Sides narrates the history of the third and fatal voyage of James Cook-maritime captain and explorer extraordinaire. After his first two voyages across the ocean, Cook is given a secret task by King George III-find the Northwest Passage rumored to be past the Alaskan territories through the Arctic Ocean. He was famous and already 46, and a cushy life awaited him in a retirement post in Greenwich with his wife and children. But he would never shrink from a challenge and this would be the trip of a lifetime. He fortified his ship, the Resolution, that carried supplies, fresh water, an assortment of farm animals, and things to trade, but he was also carrying the Polynesian Mai back to his homeland after four years of living in England. We meet his crew among whom included Clerke, captain of the pilot ship Discovery, his trusted friend and co-captain, the famous Bligh of the Mutiny fame, and navigator George Vancouver who is remembered in the naming of the Canadian city and island. Cook's ships carried botanists, naturalists, astronomers and artists along with blacksmiths and carpenters- Cook himself was a skilled cartographer. The captain was also known as the consummate seaman who could keep his head in emergencies and guide his ship and crew out of certain danger, but on this voyage he began to exhibit almost violent behaviors that surprised those who were serving under him. As we sail with Cook and his crew, we revisit places that were known and explored, but they indeed sailed a wide wide sea and came across lands that no European had seen or even knew existed. The subtitle of the book, "Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook," foreshadows one of the last chapters. We learn of Cook's demise at the hands of Hawaiian warriors and of the circumstances that led up to it. All sides, opinions, historical documents, and native lore are presented to help make sense of the killing.
This book was enjoyable in so many ways. It was an exciting narration of an epic sea voyage with an amazing personality as its main character. In fact, Sides brought up the fact that many people thought that Captain James Cook was the inspiration for Captain James Kirk and the whole idea of the Federation. It was a book of science that explained concepts that we take for granted like the idea of latitude and Greenwich mean time. It was a wonderful travelogue of the places and peoples that they encountered. And it was an interesting meditation on the whole idea of history-who gets to write it and what is the truth? I followed the action on two maps as I read the book-one was a current map and the other a map from the 18th century. I recommend that you do the same.

Many thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read Hampton Sides new work. If you ever get a chance to read one of this author's books, do. He is a wonderful writer and storyteller. The tale of Captain James Cook will pull the reader in and like so many well-written explorer books will read like fast=paced thriller. Hard, if not impossible, to stop reading. Highly recommend for fans of US or World History or the explorer genre.

This characteristically well-researched book by Hampton Sides about the final voyage of Captain Cook was a compelling read. You can tell from the detailed descriptions of the various places -- New Zealand, Hawaii, Tahiti, Canada, Alaska -- that Sides visited these locales.

Earlier in his sea career, Cook had been a different sort of captain. Unusually, he was not brutal to his crew and was sensitive to local native culture. He saw how the presence of his crew and their interactions with locals changed things for the native population, and not for the better. But by the final voyage, he was harsher, with both his sailors and with the islanders. This helped lead to his death in Hawaii at the hands of the natives.

Sides description of seaboard life was realistic. He was a master mariner and a brilliant cartographer -- some of his maps are still amazingly accurate. He never had one of his crew die of scurvy due to his insistence on fresh foods and juices in their diet. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The subtitle of the book describes the contents. It is about the final voyage of James Cook covering both himself, the crews of the two ships and the indigenous people that they encountered on their voyage. The final voyage was a search for a passage in the north from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. Also, it was a voyage that did document some discoveries, but not to the level of his first two voyages. Cook also was much moodier on this voyage than the first two. Overall, a well written and researched book.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.

I had recently read Hampton Sides’ book Blood and Thunder and enjoyed it, so I was happy to receive an ARC for this new book on Captain James Cook. The travel tale includes Cape Horn and the Pacific Islands as well as the Alaskan coastline as Cook tries to find a Northwest Passage. His mark on history was navigation skills and cartography as he drew new maps of these areas that only sketchily been filled in before. The downside was the negative influence on indigenous people culturally by trying to convert them to gardening and raising livestock, as well as his promiscuous seaman spreading venereal disease. He was eventually killed by some Hawaiian natives after a conflict quickly escalated resulting in a frenzy attack. The writing is compelling and interesting but a little to detailed at times, ie the sexual behavior was a bit too much information.

I'm not really a history buff so when an author can engage me in a historical tale, I tip my hat. Hampton Sides does just that in this narrative of James Cook last sea voyage. I really didn't know anything about Cook going into this read, but his character is slowly revealed as we follow his attempt to find a northwest passage around the American continent. The crux of the book focuses on Cook's interactions with various indigenous peoples he meets on the lands he explores. Let's just say, some of these interactions went a lot better than others. Sides does a good job of giving the reader of how hard these voyages really were and how Cook needed to be a leader, a diplomat, a problem solver, - all while remaining calm, cool, and collected. This book was my second that I've tried from this author, and it definitely won't be my last.

I really enjoyed this book. The author developed the background of everyone involved in the expedition as well as all aspects of Cook's mission. His extensive research was obvious. Given my upcoming trip to Hawaii the book greatly enhances my enthusiasm to exp.ore the area.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher (Doubleday), and author Hampton Sides for the opportunity to review an ARC of this new book. I attest this review is my own objective/unbiased work.

Hampton Sides is a very polished author, and I've read many of his books and had the pleasure of meeting the author several years ago at a conference where his book Ghost Soldiers had just been published. If you have not heard him in person he is an excellent and engaging speaker.

This new work looks at the final voyage of Captain James Cook--a voyage that lasted nearly five years although Cook did not live to see the end of the mission. In the late 1700s the British Admiralty directed Cook to go on an expedition to try to find what was believed to be the Northwest Passage, a waterway that it was hoped existed to make travel from Europe to Asia easier by sailing up and over the top of the world (what we know as the polar ice cap). There had been some other efforts to try and find the passage prior to Cook's journey, but none had been successful.

If your geography is decent imagine leaving London in one of two boats powered only by wind on the sails and proceeding out in to the Atlantic Ocean, down along the west coast of Africa, sailing around the Cape of Good Horn, moving eastward through the Indian Ocean and then turning northwest in to the Pacific, encountering many new islands yet known or discovered to man. And from there continuing north to the western Canadian/Alaska landscape, going up and around the entire state of Alaska in search of the Northwest Passage. All Cook and his men found after rounding the north part of Alaska was an ice field with no passage to the North Sea.

Sides takes the reader on the voyage using Cook's own journals and a variety of supporting sources that have survived. Some of course were lost to history. You feel like you are on these ships, and facing the many hardships and challenges the Captain and his crew faced centuries ago. The rough seas, the wide variety of weather/climate issues, encounters with many native tribes, and the search for fresh water and materials to keep the ships in repair.

Cook's final voyage increased knowledge of the seas, and founded many island groups (Society, Sandwich and Hawaiian) that before was unknown to European explorers. He is credited with many discoveries, and is a very interesting subject that many people probably know little to nothing about.

At the risk of providing spoilers, Cook had a final, fatal encounter with natives from the big island of Hawaii, who first mistook Cook for the reincarnation of one of their gods, but later turned on him and his men. It was a sad and violent ending to a life of just 50 years. Cook didn't know it but his voyages would change what we knew of the world.

The opening chapters take some time to get going, as there is a lot of detail about the pre-voyage plans and some political challenges. This is why I rated the book approximately 4.25 stars, rounded down to 4.0.

If you like reading about explores and sea voyages you will enjoy the Wide Wide Sea. If you have never read a book by Hampton Sides pick up this one or another, you won't be disappointed.

"The Wide Wide Sea" by Hampton Sides is a captivating maritime adventure that plunges readers into the tumultuous world of the open ocean. Sides, known for his meticulous research, weaves a compelling narrative filled with rich characters and vivid descriptions. The story follows the crew of a weathered fishing boat as they navigate treacherous waters and confront the unpredictable forces of nature.

Sides masterfully explores the human spirit in the face of adversity, drawing readers into the challenges and triumphs of life at sea. The prose is evocative, painting a vivid picture of both the beauty and brutality of the wide expanse of the ocean. The characters are authentic and relatable, each carrying their own burdens and dreams.

As the plot unfolds, Sides skillfully builds tension, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The Wide Wide Sea is not just a tale of survival; it's a reflection on the resilience of the human spirit and the profound connection between man and the sea. Sides' storytelling prowess shines through, making this novel a must-read for those who crave adventure and a deep exploration of the human experience on the open water.

Hampton Sides is among my all-time favorite nonfiction authors. This book is a marvelous, thoroughly-researched tribute to Captain Cook and his final journey to locate the Northwest Passage, which ultimately ended fatally for the celebrated explorer.

Sides’ analysis of Cook’s life, persona, and achievements is fair and unbiased. He points out Cook’s accomplishments and stupendous talents for exploration and navigation. Cook circumnavigated the known world three times, braved perilous conditions, and initiated the first European contact with the Hawaiian people. By all accounts he was a fair and just leader, earning the love and loyalty of his men, many of whom would follow him on his final voyage. His natural curiosity and anthropological mindset set him apart from other explorers of his day who endeavored to spread “the light of Christianity” to native peoples. On the contrary, Cook’s method (at least until his final confrontation with the Hawaiians) was to observe without judgement the cultures and beliefs he encountered on his voyages. Notably, he refused to avenge the slaughter of some of his countrymen, even when urged to do so. Also notable were his numerous attempts to curb the spread of venereal disease among the islanders, often through severe floggings of his sailors.

Sides notes the shift in Cook’s personality – his growing brutality in doling out punishment, his increasingly fiery temper, even his perceived recklessness in greeting suspicious natives alone and unarmed. Was it chronic pain or illness that caused such a radical change in the usually mild-mannered captain? Surely a life of cramped quarters in harsh environments would have a marked impact. Whatever the cause, Cook’s lapse of judgement and proclivity to fury would doom him to a brutal fate.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the story of Mai, the young Tahitian man who spent several years in England, serving as a kind of novel attraction for the leisurely rich. Though his story is bittersweet – Mai’s ultimate wish was to gain enough European weaponry to avenge the deaths of his family back on Tahiti – it serves as a fascinating clash of cultures, revealing the disruptive influence of luxurious commodities, vanity, and greed. Mai’s experiences caused him to become unmoored from his own people, who never fully accepted his new quasi-European identity.

Ultimately, much can be gained from the study of Cook’s final journey. I came away with a sense of how fascinating yet tenuous first encounters between cultures could be, how much people could simultaneously learn from and harm one another. Though Cook seemed to approach his explorations with an open, diplomatic mind, his fate shows how easy it was for miscommunication to erupt into anger, violence, and all-out slaughter. Perhaps because of this – despite his flaws – Cook should be remembered for his bravery, talents, and inquisitive spirit in the age of discovery.

From July 1776 to October 1780, James Cook’s third voyage on the HMS Resolution was believed to be at the time the longest exploratory voyage in terms of miles and duration (1548 days). Sides follows not only the route, but also Cook’s crew and the islanders encountered along the way, enriching the historical record and adding dimension and authenticity of the narrative of Cook’s expedition.

In contrast to his first and second voyages, his third would be less about natural science, botany and biology and more about the straightforward navigational quest to find a waterway through North America (Bering Strait), while slowly drawing respectable geographical maps of the area using his marine K1 Chronometer to measure longitude with great precision. Sailing from Plymouth on 12 July 1776, he stopped in Tenerife, Cape Town, Tasmania, New Zealand, Tahiti, reaching the Hawaiian Islands in January 1778, the first European to do so. From Hawaii, he went to explore the west coast of North America, from Cape Foulweather in Oregon to Alaska, and finally to the Bering Strait where he was unable to pass, returning to Hawaii in November 1778. At Kealakekua Bay, a number of quarrels broke out between the Europeans and Hawaiians culminating in Cook’s death in a violent exchange on 14 February 1779. 

Sides also meticulously describes the perilous situations faced by crew members such as William Anderson (surgeon) and Charles Clerke (Captain of the Discovery, and following Cook’s death, the Resolution), William Bligh (who eleven years later would serve as the captain of HMS Bounty), and James King (took important astronomical readings helping the ships on the remainder of their course completing Cook's account of the voyage after his death), going beyond the typical portrayal of a shadow crew serving a formidable captain that one often encounters in historical accounts. He grants considerable attention to figures like Mai, a young man from Raiatrea and the first Polynesian to set foot in England in 1774, and his return to Tahiti. He presents Cook’s descriptions of Indigenous peoples as tolerant and often quite sympathetic, with whom he tried to have meaningful exchanges. Throughout the book, Sides underscores the ongoing debates surrounding Cook and his voyage, his differing perspectives clearly and impartially, avoiding a presumption of a definitive verdict.

Based on personal and detailed diaries of the captains and seamen, as well as interviews with islanders, this book has elements of true crime and history, an essential addition to the library of any maritime history enthusiast!

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

One of the best books I've ever read! I was absolutely spellbound reading about Captain Cook and his final voyage. I'll admit I knew pretty much next to nothing about him but what a man he was. The author painstakingly did their research in putting this book together. Typically stories like these can be dry and difficult to get through unless you are really into the subject matter but not this one. You will find yourself making excuses to get back to reading it. I can't say enough about it but just read it! You will learn so much and be fascinated at the same time. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoy a good adventure story. This story of Captain Cook’s third and final voyage, was fascinating. The mission was to look for a passage through the northernmost parts of North America, but first there was a long sail to get to the Pacific Ocean. Stopping periodically to find supplies and work on repairing the ships, Cook and crew encountered native peoples who were often helpful, at least at first. The complications of putting new places on the European maps are well handled. I’d recommend this book to readers of David Grann’s The Wager for a view of early Pacific exploring.

"The Wide Wide Sea" by Hampton Sides is an essential addition to the library of any maritime history enthusiast. Having previously delved into an account of Cook's voyage, I believed I had a comprehensive grasp of the subject. However, Sides' impeccably researched work surpassed all expectations, enriching the historical record of Cook's expedition tenfold. I was truly astonished by the depth of insight it offered, to the point that my reading pace deliberately slowed to ensure I absorbed every detail. A mere glance at the acknowledgments section underscores the immense effort invested by Sides in presenting this voyage to readers, reflecting his dedication and commitment.

In contrast to a prior reading experience that heavily emphasized the Earl of Sandwich and English politics, leading to some confusion when recalling various aspects of Captain Kidd's history, I was relieved that Sides' book arrived when it did. While the book briefly touches on Sandwich's role, it does not overshadow Cook's central narrative.

However, this is not to diminish the significance of the supporting cast in Sides' account. Notably, Sides grants considerable attention to figures like Mai, delving deeply into their characters and circumstances. The crew members, such as Anderson, Clerke, Bligh, and King, are also meticulously portrayed, going beyond the typical portrayal of a shadow crew serving a formidable captain that one often encounters in historical accounts. This added dimension enhances the authenticity of the narrative.

Remarkably, I had not fully appreciated the perilous situations faced by Anderson and Clerke in my previous readings about Cook. The emotional impact of Cook's tragic demise still resonates, even though it's well-known historical fact. Sides successfully conveys the poignancy of Cook's fate, making readers feel as though they, too, have lost a beloved captain. Additionally, Sides presents contrasting viewpoints regarding how the islanders initially perceived Cook and his crew, leaving readers to ponder whether Cook was regarded as the god Lano's return or as a mortal man celebrated for other reasons.

Throughout the book, Sides underscores the ongoing debates surrounding Cook and his voyage. He presents differing perspectives clearly and impartially, avoiding a presumption of a definitive verdict. As a result, the book expanded my understanding of Cook's final expedition significantly. Hampton Sides has undoubtedly established himself as an author to anticipate eagerly. I look forward to engaging in discussions about this book at my local library and sharing the wealth of knowledge it provides.