What do you think?
Rate this book
Captain James Cook
A biography that puts you on the quarterdeck with history's greatest sailor
Captain James Cook is one of the greatest maritime explorers in world history. Over three remarkable voyages of discovery into the Pacific in the latter part of the eighteenth century, Cook unravelled the oldest mystery surrounding the existence of Terra Australis Incognita - the Great South Land. He became the first explorer to circumnavigate New Zealand and establish that it was two main islands; discover the Hawaiian Islands for the British Empire; and left an enduring legacy.
Rob Mundle introduces us to an unlikely sailor in a teenage Cook, who, through the combination of hard-won skills as a seafarer, the talents of a self-taught navigator and surveyor, and an exceptional ability to lead and care for his men, climbed the ranks of the Royal Navy to acheive legendary status among all who sailed and mapped the world.
Captain James Cook is one of the greatest maritime explorers in world history. Over three remarkable voyages of discovery into the Pacific in the latter part of the eighteenth century, Cook unravelled the oldest mystery surrounding the existence of Terra Australis Incognita - the Great South Land. He became the first explorer to circumnavigate New Zealand and establish that it was two main islands; discover the Hawaiian Islands for the British Empire; and left an enduring legacy.
Rob Mundle introduces us to an unlikely sailor in a teenage Cook, who, through the combination of hard-won skills as a seafarer, the talents of a self-taught navigator and surveyor, and an exceptional ability to lead and care for his men, climbed the ranks of the Royal Navy to acheive legendary status among all who sailed and mapped the world.
541 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2013
116 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Rob Mundle
31 books33 followersRob Mundle is the author of the highly acclaimed international bestseller Fatal Storm. He has written six other books, including the bestselling Sir James Hardy: An Adventurous Life, Alan Bond’s authorised biography,Bond, and Life at the Extreme, the official record of the 2005/2006 Volvo Ocean Race round the world. He lives in Main Beach, Queensland.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
October 30, 2025
From North Yorkshire to the South Pacific
Maritime history is intrinsically tied with the story of England and the United Kingdom. Perhaps the most famous sailor, alongside Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Admiral Viscount Horatio Nelson is Captain James Cook. In this book Rob Mundle reconstructions the life of Cook, charting his transformation from a modest upbringing in Yorkshire to one of the most accomplished explorers of the 18th Century. Mundle himself is a seasoned maritime author and sailor, which adds a layer of legitimacy to the work. His book is marked by a narrative-driven style, aiming to make Cook’s life accessible to a general readership without sacrificing historical depth.
Mundle succeeds in vividly reconstructing the maritime world of Cook’s era. His background in sailing lends authenticity and technical accuracy to the descriptions of naval life, shipboard conditions, and navigational challenges. The accounts of Cook’s three major voyages are rendered with clarity and energy, and the book excels at conveying the scale and danger of these expeditions. Readers are given a strong sense of the logistical and intellectual feats required for such journeys, including Cook’s use of emerging technologies such as the marine chronometer. Everyone comes to life in this humanistic approach to the story, you gain a real sense of who these individuals aboard these ships are.
However, Captain James Cook tends to adopt an admiring tone, often emphasising Cook’s leadership, discipline, and vision at the expense of a more critical engagement with the broader imperial context of his voyages. While Mundle acknowledges instances of conflict and violence between Cook’s crews and Indigenous populations, these encounters are treated somewhat briefly and without sustained analysis. The narrative frames Cook primarily as a scientific and humanitarian figure, downplaying the role he played in the expansion of British imperialism and its consequences for indigenous cultures across the Pacific. However, I would say that Cook tried to maintain friendly contact with the indigenous peoples of the Pacific and even though some of the conflict ended in violence this was not instigated by Cook or the crew. His intention of these voyages was not to conquer but for the improvement of knowledge.
