By Hampton Sides:
Hampton Sides, an acclaimed master of the nonfiction narrative, has taken on Captain James Cook’s story and retells it for the 21st century audience in a thrilling account of one of the most momentous voyages of the 18th century – the Age of Exploration - the main aim of which was to discover a northern passage around the North America continent, between Alaska and the Arctic region and into the North Pacific, in order to shorten the naval trade routes. Cook´s two and half years of wanderings, during which he discovered and stayed on numerous Pacific Islands, and mapped the western coast of the continent, culminated in Cook’s murder by the natives in Hawaii.
(His tragic end is reminiscent of that of Magellan, murdered in the Philippines, though this Portuguese captain preceded Cook by a century and did find the passage he was looking for – the Magellan Straights in the southernmost tip of South America…)
Side´s novel gives insight into Captain Cook´s personality and stresses his contribution to the knowledge of hitherto unknown peoples and their cultures, as well as of the natural world, as can be seen from his minutely kept diaries.
Despite all his discoveries and contribution to science and etc., he left a complex and controversial legacy, still debated to this day; and our group debated that with vigour as well.
Blanka
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