise shell on the Barrier Reef, and for sandalwood on Cape York. In addition he worked as an overseer, as a labour-recruiter, on cocoanut plantations in Malaya, the Solomon Islands and Fiji.
Continuing his travels he also visited Java and the Ellice Islands, and was shipwrecked in the Gulf of Papua. In New Guinea he contnued his peripatetic existence by running stores, prospecting, transporteing copper overland to Port Moresby, and hunting birds of paradise. Some of the stories from these years are included in 'My Odyssey' that was published in London in 1923.
After all his wanderings, he landed at Simpson's Bay on the west coast of Cape York in early October 1911. Along with the tribe of Aborigines, whom he paid to work for him, he built a house there and established a cocoanut plantation. Writing under the pseudonym, 'McNorth', he sent a series of articles to 'The Bulletin' in Sydney, and, deciding to become a full-time writer, he also completed his first novel, 'Red Mountain' in 1919. Some of his experiences at Cape York are recorded in 'My Crowded Solitude' that was published in London in 1926.
In 1919 he sold the plantation and moved to Sydney, where he intended to earn his living as a writer. He was fortunate enough to interest the New South Wales Bookstall Company, who gave him a small sum of money for his first two novels. To augment this modest income, he also worked as a laboratory assistant.
By March 1924 he was living at Northcote, Melbourne, where he gained some financial support from his friend Bernard O'Dowd and on 19 August 1924 he married a fellow novelist, Ada Elizabeth Moore, née McKenzie.
The couple moved to London in 1925 and he was to remain there, at various addresses, for almost 30 years. As well as writing his novels, he broadcast and wrote scripts for the British Broadcasting Corporation and during World War II he was in charge of the section of the Ministry of Information responsible for publicity about the Empire.
His wife died in 1946 and on 21 February 1951 he remarried a Chelsea lady, Dorothy Norris. Sadly their marriage was to last for only just over three years for McLaren died while on holiday in Brighton on 16 May 1954.
In all he wrote 21 volumes of fiction, mostly adventure tales with the occasional thriller, such as 'A Diver Went Down' published in London in 1929, and a number of autobiographical works.
Gerry Wolstenholme
July 2010
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 1, 2012
Definitely an Aussie classic. Well worth the read, just remember to allow your mind to get past the language of the times and the patronizing attitudes and get into the true gem that it is. Really interesting insights into life.
March 20, 2017
I came upon this book in a batch of books belonging to one person: in fact this particular batch of books belonging to one person contained two copies of this book (different editions), which piqued my interest. That, and the fact that it was a Sun Book - with their history of publishing lost Australian texts - led me to read it.
This book is the story of Jack McLaren's eight years spent in Cape York establishing a coconut plantation. He found the location himself after some exploration, and landed in 1911 to begin work. The book contains some anecdotes of life in the jungle, but mostly deals with McLaren's relationship with the local Aboriginal tribe, on whose land he created his plantation. The tribe was mostly untouched by white men until McLaren's arrival, apart from occasional dealings with pearlers and other ships.
McLaren's relationship with the tribe goes through ups and downs. It takes him a while to understand the native way of life, and his attempts to get them to work after the manner of Europeans are doomed to failure. The first year he spends on the plantation has him adapting to the Aborigines, and they to him. When in the dry season they move down the coast, he is left alone for fourteen weeks, in which time he realises what it truly means to be lonely. When the tribe comes back not only is McLaren glad to see them, the Aboriginals are happy to be back within reach of white man's flour and tobacco. After that first year, never again does the whole tribe move - as McLaren writes "It did not occur to me that the natives were happier as they were. It did not occur to me that the creating in them of needs and desires hitherto utterly foreign would also create in them the necessity for satisfying those needs and desires, to the consequent destruction of the more or less complacent ease of their existence."
The book not only goes into the politics of McLaren's relationship with the tribe, but also describes some of their customs and beliefs: McLaren was aware enough that many of the explanations he was given for such activities were hiding the real reasons or meanings to the actions, but he was astute enough not to pry further.
McLaren was an inveterate wanderer before he "settled down" on his plantation, and while at first visits from fellow whites were few, he eventually became an object of interest and various anthropologists, ornithologists, missionaries and adventurers came to stay with him for shorter or longer periods. As knowledge of his position became more known, he started to get correspondence from all around the World.
