“Cook: The Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook” by Nicholas Thomas is well-researched account of this famous explorer’s three most notable voyages into the Pacific.
“Cook” is a very detailed, objective history that portrays Cook neither completely as hero nor villain. I found it to be quite sensitive to the perspective of the various native cultures involved (Maori, Tahitian, Inuit, etc.). If you wish to know the details regarding where the guy went, what he did, and gain a healthy perspective on WHY he did it, there is probably no better account of these epic voyages. Thomas does a good job of sifting through the murky times (including examining letters, the usual naval records, the various journals of several different participants, and even tribal oral histories, etc.) and rendering what I think is an accurate picture of what actually happened. I’m guessing this is probably now considered THE definitive history of Cook’s expeditions. The pictures and illustrations are quite good.
Thomas excels in his analysis of the factors that motivated Cook, his crew, and the people they met. On the other hand, at times I found the analysis almost too much & too tedious. It took me a LONG while to finish this book, which I only recently accomplished. It seems I could only bring myself to read a chapter or two at a time before moving on to other, quicker reads. This is another one of those books that a trained historian will appreciate. It will likely remain less popular amongst those folks primarily seeking an “adventure read”, however. There is plenty of adventure to be found in its pages but you are reading it from a more clinical historical perspective than one of a page-turning thriller. If you are seeking the non-fiction equivalent of Patrick O’Brian’s “Aubrey-Maturin” series (possibly the finest historical fiction of the nautical variety ever written), “Cook: The Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook” AIN'T IT.
Nevertheless, the book IS very good at what it intends to be… an historical account based upon solid research & well-balanced analysis.
Jimbo