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The Voyages of Captain James Cook: The Illustrated Accounts of Three Epic Pacific Voyages
The first-ever illustrated account of Captain James Cook's epic eighteenth-century voyages, complete with excerpts from his vivid journals. This is history's greatest adventure story. In 1766, the Royal Society chose prodigal mapmaker and navigator James Cook to lead a South Pacific voyage. His orders were to chart the path of Venus across the sun. That task completed, his ship, the HMS Endeavour , continued to comb the southern hemisphere for the imagined continent Terra Australis . The voyage lasted from 1768 to 1771, and upon Cook's return to London, his journaled accounts of the expedition made him a celebrity. After that came two more voyages for Cook and his crew, followed by Cook's untimely murder by natives in Hawaii. The Voyages of Captain James Cook reveals Cook's fascinating story through excerpts from his journals, as well as illustrations, photography, and supplementary writings. During Cook's career, he logged more than 200,000 miles - nearly the distance to the moon. And along the way, scientists and artists traveling with him documented exotic flora and fauna, untouched landscapes, indigenous peoples, and much more. In addition to the South Pacific, Cook's voyages took him to South America, Antarctica, New Zealand, the Pacific Coast from California to Alaska, the Arctic Circle, Siberia, the East Indies, and the Indian Ocean. When he set out in 1768, more than one-third of the globe was unmapped. By the time Cook died in 1779, he had created charts so accurate that some were used into the 1990s. The Voyages of Captain James Cook is a handsome illustrated edition of Cook's selected writings spanning his Pacific voyages, ending in 1779 with the delivery of his salted scalp and hands to his surviving crewmembers. It's bound to enthrall anyone who appreciates history, science, art, and classic adventure.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionTravel
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 15, 2003
9 people are currently reading
383 people want to read
About the author
James Cook
517 books33 followersBritish navigator James Cook, known as Captain Cook, commanded three major exploratory voyages to chart and to name many islands of the Pacific Ocean and also sailed along the coast of North America as far as the Bering Strait.
During circumnavigation of the globe from 1768 to 1771 with James Cook, Joseph Banks collected and cataloged numerous specimens of plants and animals.
James Cook, captain, visited Austral Islands in 1769 and 1777.
James Cook, fellow of the royal society, served as a cartographer in the Navy. Cook made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making, and achieving the first recorded European contact with the eastern line of Australia and Hawaii and the record around New Zealand.
Cook joined the merchant as a teenager and joined the royal Navy in 1755. He saw action in the Seven Years' War and subsequently surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege of Quebec. This mapping helped to bring Cook to the attention of the admiralty and royal society. This notice came at a crucial moment in career of Cook and in the overseas direction and led to his first commission in 1766 of His Majesty's bark Endeavour.
Cook went thousands of miles across large areas of the globe. From New Zealand, he mapped to Hawaii in greater detail and on a not previously achieved scale. He progressed on his discovery, surveyed features, and recorded lines on European maps for the first time. He displayed a combination of seamanship, superior surveying and cartographic skills, physical courage, and an ability to lead men in adverse conditions.
A fight with Hawaiians killed Cook. He left a scientific and geographical legacy to influence his successors well into the 20th century, and people dedicated numerous memorials worldwide.
During circumnavigation of the globe from 1768 to 1771 with James Cook, Joseph Banks collected and cataloged numerous specimens of plants and animals.
James Cook, captain, visited Austral Islands in 1769 and 1777.
James Cook, fellow of the royal society, served as a cartographer in the Navy. Cook made detailed maps of Newfoundland prior to making, and achieving the first recorded European contact with the eastern line of Australia and Hawaii and the record around New Zealand.
Cook joined the merchant as a teenager and joined the royal Navy in 1755. He saw action in the Seven Years' War and subsequently surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege of Quebec. This mapping helped to bring Cook to the attention of the admiralty and royal society. This notice came at a crucial moment in career of Cook and in the overseas direction and led to his first commission in 1766 of His Majesty's bark Endeavour.
Cook went thousands of miles across large areas of the globe. From New Zealand, he mapped to Hawaii in greater detail and on a not previously achieved scale. He progressed on his discovery, surveyed features, and recorded lines on European maps for the first time. He displayed a combination of seamanship, superior surveying and cartographic skills, physical courage, and an ability to lead men in adverse conditions.
A fight with Hawaiians killed Cook. He left a scientific and geographical legacy to influence his successors well into the 20th century, and people dedicated numerous memorials worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 16, 2020
This is an illustrated book with paintings of the era and some pictures. It contains for the most part the writings of Captain James Cook.
I cannot but marvel at these long voyages of 2 to 3 years duration across the broad Pacific Ocean into unknown lands where these sailors were totally out of contact with the culture that they grew up in. On the first voyage when Cook was exploring the coast of Australia their ship was severely damaged on a coral reef (what is now known as the Great Barrier Reef). They had to spend two months repairing it off the barren coast. This is resiliency! (No help desk to phone into for these sailors!)
They had to deal with several divergent native groups they encountered on the many islands they explored across the Pacific. Some were welcoming, others less so. Cook had to negotiate with them and overall succeeded. He understood the meaning of compromise and showed restraint when some of his compatriots became offended. Remember, that even though they had some technological advantages, they were vastly outnumbered by all the Indian groups they met. They had to tread carefully. They were also many times desperately in need of food and water which they bartered for.