Eventually McLaren's wanderlust got the better of him and he sold up and left, but not before gathering enough material to provide us with this little gem of pioneering days in Queensland.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
This book is the story of Jack McLaren's eight years spent in Cape York establishing a coconut plantation. He found the location himself after some exploration, and landed in 1911 to begin work. The book contains some anecdotes of life in the jungle, but mostly deals with McLaren's relationship with the local Aboriginal tribe, on whose land he created his plantation. The tribe was mostly untouched by white men until McLaren's arrival, apart from occasional dealings with pearlers and other ships.
McLaren's relationship with the tribe goes through ups and downs. It takes him a while to understand the native way of life, and his attempts to get them to work after the manner of Europeans are doomed to failure. The first year he spends on the plantation has him adapting to the Aborigines, and they to him. When in the dry season they move down the coast, he is left alone for fourteen weeks, in which time he realises what it truly means to be lonely. When the tribe comes back not only is McLaren glad to see them, the Aboriginals are happy to be back within reach of white man's flour and tobacco. After that first year, never again does the whole tribe move - as McLaren writes "It did not occur to me that the natives were happier as they were. It did not occur to me that the creating in them of needs and desires hitherto utterly foreign would also create in them the necessity for satisfying those needs and desires, to the consequent destruction of the more or less complacent ease of their existence."
The book not only goes into the politics of McLaren's relationship with the tribe, but also describes some of their customs and beliefs: McLaren was aware enough that many of the explanations he was given for such activities were hiding the real reasons or meanings to the actions, but he was astute enough not to pry further.
McLaren was an inveterate wanderer before he "settled down" on his plantation, and while at first visits from fellow whites were few, he eventually became an object of interest and various anthropologists, ornithologists, missionaries and adventurers came to stay with him for shorter or longer periods. As knowledge of his position became more known, he started to get correspondence from all around the World.
Eventually McLaren's wanderlust got the better of him and he sold up and left, but not before gathering enough material to provide us with this little gem of pioneering days in Queensland.
Check out my other reviews at http://aviewoverthebell.blogspot.com.au/
May 26, 2012
I loved this book. I loved the descriptions of the aborigines and their attitudes and well founded suspicions of the white man. McLaren is a product of the late 19 th century and it is unrealistic to criticise him for not seeing the situation the same way as our 21 st century eyes. He describes the ways of the aborigines with humour and empathy and feels sorry that they become dependant on white man's goods.
It was refreshing to see the early contact between the 2 civilisations first hand rather than recounted by historians.
It was refreshing to see the early contact between the 2 civilisations first hand rather than recounted by historians.
August 15, 2017
Rather typical account of a white man's adventure on sea and land in the 1800s. Reminded me of Joseph Conrad and Things Fall Apart. I enjoyed the brief réalisations of needs-creation by the protagonist, a la the Noble Savage theory; alas it was not elaborated on more philosophically, as revealing as the ending was.
September 1, 2020
A white man's experiences of setting up a coconut plantation near Cape York, Australia. With Aboriginal workers, he spent 8 years setting up the plantation, starting in 1911. Interesting as a snapshot in time, but his thoughts on Aboriginals is very stereotypical and demeaning.
September 3, 2025
Fascinating peek into colonialism in the early 1900s. Accompanied by reflections by the author about his experiences and actions that make it a worthwhile read.
November 3, 2016
A REDISCOVERED GEM OF AN ADVENTURE STORY
It's 1911 and the young author has undertaken a bold plan to make his fortune by setting up a palm tree plantation at the very top of Australia. Equipped with his seeds, provisions, tools and weapons, he lands at Simpson's Bay, one of the remotest and loneliest parts of the country. He makes camp and prepares to settle down for eight years of hard work until the palm trees are ready.
But he is not alone.
The bay has been used for millennia by a nomadic tribe of native Australians who roam the coast according to the seasons. It is with these traditional occupiers of the land that the author intends to create the plantation. The question the reader asks is, 'how soon will it all go wrong?'
This is a fascinating, true adventure story with a difference. It is a tale of ambition, determination and hardship with vivid descriptions of the hauntingly beautiful land of Australia's far north and of the struggle to keep body and soul together through loneliness, boredom and fear.
But most of all, it is a story about the interaction of two cultures: one relying on technology (as it was in 1911) and learning; the other on ancient traditions, superstitions and intimacy with the land and its creatures.
Get the book. You won't be disappointed, and it's available free to download on Amazon.
It's 1911 and the young author has undertaken a bold plan to make his fortune by setting up a palm tree plantation at the very top of Australia. Equipped with his seeds, provisions, tools and weapons, he lands at Simpson's Bay, one of the remotest and loneliest parts of the country. He makes camp and prepares to settle down for eight years of hard work until the palm trees are ready.
But he is not alone.
The bay has been used for millennia by a nomadic tribe of native Australians who roam the coast according to the seasons. It is with these traditional occupiers of the land that the author intends to create the plantation. The question the reader asks is, 'how soon will it all go wrong?'
This is a fascinating, true adventure story with a difference. It is a tale of ambition, determination and hardship with vivid descriptions of the hauntingly beautiful land of Australia's far north and of the struggle to keep body and soul together through loneliness, boredom and fear.
But most of all, it is a story about the interaction of two cultures: one relying on technology (as it was in 1911) and learning; the other on ancient traditions, superstitions and intimacy with the land and its creatures.
Get the book. You won't be disappointed, and it's available free to download on Amazon.
December 26, 2019
This book was actually on my early high school reading list back in about 1970ish and it was one of the rare books that I actually enjoyed from school. So much so, that some 50 years later I still have a copy that I re-read from time to time.
The time period of very early 19th century is my favourite writing period, the eloquence of writing always thrills me and this is not exception.
The story itself is a raw account of life in the Australian wilderness which was the end of the earth really back then. Jack McLaren's account of establishing a coconut plantation at the tip of
Cape York, Queensland and his interactions with the local Aboriginals and how he tried to domesticate them from their nomadic ways to farmers is quite enthralling. Largely because he did not understand how completely capable Aboriginals where in living as nomads and their deep understanding of the their surroundings which he began to realise over time.
Well worth a read, its historical value is great.
The time period of very early 19th century is my favourite writing period, the eloquence of writing always thrills me and this is not exception.
The story itself is a raw account of life in the Australian wilderness which was the end of the earth really back then. Jack McLaren's account of establishing a coconut plantation at the tip of
Cape York, Queensland and his interactions with the local Aboriginals and how he tried to domesticate them from their nomadic ways to farmers is quite enthralling. Largely because he did not understand how completely capable Aboriginals where in living as nomads and their deep understanding of the their surroundings which he began to realise over time.
Well worth a read, its historical value is great.
October 12, 2014
A window into a time and place long gone. Up on the Cape York Peninsula beginning in 1911 and continuing to 1919, Jack creates a palm plantation out of the jungle, with the help of the local aboriginals. His accounts of dealing with the land and its riotous vegetation, and his dealings with the aboriginals, are a fascinating glimpse of an exotic place. One delightful scene portrays his attempt (through oratory) to persuade the natives out of their hunter/gatherer ways into settled agrarianism. He learns a lot about himself, and deals wryly with his own insights. It seems remote in so many ways. The only mention of the upheavals of World War I was Jack's interest in how the aboriginals communicated such events through smoke signals. The wildlife is fascinating and his story of the large snake that invaded was thrilling. His solitude was certainly crowded with animals, people, visitors from Indonesia and Thursday Island and New Guinea. He would have been a fascinating man.
August 16, 2014
I hesitated over rating this book. I read it for the Classic Challenge, and it betrays the racist attitudes of the author. Nevertheless, it's a very interesting book, showing the collision of two civilizations and it repays deconstruction of the author's mindset. I don't know whether I've done it well enough -maybe I'd need to be indigenous to do it real justice - but here's my review:
http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/200...
http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/200...
June 23, 2013
Such a great book that gives great insight into how the average westerner approached and followed the white man's burden. This is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand the implications of colonialism.
December 31, 2018
An engaging historical record of early European-Aboriginal interaction in Australia.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews