On November 24, 1968, more than 250 people from 19 nations set off on a 10,000-mile endurance rally from London to Sydney. Crossing 10 countries, competitors encountered officious border guards, gangs of rock-throwing children, treacherous driving conditions, collisions, breakdowns, injuries, wayward dogs, livestock, camels and kangaroos, millions of spectators crowding the roads and even bandits. Among the professional drivers were a large number of enthusiastic amateurs, many of whom had never raced in their lives. Drawing from personal recollections of more than 60 participants–many who made it to Sydney and many more who didn’t–and contemporary newspaper and magazine articles, this book tells the full story of what was called the Marathon,” from an idea dreamed up over an alcohol-fueled lunch to the last car over the finish line. pp. viii