The Wide Wide Sea

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

By: Hampton Sides

Narrated by: Peter Noble

Length: 15 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An epic 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.

“Sides has mastered the art of you-are-there historical narrative. A thrilling and necessary update to one of history’s most consequential cultural collisions."—John Vaillant, New York Times bestselling author of Fire Weather and The Tiger

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

Critic reviews

“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)

What An Adventure

It seemed as if Cook was the ultimate adventurer and explorer. The book satisfied all my yearning for sea voyages. I learned a lot and was surprised his crew contributed to his demise.

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.

Very good story read with aplomb

I enjoyed the book, with the forensic-like detail of an arduous journey, bringing to life Capt Cook, his crew, and the Indigenous people encountered along the way.

Adventures so well described. Very entertaining.

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

Beautiful book eloquently told

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. I was engrossed by Captain Cook’s adventures and hearing about all of the crews exploits. I highly recommend this audio book.

Great read

Great read. Very captivating. Enjoyed it. Learned a lot about the different cultures in the pacific and captain cook.

Excellent Historical Read

This book was interesting and entertaining. I enjoyed reading about the details of both the specific voyage and the more general notes on previsioning and sailing during that time frame. The narrator is English and really good; just keep in mind that British speakers sometimes use different pronunciation. This pronunciation difference bounced me out of the story sometimes.

The Meat Eater Podcast brought me to this book and author and I'm glad it did. I'm currently looking at the other titles from Mr. Sides and looking forward to future great listens. I listened to this book while tilling my garden for the spring; thankful to have regular foods like tomatoes and sweetcorn, although all that fish sounded awesome. Also super thankful to be able to take a shower at the end of the day. And as for as how much sex those guys where having with the locals I'm a little shook; they just seemed to be way too dirty for all that!

Detailed story of third voyage

I have read so many books about Cook and was skeptical that I would find anything new. I was pleasantly surprised that this book was entirely engrossing. There was a lot of detail that was really interesting.

Objective history telling

Enjoyable historiographic story telling offering context and understanding for a historic figure and period that is being put under the microscope by 21st century revisionism and political debate.

Above all, a clinical examination of surviving records woven into a narrative that allows the reader to experience Cook’s 3rd voyage as they did, from all perspectives, native and newcomer.

Promotes the discussion and dialogue necessary to reconcile grievances against Western expansion and exploration with historic empathy for those living in a different time, with different values, and different struggles.


Reader: relaxing voice that transports listener into the story

Writing: Excellent flow and Rhythm

Excellent writing and narration

Asking this question. Of all the things to ask, this is makes an unnecessary assumption