Discoveries: The Voyages of Captain Cook - Hardcover

Thomas, Nicholas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0713995572 ISBN 13: 9780713995572

Publisher: Allen Lane, 2003

Synopsis

Cook's great voyages marked the end of an era in world history. As he sailed into Hawaii in January 1778 he made contact with the last of the human civilizations to grow up independently of the rest of the world. But equally for the Polynesians and Melanesians of the Pacific, Cook's arrival in their midst merely marked a further (if disastrous) twist in diverse histories already many centuries old.
In this immensely enjoyable and absorbing book Cook's journeys are reimagined, attempting toleave behind (or master) our later preoccupations to let us see what Cook and his associates experienced and what the societies he encountered experienced - from the Beothuks of Newfoundland to the Tongans of the Friendly Islands.

About this title

Review:

A fabulous new book ... focuses on the extraordinary encounters between Cook's salt-encrusted mariners and the colourful Pacific islanders (Giles Milton Living History)

Valuable and vivid (Times Literary Supplement)

Epic ... A writer of the rarest quality...wonderful...the definitive volume for this moment in our history (Simon Winchester)

Rich, vivid and deeply provocative, Thomas's work combines premiere adventure story with thorough history and intensive sociology (Publishers Weekly)

Synopsis:

Cook's great voyages marked the end of an era in world history. As he sailed into Hawaii in January 1778 he made contact with the last of the human civilizations to grow up independently of the rest of the world. But equally for the Polynesians and Melanesians of the Pacific, Cook's arrival in their midst merely marked a further (if disastrous) twist in diverse histories already many centuries old. In this book, Cook's journeys are re-imagined, attempting to leave behind (or master) our later preoccupations to let us see what Cook and his associates experienced and what the societies he encountered experienced - from the Beothuks of Newfoundland to the Tongans of the Friendly Islands. Nicholas Thomas draws on 20 years' research into Pacific art, culture and history to explore the drama of Cook's expeditions. Central to the story is Cook's curiosity. A brilliant map-maker even before he entered the Pacific, Cook would journey emotionally and intellectually into unknown waters and meet people on beaches who were used to voyaging themselves. Tahitians, Maori and Hawaiians would position this enigmatic visitor on their own maps, in ways he could neither understand nor control.

Their meetings would be sometimes rewarding, sometimes dangerous, always strangely rich and unpredictable.

About this edition

• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0713995572
• ISBN 13: 9780713995572
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 512