From a historiographical perspective, Captain James Cook is more a work of popular history than academic biography. It draws heavily on Cook’s journals and established secondary sources but does not introduce new archival research or challenge prevailing interpretations. Moreover, Mundle also explains some of the limitations of the subject matter, for example the lack of knowledge around Cook as a private or family man, mainly because his wife Elizabeth burnt all of their personal letters. That said, its value lies in its accessibility and in its ability to reintroduce Cook’s story to a wide audience, potentially serving as a gateway to more scholarly studies.
Let’s be clear, I loved Captain James Cook for what it was. It is an engaging and well-paced narrative that provides a coherent overview of Cook’s life and achievements. While it lacks the critical depth expected in academic treatments, it succeeds in portraying the magnitude of Cook’s contributions to navigation and exploration. The man was truly gifted. If you are seeking an introductory account with a strong maritime focus, Mundle’s biography is a commendable choice.
Maritime history is intrinsically tied with the story of England and the United Kingdom. Perhaps the most famous sailor, alongside Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Admiral Viscount Horatio Nelson is Captain James Cook. In this book Rob Mundle reconstructions the life of Cook, charting his transformation from a modest upbringing in Yorkshire to one of the most accomplished explorers of the 18th Century. Mundle himself is a seasoned maritime author and sailor, which adds a layer of legitimacy to the work. His book is marked by a narrative-driven style, aiming to make Cook’s life accessible to a general readership without sacrificing historical depth.
Mundle succeeds in vividly reconstructing the maritime world of Cook’s era. His background in sailing lends authenticity and technical accuracy to the descriptions of naval life, shipboard conditions, and navigational challenges. The accounts of Cook’s three major voyages are rendered with clarity and energy, and the book excels at conveying the scale and danger of these expeditions. Readers are given a strong sense of the logistical and intellectual feats required for such journeys, including Cook’s use of emerging technologies such as the marine chronometer. Everyone comes to life in this humanistic approach to the story, you gain a real sense of who these individuals aboard these ships are.
However, Captain James Cook tends to adopt an admiring tone, often emphasising Cook’s leadership, discipline, and vision at the expense of a more critical engagement with the broader imperial context of his voyages. While Mundle acknowledges instances of conflict and violence between Cook’s crews and Indigenous populations, these encounters are treated somewhat briefly and without sustained analysis. The narrative frames Cook primarily as a scientific and humanitarian figure, downplaying the role he played in the expansion of British imperialism and its consequences for indigenous cultures across the Pacific. However, I would say that Cook tried to maintain friendly contact with the indigenous peoples of the Pacific and even though some of the conflict ended in violence this was not instigated by Cook or the crew. His intention of these voyages was not to conquer but for the improvement of knowledge.
From a historiographical perspective, Captain James Cook is more a work of popular history than academic biography. It draws heavily on Cook’s journals and established secondary sources but does not introduce new archival research or challenge prevailing interpretations. Moreover, Mundle also explains some of the limitations of the subject matter, for example the lack of knowledge around Cook as a private or family man, mainly because his wife Elizabeth burnt all of their personal letters. That said, its value lies in its accessibility and in its ability to reintroduce Cook’s story to a wide audience, potentially serving as a gateway to more scholarly studies.
Let’s be clear, I loved Captain James Cook for what it was. It is an engaging and well-paced narrative that provides a coherent overview of Cook’s life and achievements. While it lacks the critical depth expected in academic treatments, it succeeds in portraying the magnitude of Cook’s contributions to navigation and exploration. The man was truly gifted. If you are seeking an introductory account with a strong maritime focus, Mundle’s biography is a commendable choice.
August 15, 2014
Well worth reading, as the author is very good at making history come aive
November 25, 2023
‘From Sailor to Legend’
Captain James Cook FRS, RN (27/10/1728 – 14/2/1779) undertook three voyages of discovery into the Pacific Ocean during the second half of the 18th century. He was the first person to circumnavigate the world twice – first from east to west and then from west to east, and he also explored both the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. Two of Cook’s voyages were in search of the great southern land - Terra Australis Incognita - and led him to map much of the east coast of Australia as well as to circumnavigate New Zealand and establish that it had two main islands. Cook also discovered the Hawaiian Islands.
‘He was, without doubt, the world’s greatest maritime explorer.’
A fortuitous introduction to Whitby-based shipowners John and Henry Walker led to the teenaged James Cook being apprenticed as a mariner in the British merchant navy. In 1755, he joined the Royal Navy. James Cook served in the Seven Years’ War, and then surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege of Quebec.
Partly as a consequence of this, Cook was noticed by both the Admiralty and the Royal Society and this led to his commission in 1766 as commander of His Majesty’s Bark Endeavour for the first of his three Pacific voyages.
‘Farewell old England.’
James Cook combined seafaring skills with superior skills as a navigator and surveyor, and an ability to lead men in challenging circumstances. The measures he took to prevent scurvy on voyages he led demonstrated that he cared for the welfare of his sailors.
James Cook married Elizabeth Batts on 21 December 1762. She died in 1835 (aged 93) having outlived James Cook by 56 years, and all of their six children. In just over 16 years of marriage, the Cooks spent fewer than 5 years together. Tragic. Note: in this book, Elizabeth Cook’s year of death is given as 1830. I’ve read elsewhere that she lived until 1835.
A number of books have been written about Captain James Cook. What makes this one different is that as an accomplished sailor himself, Rob Mundle explains the intricacies of sailing and brings the challenges of Cook’s journeys to life. Fortunately, for those of us who are less familiar with sailing, the book contains a glossary of sailing terms.
Was James Cook, as stated by Rob Mundle, the world’s greatest maritime explorer? I’d like to think so – especially of the 18th century (having hero-worshipped him for some 50 years), but Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus stand pretty tall as well.
After Cook’s death, amongst many tributes written, these words were written by David Samwell (surgeon of the Discovery): ‘... in every situation he stood unrivalled and alone; on him all eyes were turned: he was our leading star, which at its setting left us involved in darkness and despair'.
If you are interested in stories of courage and exploration, especially of the 18th century, then you may well enjoy this book. I certainly did.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Captain James Cook FRS, RN (27/10/1728 – 14/2/1779) undertook three voyages of discovery into the Pacific Ocean during the second half of the 18th century. He was the first person to circumnavigate the world twice – first from east to west and then from west to east, and he also explored both the Arctic and Antarctic Circles. Two of Cook’s voyages were in search of the great southern land - Terra Australis Incognita - and led him to map much of the east coast of Australia as well as to circumnavigate New Zealand and establish that it had two main islands. Cook also discovered the Hawaiian Islands.
‘He was, without doubt, the world’s greatest maritime explorer.’
A fortuitous introduction to Whitby-based shipowners John and Henry Walker led to the teenaged James Cook being apprenticed as a mariner in the British merchant navy. In 1755, he joined the Royal Navy. James Cook served in the Seven Years’ War, and then surveyed and mapped much of the entrance to the Saint Lawrence River during the siege of Quebec.
Partly as a consequence of this, Cook was noticed by both the Admiralty and the Royal Society and this led to his commission in 1766 as commander of His Majesty’s Bark Endeavour for the first of his three Pacific voyages.
‘Farewell old England.’
James Cook combined seafaring skills with superior skills as a navigator and surveyor, and an ability to lead men in challenging circumstances. The measures he took to prevent scurvy on voyages he led demonstrated that he cared for the welfare of his sailors.
James Cook married Elizabeth Batts on 21 December 1762. She died in 1835 (aged 93) having outlived James Cook by 56 years, and all of their six children. In just over 16 years of marriage, the Cooks spent fewer than 5 years together. Tragic. Note: in this book, Elizabeth Cook’s year of death is given as 1830. I’ve read elsewhere that she lived until 1835.
A number of books have been written about Captain James Cook. What makes this one different is that as an accomplished sailor himself, Rob Mundle explains the intricacies of sailing and brings the challenges of Cook’s journeys to life. Fortunately, for those of us who are less familiar with sailing, the book contains a glossary of sailing terms.
Was James Cook, as stated by Rob Mundle, the world’s greatest maritime explorer? I’d like to think so – especially of the 18th century (having hero-worshipped him for some 50 years), but Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus stand pretty tall as well.
After Cook’s death, amongst many tributes written, these words were written by David Samwell (surgeon of the Discovery): ‘... in every situation he stood unrivalled and alone; on him all eyes were turned: he was our leading star, which at its setting left us involved in darkness and despair'.
If you are interested in stories of courage and exploration, especially of the 18th century, then you may well enjoy this book. I certainly did.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
January 28, 2017
Every Australian child learns about Captain Cook in primary school. I was one of those children last century. Having recently embarked on a road trip to Cooktown (which has a fantastic musuem and where you can actually see the tree Cook tied up to when he was forced there for the 48 days it took to repair his ship in 1770)I purchased the extracts from Cook's and Joseph Banks' journals covering the 48 days. This led me to download his journal from the time he hit the east coast of Australia at point hicks to where he left it after he rounded Cape York. His journal entries are unassuming and statements of fact but you still get the strong impression of the dangers he and his crew faced and how close they came on more than one occasion to being totally scuttled. It was reading the journal that made me want to look into Cook's life more - if he was so detailed on the East Coast of Australia then what other interesting things did he record? I was pleased when I found this book in the local library. It was so engaging that I finished in 6 days. Each day I developed more and more admiration for Cook's tenacity and attention to detail. He is responsible for naming more places on the east coast of Australia than I realised and his exploits in the polar regions of the world, whilst we all learned about them from seeing maps of his voyages at school, gave me a newfound appreciation for his him as a ground breaking explorer and surveyor. Unbelievably some of his maps were still being used in 1904! All in all this was a very enjoyable book which highlights Cook did so much more than just land at Botany Bay.
January 6, 2021
I need to come clean at the start of this review: I am a Mundle groupie. If I were to see Mr Mundle at my local shops I would probably turn to quietly squealing jelly and would be incapable of verbalising a basic "hello".
I very much enjoy his writing and his story telling. His respect for his subjects, and his subject matter knowledge are evident in each page of the journey on which he takes you.
Just so you know.
All of that to one side, I very much enjoyed this biography of James Cook.
It was informative without being overweight in tiny details.
Let's be honest here, a fully detailed biography of the man, his travels, and his works would be several books in the telling.
Because this book focuses almost exclusively on Cook, it does not go into any detail of the French exploration and searches for Terra Australis Incognita that were occurring at the same time. Maybe this detracts from the complete story of exploration, but it doesn't reduce the value of the tale.
I believe this book would be a great introduction for people who are just beginning their acquaintance with Cook and his journeys of exploration. I would certainly recommend it as such to people.
This book is a great companion piece to other books in my posession on Cook and his travels without being repetitive.
I very much enjoy his writing and his story telling. His respect for his subjects, and his subject matter knowledge are evident in each page of the journey on which he takes you.
Just so you know.
All of that to one side, I very much enjoyed this biography of James Cook.
It was informative without being overweight in tiny details.
Let's be honest here, a fully detailed biography of the man, his travels, and his works would be several books in the telling.
Because this book focuses almost exclusively on Cook, it does not go into any detail of the French exploration and searches for Terra Australis Incognita that were occurring at the same time. Maybe this detracts from the complete story of exploration, but it doesn't reduce the value of the tale.
I believe this book would be a great introduction for people who are just beginning their acquaintance with Cook and his journeys of exploration. I would certainly recommend it as such to people.
This book is a great companion piece to other books in my posession on Cook and his travels without being repetitive.
January 7, 2015
what an amazing read. Rob Mundle is very knowledgable about all things ships sailing and the sea. His portayal of Cook is very informative. What an amazing seaman he was. The technologies of the period are also very interesting as well. The Flinder's bar the longitude chronometers, the calendar act, dietry preventuon of scurvy.
Just one thing abou Cook's expeditions that I find quite mystifying is the fact that he didin't seem to be perplexed as to the presence of the New Wales land mass. He must have access to Dampiers and Hartogs diaries but there seems to be no mission to explore those regions further.
As for Elizabeth Cook what a miserable existence she must have had firstly a husband who is away all the time and the tragic losses of her children. Amazed to see she lived 93 years. She must have a pretty interesting tale to tell too.
Cook also seemed to be a man for all seasons so to speak. Being able to control his crew, to achieve a great rate of hygeine respect and survival. What a legace he has left.
I didin't realize what a grizly end Cook had.Amazinh man
Enjoyed the book very much want to nominate for book group discussion
Just one thing abou Cook's expeditions that I find quite mystifying is the fact that he didin't seem to be perplexed as to the presence of the New Wales land mass. He must have access to Dampiers and Hartogs diaries but there seems to be no mission to explore those regions further.
As for Elizabeth Cook what a miserable existence she must have had firstly a husband who is away all the time and the tragic losses of her children. Amazed to see she lived 93 years. She must have a pretty interesting tale to tell too.
Cook also seemed to be a man for all seasons so to speak. Being able to control his crew, to achieve a great rate of hygeine respect and survival. What a legace he has left.
I didin't realize what a grizly end Cook had.Amazinh man
Enjoyed the book very much want to nominate for book group discussion
July 3, 2023
Good read
August 13, 2016
A fairly interesting read, but really just an account of his three voyages, with a little bit of his back-story thrown in at the beginning. The third voyage was only discussed fairly briefly. It would have been good to see a bit more discussion on Cook the man, particularly the changes he went through as an expedition leader. The Cook who led voyage three was a remarkably different man to the Cook who led voyage one.
February 15, 2014
Informative and well written biography of Captain James Cook. Highly recommended.
April 1, 2018
An absorbing and thoroughly entertaining biography. I read this book on my Kindle. There is a glossary of nautical terms at the end of the book that I only became aware of when I reached the end of the book. It would have been more useful at the start of the book so that the presence of this resource become immediately obvious to the prospective reader. Of necessity, the use of nautical terms pervades the book and, even had I been aware of the glossary, it would have been tedious to constantly refer to it. How very useful instead would have a been a link to a pop-up picture of the part of the sailing ship being referred to. It's a pity that most ebook formats don't offer more interactivity of this sort but this Kindle version of the book is simply an electronic version of the physical book. Apart from being ignorant of the nautical terms used, I was often vague about where he was exactly on his various voyages of discovery. How useful would have been a link to a pop-up map of his position at any given place in the book. All this is a criticism of the limitations of the ebook format and not of the book itself. I know such interactivity as I describe is possible in a ebook but it's not available for most books that are available for purchase online. A workaround would be for an author to provide an Internet resource that offers such features. It would be very useful if this resource could be dynamically linked to the page being read on my Kindle. The Kindle server currently keeps track of my position in the book so that I can continue reading on my tablet or smartphone from where I left off on my Kindle. It wouldn't be too difficult for the server to pass this information on to a third party application that could then respond to what was on the page currently being read. The position of the boat on the map would be synchronised and relevant nautical terms could be displayed. Of course this would require two devices, a Kindle and a smartphone/tablet/computer. Best of all would be an app on one's tablet that overlaid this interactivity on top of the basic reading experience. Anyway, just a thought but I'm sure this will become commonplace one day.
Want to read
November 11, 2020Not a review, as I haven't read this book by Mundle. But I am currently immensely enjoying Mundle's book Bligh. I find Mundle's style perfect for introductory books on history subject matters; he is adept at maintaining the reader's interest and curiosity on historical facts and detail, while not succumbing to historical fiction and indeed fantasy like one prolific Australian author.
This book is definitely on my list for an introduction to James Cook. I may then consider other books on Cook to round things out, and which are perhaps more academic with a tighter focus anthropological perspectives, e.g. those by Glyn Williams, Nicholas Thomas, Anne Salmond and John Gascoigne.
This book is definitely on my list for an introduction to James Cook. I may then consider other books on Cook to round things out, and which are perhaps more academic with a tighter focus anthropological perspectives, e.g. those by Glyn Williams, Nicholas Thomas, Anne Salmond and John Gascoigne.
April 25, 2020
It brought James Cook the man into my life. No longer an image in a painting or statue in a park. Would like more on his private life but appreciate that most of his life was away from home and what could be known about the family man died with his wife. We respect her wish for privacy. A good read.
August 25, 2018
Well written, balanced biography of the great man, who brought English influence to Australia and the Pacific. His legacy if tainted by what followed, but his exploration and captainship is unparalleled. Good read.
November 2, 2020
Really interesting and relatively quick read. Some of the language is quite technical. There is a glossary, but I note many terms used in the book are missing. But I think that’s part of the journey of a book like this: learning!
Very well rounded take on Cook and his contemporaries.
Very well rounded take on Cook and his contemporaries.
September 5, 2024
A really detailed and clearly structured account of Cooks’ life and seafaring. For me it was a little heavy on the mariner terms and I felt a bit bogged down in the technical and logistical details. Personally, the writing style wasn’t for me but it seems to be very faithful to how Cook would want his voyages recounted and reflects his no-nonsense and grounded nature.
December 7, 2024
Since Cook’s memorial is at StAG, I thought I should read a bio. There are several to choose from. This one’s by a keen sailor and this gives technical perspective to Cook’s amazing voyages. A flawed bit very brave man with a key role in the UK’s relationship with Australia and NZ.
December 30, 2018
An enjoyable, easy read that veered from the usual treatments of Cook. Well worth the time.
March 9, 2019
A wonderful biography of England's greatest sailor
A wonderfully written book about Captain Cook. You feel as though you are one of the crew at sea with him.
A wonderfully written book about Captain Cook. You feel as though you are one of the crew at sea with him.
February 16, 2021
an incredibly brave man, his story told so well I manned Endeavour along side him
April 23, 2021
Seafaring explorations continually on the verge of destruction.
October 10, 2021
Another book about Cook. I was disappointed that Sydney Parkinson's death was passed over without comment. Such a tragic loss.
June 25, 2023
The second and third voyages lacked much detail compared to the first. Lack of maps throughout. Some sketches and diagrams would have added more depth.
December 18, 2024
A wonderful read. Detailed, descriptive and free flowing.
January 25, 2017
When I went to Australia to visit Ben and Jaime, one thing I thought I would do was to get a book written and published in Australia. I didn't have a clear idea what kind of book, but there was this vague goal. When we arrived, Cook was sitting on my pillow. Jaime and Ben picked it out, and what a great choice. The book is indeed written and published there by a writer who is intimately familiar with sailing, with actual sails. His descriptions of the equipment and functions of old tall ships is encyclopedic, a veritable education in itself. It adds a level of authenticity to the book that a mere biographer could not achieve.
And as a biography, the book is a triumph. Cook's younger life and early career are covered admirably, and the account of his discovery of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef are picturesque. The tension of sailing slowly through the night with a small boat out front to alert the ship to coral dangers lends a level of tension hard to credit.
The things I did not know: the extent of Cook's travels, his contributions to cartography and geographical knowledge, his diplomatic abilities, his compassion were added to the the things I had known a sketchy little of: his conquering of scurvy, his contribution to our knowledge of longitude.
As a leader, Cook was amazing, to be placed alongside Shackleton as a polar explorer who was able to inspire loyalty and motivation in his crew during the most dangerous and harsh conditions. In the end, his diplomacy failed him. The best deductions believe he was ill and his illness affected his thinking. Beyond that, though, he labored under what must have been enormous cultural and linguistic handicaps leading to his violent death.
Cook is not for lighter readers. But if you like biography, history, sea-faring adventures, profiles of great leaders, and a broader view of what was going on in the wide world during the American Revolution, this is a great place to go. Enjoy Cook slowly, but give respect to the chapters. They are laid out very logically and helpfully for those, who, like me, stop and start longer works. You will learn more than you knew you could about sailing and life aboard ships in those difficult times. You will learn what it takes to survive in brutal arctic and antarctic climates and marvel at the ability of these crews to work in such conditions. This time as with some others, I am amazed at the grand accomplishments of people in previous centuries who worked without the advantages that their contributions made possible.
And as a biography, the book is a triumph. Cook's younger life and early career are covered admirably, and the account of his discovery of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef are picturesque. The tension of sailing slowly through the night with a small boat out front to alert the ship to coral dangers lends a level of tension hard to credit.
The things I did not know: the extent of Cook's travels, his contributions to cartography and geographical knowledge, his diplomatic abilities, his compassion were added to the the things I had known a sketchy little of: his conquering of scurvy, his contribution to our knowledge of longitude.
As a leader, Cook was amazing, to be placed alongside Shackleton as a polar explorer who was able to inspire loyalty and motivation in his crew during the most dangerous and harsh conditions. In the end, his diplomacy failed him. The best deductions believe he was ill and his illness affected his thinking. Beyond that, though, he labored under what must have been enormous cultural and linguistic handicaps leading to his violent death.
Cook is not for lighter readers. But if you like biography, history, sea-faring adventures, profiles of great leaders, and a broader view of what was going on in the wide world during the American Revolution, this is a great place to go. Enjoy Cook slowly, but give respect to the chapters. They are laid out very logically and helpfully for those, who, like me, stop and start longer works. You will learn more than you knew you could about sailing and life aboard ships in those difficult times. You will learn what it takes to survive in brutal arctic and antarctic climates and marvel at the ability of these crews to work in such conditions. This time as with some others, I am amazed at the grand accomplishments of people in previous centuries who worked without the advantages that their contributions made possible.
August 30, 2014
I have read a number of Mundle's books including Bligh and Flinders and I liked them all. Cook's journeys are amazing, extraordinary stories of discovery and achievement. As always Mundle really does his homework, weaving much about Cook's personality and land life in England through the narrative, so you get a wonderful, rich picture of the man and what he accomplised.
While Mundle obviously has a very deep affection for all these famous Pacific mariners, including Cook, it doesn't seem to affect his objectivity and he's able to discuss Cook's flaws and mistakes he made along the way in his remarkable journeys. All in all, the book is a great read if you like the history of maritime exploration.
While Mundle obviously has a very deep affection for all these famous Pacific mariners, including Cook, it doesn't seem to affect his objectivity and he's able to discuss Cook's flaws and mistakes he made along the way in his remarkable journeys. All in all, the book is a great read if you like the history of maritime exploration.
February 10, 2017
Really interesting to read about Captain Cook - some things I knew some I didn't. An enjoyable read because I was on holiday in some of the places written about.
July 2, 2016
A fascinating account of a remarkable explorer and navigator. Incredible journeys revealed about the discovery and documentation of the world. Having learned basic history of Cook and his discoveries at school, this book unearthed much more information which was enlightening, including the fact that Cook cared for his crew and their welfare, being the first Captain to record no incidences of scurvy among his crew despite spending years at sea. I found this book difficult to put down and very easy to read. Highly recommended reading.
January 28, 2017
A readable exploration and narration of the competent Capt James Cook. l am in awe of his navigational achievements and loved the detail of his journeys as presented by the author. Journeys to Nova scotia, cannibalism of the Maoris, being stranded for 7 weeks on the Barrier Reef, the aritocratic Banks....lots of detail in a readable history.
January 20, 2014
not as engaging as his book on Bligh but it has just enough interesting insights into Cook's relationships, personality and experiences to keep the pages turning over. Joseph Banks went way down in my estimation after I read this book.
January 24, 2015
Mundle writes capably but a little woodenly about about the extraordinarily resourceful and largely self-taught polymath James Cook. For a first rate book on a similar theme have a look at the biography of Joseph Banks by the alembic Patrick O'Brien.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews