Arthur Phillip: Sailor, Mercenary, Governor, Spy by Michael Pembroke is a well-regarded biography of Arthur Phillip, the first Governor of New South Wales and a central figure in the foundation of modern Australia.
 
The book presents Phillip as more than simply the commander of the First Fleet. It explores his varied life as a naval officer, soldier of fortune, intelligence operative and colonial administrator. Pembroke places Phillip’s career within the broader world of eighteenth-century naval warfare, European politics, empire-building and the early British settlement of Australia.
 
This biography follows Phillip’s experiences before, during and after the voyage of the First Fleet, including his role in establishing the penal colony at Sydney Cove in 1788. It also considers his leadership, discipline, practical judgment and comparatively humane approach to Indigenous Australians and convicts within the harsh realities of colonial expansion.
 
A strong title for readers interested in Australian history, colonial history, biography, the First Fleet, early Sydney, British naval history and the founding of New South Wales.