The Life of Captain James Cook

Captain James Cook is the greatest explorer-seaman of all time, yet the world had to wait almost two centuries for the first full-scale biography to do justice to the man and his achievements. The culmination of the life work of the most distinguished historian of Pacific exploration, this lavishly illustrated biography places Cook in the context of his times and affirms his eminence in the history of maritime discovery.

Table of Contents

1. The North Sea; 2. The Navy; 3. The master; 4. Newfoundland; 5. Scientific background; 6. Preparations; 7. Passage to Tahiti; 8. Tahiti; 9. New Zealand; 10. New South Wales; 11. Batavia to England; 12. England 1771-1772; 13. England to New Zealand; 14. The first island sweep; 15. The Antarctic again; 16. The second island sweep; 17. From New Zealand to England; 18. England 1775-1776; 19. A third voyage; 20. England to New Zealand again; 21. New Zealand to Tonga; 22. Last days at Tahiti; 23. To New Albion; 24. The North-West Coast; 25. Kealakekua Bay; 26. End of a voyage; 27. Epilogue; Bibliography; Index.

Reviews

'Definitive is a word to use sparingly, but it applies to this life of Cook ... The book abounds in fresh insights and fascinating information.' The American Historical Review