|
The Journals of Captain Cook (Penguin Classics) |  | Author: James R. Cook
Creator: Philip Edwards
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Category: Book
List Price: $13.00
Buy Used: $4.99
as of 9/10/2010 16:53 CDT details
You Save: $8.01 (62%)
New (30) Used (26) from $4.99
Seller: Snow Day Books
Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 223370
Media: Paperback
Edition: Abridged
Pages: 672
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5 x 1.3
ISBN: 0140436472
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.92
EAN: 9780140436471
ASIN: 0140436472
Publication Date: April 1, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
| |
| Features:
| • | ISBN13: 9780140436471 | | • | Condition: New | | • | Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed |
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
| |
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
A new one-volume abridged edition of Cook's famous journals--"a majestic story of epic proportions"(Philip Edwards in the Introduction)
Captain Cook's Journals provide his vivid first-hand account of three extraordinary expeditions between 1768 and 1779. These charted the entire coast of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia and brought back detailed descriptions of Tahiti, Tonga, and a host of previously unknown islands in the Pacific including the Hawaiian Islands. The journals amply reveal the determination, courage, and skill that enabled Cook to wrestle with the continuous dangers of uncharted seas and the problems of achieving a relationship with the peoples whose unannounced guest he became. This edition, abridged from the definitive four-volume Hakluyt Society edition, makes Cook's inimitable personal account of his years of voyaging widely accessible for the first time and includes an Introduction to each voyage, a Glossary of unusual words, indexes of people and places, and a Postscript assessing the controversy surrounding Cook's death.
Selected and Edited with Introductions by Philip Edwards
|
| Customer Reviews:
 A detailed account of Cook's voyages April 5, 2001
Fred Camfield (Vicksburg, MS USA)
38 out of 39 found this review helpful
This well prepared abridged edition of Captain James Cook's journals is a specialized book of interest to people studying the exploration of the Pacific and/or the British Navy of that time period. Other people might find sections of it dry reading. The book is recommended for oceanography students as the 17th century voyages of exploration formed the basis for later oceanographic cruises.
Cook's voyages carried scientific personnel of that time period, many of whom died from the harsh conditions along with members of the crews. In addition to bad weather, there were diseases and hostile natives (including cannibals). Extensive charting was carried out and, on the second voyage, the Board of Longitude supplied Cook with Larcum Kendall's copy of John Harrison's H4 watch for determining longitude. Observations were made of prevailing winds, currents, temperature, and other things of scientific interest.
Natives throughout the Pacific would go to great lengths to obtain iron, expecially axes, even prostituting their wives and daughters (willing or not). Natives would attempt to steal items, if they could, leading to numerous confrontations including one in which a boat crew of the Adventure (the consort ship of the second voyage) were killed and eaten by the Maori natives of New Zealand.
Cook's journal ended several weeks before his death. The editor fills in details from journals of other people who were on the voyage, and speculates on the reason he was killed by the natives in Hawaii.
The book includes maps of Cook's routes on his voyages. It also has an index listing the names of the various individuals mentioned, with an indication of their positions on the voyages or their other positions if they were not active participants. While the index mentions the later careers of a few individuals like William Bligh, it makes no mention of John Gore's career (he is listed in the Wikipedia as having died in 1790).
A classic re-launched July 18, 2000
15 out of 20 found this review helpful
This re-issue of the Beaglehole edition of the Cook journals attests to the enduring importance of Cook as the exemplar navigator and Beaglehole as his nautical Boswell.The writing is elegant and subtle and the fascination of the recital enduring. Best there is no other!
READ THIS ALONGSIDE RICHARD HOUGH'S BIOGRAPHY June 5, 2003
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
This is a spectacularly interesting journal. Cook was an odd sort, that's for sure. But a genius? I'd certainly say so after reading his often-daily account of his activities. Really neat book.
 A dry tedious read July 19, 2007
Pool Enthusiast (I am on the front porch reading The New York Times.)
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
I wanted to like this book. I really did. When I saw it online, I thought that it looked interesting. The few reviews were favorable. I enjoy maritime tales, stories and life. I thought that pirates and life aboard ships were interesting decades ago.
This was a slow, monotonous account. At least all that I could read for three days. Then I lost interest. I have read period pieces before. However the abbreviations and some of the words I just could not decipher.
If you want to attempt to figure out this book, I wish you luck. If you do, maybe you could explain it to me. :)
Cook Lite April 4, 2005
M. A. G. Burch
12 out of 17 found this review helpful
I wish I had read the reviews before paying for this. The key word for this edition is ABRIDGED. According to the editor Philip Edward's introduction, only about a third of Cook's/Beaglehole's text is included.
|
|
|
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
California Maps | |
