I need the title of this book! I know all about the book - i just can't remember the title or author!?

Question

It opens with a family living in NZ, but they move to Australia where the father has a wealthy sister living in the Outback.

THere are about 6 or 7 kids - the oldest is Frank who is illegitimate, and who cannot get on with his stepfather, and there is an only girl called Meggie, whm the story centres around. THere is a Catholic priest called Ralph de Briccasart or something, and he falls in love with Meggie.

The story follows Meggies life throughout her growing up, marraige (which fails), and children. Eventually, her son dies, and the story winds down.

Meggie's daughters name is Justine, and she ends up with a German whom she meets at the Vatican when visting her brother (who became a priest).

It may have been written by Bryce Courtenay, does anyone know?

Help me out here - this has been bugging me for days - you know how it is when you just can't think of something????!!!!

Answer 1

This sounds like The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough. Below is the description from Amazon:
This is the story of the Cleary family, originally from Ireland, who emigrate first to New Zealand, and early on, to Australia. The young Cleary daughter, Meggie, falls in love with the local Catholic priest, Ralph de Briccasart, who is a good and ambitious man who certainly does nothing to encourage this love, but who certainly returns it as he regards Meggie as the daughter he can never have. As Meggie matures, he comes to regard her in a more romantic way. A great struggle arises between this love on the one hand ("the forbidden rose") and his ambition to become a Cardinal or perhaps more, on the other.

Answer 2

I think you mean The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough.
The story starts with the Cleary family in New Zealand: The father Paddy, his wife Fee and the children, the most prominent being the eldest son Frank and the youngest (and only daughter) Meggie Cleary, who becomes one of the two central characters in the story. Young Meggie makes Ralph the center of her life as the only girl in an environment and era when only sons are to be revered. Frank's relationship with his father Paddy has never been peaceful. In an argument Paddy blurts out the truth about Frank: Frank is not Paddy's son. As a young woman Fee had an affair with a married politician, and the result, Frank, was already eighteen months old when Paddy married her...Father Ralph de Bricassart, a handsome, ambitious priest stuck in the outback, tries to befriend her to gain her money and to help him advance in the Catholic hierarchy............

Answer 3

Sounds like Thornbirds. If you liked the book, check the video stories for the TV version they made with Richard Chamberlain as the priest a while back. You will probably enjoy it.

Answer 4

It sounds like you mean The Thorn Birds, a 1977 best-selling novel by Colleen McCullough.