Captain James Cook: A Biography | 
|  | | | Title: | Captain James Cook: A Biography | | Author: | Richard Hough | | Publisher: | W. W. Norton & Company | | Type: | Book / Hardcover | | Publication Date: | 01 April, 1995 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0393315193 / 9780393315196 | | List Price: | $50.00 | | You Save: | $13.86 | | Amazon Price: | $36.14 | |
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Product Description
This meticulous narrative captures an age of discovery and establishes Cook as a link between the vague scientific speculations of the 18th century and the industrial revolution to come. Includes an interesting new element is medical evidence that may explain Cook's strange behavior on his final voyage.
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Customer Reviews:
• Honorable 22 February, 2005
Destiny. Some people possess an innate psyche as to what they want to do in life. James Cook would be one of those people. From his days as a youth working in an English seaside shop, Cook dreamed of sailing in a ship to discover other lands and people. He did it, becoming one of England's greatest navigators.
Richard Hough effects a daring read of this fascinating man. With firsthand quotes from the men who were on Cook's three voyages, the book is complete of adventure, misfortunes, perilous storms, native peoples with their ensuing customs and demeanor, geographical descriptions, disorientation, cannibalism, scurvy outbreaks, etc.
He joined the Royal Navy and worked his way up the ranks becoming surveyor in eastern Canada. With honor and distinction from these years of service, he accepts a position to captain an expedition to the South Pacific for exploration and to study the Transit of Venus for astronomical observations.
With accolades from this voyage, Cook is again asked to lead an expedition to the South Pacific in order to discover and survey the South Pole. Adventure after adventure follows.
His third and final voyage is to locate the mythical northwest passage by first journeying east around the Cape of Good Hope and then straight north through Hawaii to the northwest coast of North America. We see during this final expedition that due to a possible parasitic intestinal infection from his previous voyage, Cook's character and conduct is unbecoming of him and at times his behavior is unrestrained. He meets his final days at the hands of Hawaiian natives.
A discerning look into an accomplished and extraordinary man.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2QRKGI8C6C4VO
• A Biography That Reads Like A Thriller 27 December, 2002
Before Captain Cook left on his first Voyage of Discovery, 40% of the Earth's surface had not been mapped. By the time he died - eaten by the Hawaiians, with only his thigh bone and uneated hands, one of them bearing a recognizable scar, delivered back to the ship - he had mapped essentially all of the unknown surface of the Earth. This biography is beautifully written. A few months ago I was sitting at a bar in Cook Islands, reading this book, and a local said to me that he had bought about 20 copies to hand out to his boatie friends. You are in for hours of discovery and enjoyment.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3TNZ31U9DD7UE
• Where Did This Book Come From? 22 October, 2004
When I read this book, I was fascinated by the story of Cook's life (who wouldn't be?) but I was sure this book was a reprint of some turn of the 19th/20th century author. But no, it was published in 1995. So where does this guy get that Australian aborigines are negrotoid and Inuits are mongoloid? Has he read any recent anthropology? Does he still believe in phrenology? He seems not to have read anything besides Beaglehole's biography and Beaglehole's editions of the journals, except for a few other journals by the crew. There is no historiography and no analysis. This book was originally a manuscript Hough found in a Victorian attic, I am sure of it!
- Reviewed by customer ID: AAE8IDTOK5AX2
• Another Great Bristish Explorer - Excellent Biography 13 May, 2006
I knew a few things about the three voyages of Captain Cook so I decided to read his biography. Well I think I chose right, the author vividly tells the fascinating story of a brave man and his explorations in the pacific and South seas that you just don't want to stop reading, full of adventure and totally enjoyable.
In each voyage they were away from home almost three years, exploring mostly the polynesian islands, tahiti, new zealand and the fatal Hawai. They were also in the east coast of Australia, Eastern Island, Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn. I wish I have the opportunity to meet all theses places.
Another great british explorer.
- Reviewed by customer ID: AHL11KWSWPVHJ
• This Is A Very Solid Biography. 05 June, 2003
We Aussies have a great deal of affection for dear old Captain Cook, who mapped our east coast whilst exploring the pacific. This book traces Cook's life and long career in an expert and readable fashion. Cook never advanced as rapidly as Lord Nelson, and traded in strictly military missions for other roles of importance to the Admiralty. But, as this fine biography shows, he stands alongside Nelson as a great British naval hero.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2BOGL85X7PA65
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