The Wide Wide Sea

Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

De: Hampton Sides

Narrado por: Peter Noble

Duración: 15 h y 41 m

Resumen del Editor

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A “thrilling and superbly crafted” (The Wall Street Journal) account of the most momentous voyage of the Age of Exploration, which culminated in Captain James Cook’s death in Hawaii, and left a complex and controversial legacy still debated to this day.

“Hampton Sides, an acclaimed master of the nonfiction narrative, has taken on Cook’s story and retells it for the 21st century.”—Los Angeles Times

On July 12th, 1776, Captain James Cook, already lionized as the greatest explorer in British history, set off on his third voyage in his ship the HMS Resolution. Two-and-a-half years later, on a beach on the island of Hawaii, Cook was killed in a conflict with native Hawaiians. How did Cook, who was unique among captains for his respect for Indigenous peoples and cultures, come to that fatal moment?

Hampton Sides’ bravura account of Cook’s last journey both wrestles with Cook’s legacy and provides a thrilling narrative of the titanic efforts and continual danger that characterized exploration in the 1700s. Cook was renowned for his peerless seamanship, his humane leadership, and his dedication to science–the famed naturalist Joseph Banks accompanied him on his first voyage, and Cook has been called one of the most important figures of the Age of Enlightenment. He was also deeply interested in the native people he encountered. In fact, his stated mission was to return a Tahitian man, Mai, who had become the toast of London, to his home islands. On previous expeditions, Cook mapped huge swaths of the Pacific, including the east coast of Australia, and initiated first European contact with numerous peoples. He treated his crew well, and endeavored to learn about the societies he encountered with curiosity and without judgment.

Yet something was different on this last voyage. Cook became mercurial, resorting to the lash to enforce discipline, and led his two vessels into danger time and again. Uncharacteristically, he ordered violent retaliation for perceived theft on the part of native peoples. This may have had something to do with his secret orders, which were to chart and claim lands before Britain’s imperial rivals could, and to discover the fabled Northwest Passage. Whatever Cook’s intentions, his scientific efforts were the sharp edge of the colonial sword, and the ultimate effects of first contact were catastrophic for Indigenous people around the world. The tensions between Cook’s overt and covert missions came to a head on the shores of Hawaii. His first landing there was harmonious, but when Cook returned after mapping the coast of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, his exploitative treatment of the Hawaiians led to the fatal encounter.

At once a ferociously-paced story of adventure on the high seas and a searching examination of the complexities and consequences of the Age of Exploration, THE WIDE WIDE SEA is a major work from one of our finest narrative nonfiction writers.

©2024 Hampton Sides (P)2024 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Gripping . . . It isn’t possible in this short space to describe Side’s hair-raising accounts of the journey . . . Sides recreates the newness of the experience, the vast differences in and among Indigenous cultures, and natural phenomena that were as terrifying as they were wondrous."—The Washington Post

"Hampton Sides, an acclaimed master of the nonfiction narrative, has taken on Cook’s story and retells it for the 21st century . . . The result is a work that will enthrall Cook’s admirers, inform his critics and entertain everyone in between."—Los Angeles Times

“The great explorer’s ill-starred last mission and violent death in Hawaii are recreated in swashbuckling detail…an astounding tale and Sides delivers the exciting episodes with a pressing narrative urgency. The cast of characters is a joy."–The Sunday Times (London)

Wonderful

Hampton Sides captures this topic and brings it to life. I had no idea that the voyage of Captain Cook would be so interesting What a tragic end to his life on the voyage of discovery. Sides has once again written worthy history into a highly readable story.

Adventures so well described. Very entertaining.

Very enjoyable. Wonderful narration! Would certainly recommend. Loved the characters. They were brought to life.

The writing makes all the story engaging even though one knows the climax before beginning.

The writer does a wonderful job of piecing together many sources and details to create a rich picture of people, places, and events from before the voyage even begins until after Cook is dead. Who knew such a narrative would be so enthralling?

A well told important story

Terrific writing and narration. Hampton Sides tells a complex story very well. Not only is it a fascinating tale, Sides does a fine job of placing the events of Captain James Cook’s final voyage to the histories of what came before and the multiple threads of what followed in its wake and today are still playing out.

Best Book on Cook

Hampton Sides is a master at bringing us along on Captain Cook's final voyage. He uses the diaries of Cook and his crew to weave together the story. He provides a balanced account of controversial events, giving differing perspectives and the reasons therefore and credit to other authors when due. The important characters leap from the pages (out of your speakers). Descriptions of the geography, flora, and fauna are superb and bring enchanting detail to the mind's eye.
The narrator (Peter Noble) is excellent. His British Received Pronunciation is a compliment to the exquisite phrasing and pace of the text. With real affection for the subject and appropriate inflection, his voice carries you to the deck of the Resolution, distant tropical shores, and even to Alaska, as a silent observer of the saga.
Mr. Sides has penned another masterpiece. This is a great book. You will not regret the buy. I also highly recommend his book "Blood and Thunder" which focuses on the amazing life and times of Kit Carson.

a good account of captain cooks last voyage

I liked all the detail about cooks discoveries. there is great detail about sailing in the 1700s and how difficult it was making cooks achievement even greater.

Never Disappointed With Hampton Sides Books

Another incredibly well researched and written account of naval history by Hampton Sides. Amazing feats of global navigation on 90 foot wind powered crafts.

A gripping sea adventure, wish there was more.

I grew up sailing, spending one to three weeks during the summer living on the sailboat traveling to ports up and down the eastern seaboard and this book brought it all back. His descriptions let me see and feel what it was like to be there. This is the best book of the year for me.

Account of the native peoples around the world

Not much
The fact that those places didn’t stay the same after Europeans found them until I could visit them

Marvelous person, iconic voyage(s).

comprehensive, beautifly written. Captain Cook deserves one of the highest levels of acclaim, wonder and reverence that can be accord that can be awarded to a mere mortal on this earth.