The Life of Captain James Cook (Paperback)

~ J. Beaglehole (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Definitive is a word to use sparingly, but it applies to this life of Cook ... The book abounds in fresh insights and fascinating information.' The American Historical Review

Product Description

Captain James Cook is the greatest explorer-seaman of all time, yet the world had to wait almost two centuries for the first full-scale biography to do justice to the man and his achievements. The culmination of the life work of the most distinguished historian of Pacific exploration, this lavishly illustrated biography places Cook in the context of his times and affirms his eminence in the history of maritime discovery.

Product Details

• Paperback: 772 pages
• Publisher: Stanford University Press (April 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804720096
• ISBN-13: 978-0804720090
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #138,689 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, comprehensive, scholarly defense of Cook., May 16, 2001

By	Frank J O'Connor (Methuen, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This is a tome which occassionally tells you just a little more than you really want to know about the three great voyages to the Pacific, but anyone seriously interested in the western penetration into the Pacific will want to read this book. It is also an articulate and formidable defense of Cook's character, seamanship, and wisdom. While Cook is not quite so venerable now in a time of great sensitivity to the depradations western invasion inflicted on indiginous people, this book presents us with an undoubtedly great man interested not in conquest but in geography, exploration, discovery, science, anthropology and peaceful relations between cultures. The aftermath was a tragedy, (see Alan Moorehead's The Fatal Impact) but Cook was simply too high-minded and short-sighted to forsee what would come after. Cook was for better and worse a man of his time--and it was an age of enlightenment--an exemplar of the period of science, exploration and adventure. He was of course a cold fish and hard to cosy to, but there is much to admire in this brilliant portrait of the man and his age.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The most comprehensive Cook biography to date, April 20, 2000

By A Customer

The Life of Captain James Cook by Beaglehole is the book that I have been searching for a long time. For some reason, one of the greatest explorers and navigators in history never had a comprehensive biography written on. In a very short series of partial accounts, Beaglehole's book stands out as the most comprehensive biography ever written about cook. It is apparent that Beaglehole spend several years in researching, and the result is admireable in its depth and capacity. Although the book is sometimes hard to read, beacuse of the many details, it is still worth going through. Many unknown facts about Cook are being revealed, which throw a whole new perspective about his life .The author also did a good job in recreating the atmosphere of the life on an explotation ship, and putting Cook's explorations in the historical context. For lighter reading, I guess that Richard Hough's book is easier to read, but if you want the whole story, this is the book to read.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Trying, but Rewarding, Read, December 30, 2002

By	K. Floy (Minnetonka, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There is no doubt that this is the definitive biography of the renowned Captain Cook. For no other reason, persons with an interest in the greatest navigator of all time should read this work. While few details of his life outside of his three major expeditions have been retained, this book brings to life the Captain that sailed the world on his three voyages, including his personality, his foibles, his leadership, and his intellect. He was indeed a man with many admirable qualities.

So why only three stars? While the book is well researched and well organized, it is not well written. Far too often, a jumble of words is presented as a substitute for a sentence. If Beaglehole could write clearly, this would certainly be a 5 star work. On the other hand, sadly enough, a clear writing style has not always been the hallmark of a professional historian.