Customer Reviews

Magnificent Voyage: An American Adventurer on Captain James Cook's Final Expedition

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In the guise of a history for youthful readers, author's main intent seems to be less to educate than to vilify James Cook, laying at his feet all the evils of British imperialism and a class-based society, the defects in the structure and ways of the Royal Navy, and even the (then) natural ignorance they had about a culture they had only just begun to come into contact with. Cook, although actually rather far ahead of his time insofar as respect for other cultures is concerned, is basically faulted for embarking on his last voyage without the benefit of 21st century guidance. Cook was practically glorified by the British general public for his positive accomplishments, which was, admittedly, a bit over the top. The man wasn't a saint. But to turn him into some kind of demon is no better and is certainly no service to young inquiring minds. There is yet another objection: The author uses as her main source, John Ledyard, an American sailor/marine who'd been on the voyage. His service was not exemplary and possibly he had a grudge (just or unjust). He was writing specifically to capitalize on the sensationalism of the voyage (especially as an "official" account had not yet been published), in a time when Britain-bashing sold pamphlets. None of that makes him irrelevant as a source. But to produce a "history" around it, aimed squarely at the impressionable young reader who might naively mistake this book as an actual history, is irresponsible. The young student of history deserves a much more balanced account than this delivers.