Introductions are normally read first, but they are usually written last, as was this one. This is necessary because it is only when the bulk of the book is written that it is possible to reflect on the experience of writing it.

A general history of a state has a number of challenges that are not necessarily obvious when the venture is first undertaken. Given the mismatch between the length of the book and the size of the undertaking, the first problem facing the historian is not so much what to include but what must be left out. Over a period of 230 years a great deal happened, even in a place as small as Tasmania, so every event included in the story has been given preference over many more that were left out. I decided quite early in the writing that this book could not possibly be a comprehensive work of reference where the reader could look up any aspect of Tasmanian history and find a neat informative summary. Where there was a choice between factual detail and thematic coherence and narrative flow, I chose the second option. As a result many themes and events are scouted and important individuals passed over.