Cook’s writing can be dry so I wish the editor would have used other writers who accompanied Cook on the voyages. Cook comes off as a very “factual person” which can be an advantage over a long sea voyage. One does not want a leader with loud emotional outbursts!
I also felt the editor could have culled the numerous measures of longitude and latitude from Cook’s writing. Did he think the reader was going to check-up on these? The paintings used could have been explained more – some seemed overly romanticized and Europeanized.
Even so – if one is an admirer of Cook and his magnificent voyages this book has its rewards.
I cannot but marvel at these long voyages of 2 to 3 years duration across the broad Pacific Ocean into unknown lands where these sailors were totally out of contact with the culture that they grew up in. On the first voyage when Cook was exploring the coast of Australia their ship was severely damaged on a coral reef (what is now known as the Great Barrier Reef). They had to spend two months repairing it off the barren coast. This is resiliency! (No help desk to phone into for these sailors!)
They had to deal with several divergent native groups they encountered on the many islands they explored across the Pacific. Some were welcoming, others less so. Cook had to negotiate with them and overall succeeded. He understood the meaning of compromise and showed restraint when some of his compatriots became offended. Remember, that even though they had some technological advantages, they were vastly outnumbered by all the Indian groups they met. They had to tread carefully. They were also many times desperately in need of food and water which they bartered for.
Cook’s writing can be dry so I wish the editor would have used other writers who accompanied Cook on the voyages. Cook comes off as a very “factual person” which can be an advantage over a long sea voyage. One does not want a leader with loud emotional outbursts!
I also felt the editor could have culled the numerous measures of longitude and latitude from Cook’s writing. Did he think the reader was going to check-up on these? The paintings used could have been explained more – some seemed overly romanticized and Europeanized.
Even so – if one is an admirer of Cook and his magnificent voyages this book has its rewards.
December 24, 2016
This book was such an adventure to read. I really liked reading parts of Captain Cook's journals while seeing different pictures of what he was describing. Some are from artists aboard his ship, while others are more modern. I found myself liking both, but really appreciated it when the illustrations were from people also on the voyage experiencing what Captain Cook was describing in a similar way. The modern pictures did not take away from the experience. I think they helped to enhance it. Both the historical and modern pictures complemented the writing.
I knew Captain Cook traveled a lot, but was impressed by all the different places and observations this work contained. He went to the South Pacific, South America, Antartica, New Zealand, the Pacific Coast from California to Alaska, the Arctic Circle, Siberia, the East Indies, and the Indian Ocean. I found it absolutely incredible that he went to all of these places in the 1700s. This book takes you on an adventure to all of these places. The writing is intriguing and keeps you very interested in the book.
If you are interested in reading some of Captain Cook's journal entries, I highly recommend reading this version. It is well organized and a beautiful edition.
I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads First Reads Program in exchange for an honest review.
I knew Captain Cook traveled a lot, but was impressed by all the different places and observations this work contained. He went to the South Pacific, South America, Antartica, New Zealand, the Pacific Coast from California to Alaska, the Arctic Circle, Siberia, the East Indies, and the Indian Ocean. I found it absolutely incredible that he went to all of these places in the 1700s. This book takes you on an adventure to all of these places. The writing is intriguing and keeps you very interested in the book.
If you are interested in reading some of Captain Cook's journal entries, I highly recommend reading this version. It is well organized and a beautiful edition.
I received a free copy of this book from the Goodreads First Reads Program in exchange for an honest review.
February 18, 2017
Gorgeous with lots of detail. If you like South or any of the explorers, you will enjoy paging through this.
March 10, 2022
Another Classic for me. And, a good read for student privateers. Cook took three voyages and this book splits the stories by 3. The book was originally written in 1909 and the version I had was 1977.
As a history study, each “book” or adventure, could take a year to do. From studying the men, the nation, the boats and supplies, the seas and desire to have a west to east route instead of circumventing around Africa and South America, the land found and the natives, plants and food found in them. That would be very cool.
There are places I’ve never heard of. Although a classic, it stays upper level with so much more it could of expanded on. But who am I to contradict Wordsworth Classics? Definitely a book for a High Schooler or beyond.
As a history study, each “book” or adventure, could take a year to do. From studying the men, the nation, the boats and supplies, the seas and desire to have a west to east route instead of circumventing around Africa and South America, the land found and the natives, plants and food found in them. That would be very cool.
There are places I’ve never heard of. Although a classic, it stays upper level with so much more it could of expanded on. But who am I to contradict Wordsworth Classics? Definitely a book for a High Schooler or beyond.
March 29, 2023
Interesting book, pretty pictures, prose too dry and old fashioned to be easily understood
September 15, 2019
Sehr guter Überblick in Form ausgewählter Passagen aus Cooks Tagebüchern/Berichten über die wichtigsten Stationen seiner Expeditionen, welche mit zeitgenössischen sowie aktuellen Bildern kombiniert werden.
October 28, 2017
Bit of a slog but great piece of history to catch up on. Having been at cook bay on Hawaii it was more real.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews