Mrs Cook: The Real and Imagined Life of the Captain's Wife (Paperback)

by Marele Day (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A true tribute to a remarkable unsung heroine. Day’s simple, plainspoken voice makes the story all the more powerful." -- Romantic Times Book Club

"Rich in historical detail." -- Library Journal --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
Fact and fiction are seamlessly woven together in this portrayal of Elizabeth Cook, wife of the great navigator James Cook. Meticulously researched and deftly written, this novel tells the story of a wife left behind for many long years as her husband circumnavigated the globe. From her home in London, Elizabeth Cook travels with her famous husband in her thoughts, imagining the exotic new people and places Captain Cook was discovering. Described, too, is the tragedy in her life that unfolded as she outlived each of her six children. This is a rich portrayal of the life of a woman whose passion and intellect matched that of her celebrated husband. It is a lyrical exploration of imagined interior worlds shaped by historical fact. It is, above all, a celebration of love and endurance.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 372 pages
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin; illustrated edition edition (October 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1741141214
• ISBN-13: 978-1741141214
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #360,746 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating woman, January 29, 2004

By	gotta run now (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mrs Cook: The Real and Imagined Life of the Captain's Wife (Paperback)

Captain James Cook played a large role in early Australian history, so we hear plenty about him and his exploits. But what about the family he left behind? Marele Day must have wondered the same and rather than quickly throwing together a story based on her imaginings, she put in some serious research time and created a story that intertwines what we know about Captain Cook and his wife with some rich fiction.
In Day's book, Elizabeth Cook is an intelligent, passionate woman who devoted her life to providing a warm and happy home for her children and husband whenever he was home. It is hard to imagine maintaining this kind of wifely devotion when your husband is gone for months, and sometimes years, at a time. She suffered her tragedies alone, worried alone, and for the most part, lived alone. Even her two elder sons, that survived their early childhood, went off to boarding school at a young age. But Elizabeth possessed an inner strength and was willing to deny herself the desires of her heart to provide her family with what was best. She bore 6 children, and lost them one by one. She endured an unbelievable amount of tragedy in her life, but carried on with dignity. Seeing Captain Cook's travels through the eyes of his wife is an interesting concept. And Day does a fine job of making you forget this is a fictional characterization. An interesting read, highly recommended to any fan of historical fiction.

4.0 out of 5 stars Elizabeth Cook: a possible life, June 8, 2007

By	J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Elizabeth Cook outlived her husband and each of her six children. She was aged in her 90s when she died in 1835 and had been widowed for 56 years.

Around these bare biographical facts, Marele Day has written an entirely plausible novel which draws Elizabeth Cook out of the shadows of history. I enjoyed this novel, as much for the hint of the private man behind the heroic captain but also for the insights into the life of a courageous woman whose role was to wait, worry and to keep family together.

Highly recommended.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith