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James Cook: The Story Behind the Man Who Mapped the World
The name Captain James Cook is one of the most recognisable in Australian history - an almost mythic figure who is often discussed, celebrated, reviled and debated.
But who was the real James Cook?
This Yorkshire farm boy would go on to become the foremost mariner, scientist, navigator and cartographer of his era, and to personally map a third of the globe. His great voyages of discovery were incredible feats of seamanship and navigation. Leading a crew of men into uncharted territories, Cook would face the best and worst of humanity as he took himself and his crew to the edge of the known world - and beyond.
With his masterful storytelling talent, Peter FitzSimons brings the real James Cook to life. Focusing on his most iconic expedition, the voyage of the Endeavour, where Cook first set foot on Australian and New Zealand soil, FitzSimons contrasts Cook against another figure who looms large in Australasian history: Joseph Banks, the aristocratic botanist. As they left England, Banks, a rich, famous playboy, was everything that Cook was not. The voyage tested Cook's character and would help define his legacy.
Now, 240 years after James Cook's death, FitzSimons reveals what kind of man James was at heart. His strengths, his weaknesses, his passions and pursuits, failures and successes.
James Cook reveals the man behind the myth.
But who was the real James Cook?
This Yorkshire farm boy would go on to become the foremost mariner, scientist, navigator and cartographer of his era, and to personally map a third of the globe. His great voyages of discovery were incredible feats of seamanship and navigation. Leading a crew of men into uncharted territories, Cook would face the best and worst of humanity as he took himself and his crew to the edge of the known world - and beyond.
With his masterful storytelling talent, Peter FitzSimons brings the real James Cook to life. Focusing on his most iconic expedition, the voyage of the Endeavour, where Cook first set foot on Australian and New Zealand soil, FitzSimons contrasts Cook against another figure who looms large in Australasian history: Joseph Banks, the aristocratic botanist. As they left England, Banks, a rich, famous playboy, was everything that Cook was not. The voyage tested Cook's character and would help define his legacy.
Now, 240 years after James Cook's death, FitzSimons reveals what kind of man James was at heart. His strengths, his weaknesses, his passions and pursuits, failures and successes.
James Cook reveals the man behind the myth.
654 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 29, 2019
210 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Peter FitzSimons
79 books479 followersPeter FitzSimons is one of Australia’s most prominent and successful media and publishing identities. His busy professional life involves co-hosting the breakfast program on Sydney's Radio 2UE, writing weekly columns for the Sydney Morning Herald and Sun Herald newspapers, appearing on Foxtel's Back Page television show and, when time permits, authoring best-selling books. A correspondent for London's Daily Telegraph as well, he is also in high demand as a guest speaker and presenter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
April 14, 2021
Fitzsimons is a prodigious publisher of books, mainly historical accounts of people or incidents. I have read several of them. He has a dedicated team of researchers who work tirelessly to bring facts and anecdotes to the surface to give the distinctive, personal identities to the people in his books.
Written in the buoyant Fitzsimons’ style, not history of the Manning Clarke genre but light, readable and informative. I’ll hold the debate over Cook’s place in history and the invasion of Australia to another place and time.
Cook appears as an exceptionally talented man who was without a doubt one the major explorer/navigators of his time. He appears to have been a highly professional and dedicated servant of the Royal British navy. He also seems to be a compassionate man who was troubled by the impact European contact had on the indigenous people whose land he explored.
I found the contrast between how the Tahitian, Maori and Aboriginal people reacted to Cook’s visit to their land and then the interaction between the Europeans and the indigenous people to be fascinating. The first two groups were generally welcoming and inquisitive about these white skinned visitors and their large watercraft. The Australian Aborigines were far more standoffish bordering on disinterest.
Cook was very lucky to survive the Endeavour’s hitting the reef off present day Cooktown.
Many of his crew became ill and died at the Dutch outpost of Batavia.
Cook had six children but sadly they all died before having children so there are no direct descendants of James Cook. His wife, Elizabeth Cook lived on till she was 94. Sadly she destroyed all her correspondence with Cook before her own death.
This is a typical Fitzsimons publication where he tries to capture the spirit and character of Cook. He was not a British imperialist but rather a extremely competent sailor who explored and mapped huge parts of the Earth’s surface. He was a compassionate man who had great leadership qualities.
Finally, we also get to know Sir Joseph Banks and learn of his major role in decisions to send convicts to New South Wales 18 years after Cook and him first visited the place. May be Banks will be the subject of a future Fitzsimons
Written in the buoyant Fitzsimons’ style, not history of the Manning Clarke genre but light, readable and informative. I’ll hold the debate over Cook’s place in history and the invasion of Australia to another place and time.
Cook appears as an exceptionally talented man who was without a doubt one the major explorer/navigators of his time. He appears to have been a highly professional and dedicated servant of the Royal British navy. He also seems to be a compassionate man who was troubled by the impact European contact had on the indigenous people whose land he explored.
I found the contrast between how the Tahitian, Maori and Aboriginal people reacted to Cook’s visit to their land and then the interaction between the Europeans and the indigenous people to be fascinating. The first two groups were generally welcoming and inquisitive about these white skinned visitors and their large watercraft. The Australian Aborigines were far more standoffish bordering on disinterest.
Cook was very lucky to survive the Endeavour’s hitting the reef off present day Cooktown.
Many of his crew became ill and died at the Dutch outpost of Batavia.
Cook had six children but sadly they all died before having children so there are no direct descendants of James Cook. His wife, Elizabeth Cook lived on till she was 94. Sadly she destroyed all her correspondence with Cook before her own death.
This is a typical Fitzsimons publication where he tries to capture the spirit and character of Cook. He was not a British imperialist but rather a extremely competent sailor who explored and mapped huge parts of the Earth’s surface. He was a compassionate man who had great leadership qualities.
Finally, we also get to know Sir Joseph Banks and learn of his major role in decisions to send convicts to New South Wales 18 years after Cook and him first visited the place. May be Banks will be the subject of a future Fitzsimons
January 31, 2020
At the beginning of this book the author inexplicably claims that Captain James Cook, the man, has never been adequately fleshed out in literature. It is an outlandish claim considering the hundreds of books and millions of words that have been written about this amazingly talented mariner. It becomes even more outlandish when, after a detailed looked at his first major voyage across the Pacific, the book pretty much comes to an abrupt end. The two historic (and also epic) voyages that followed are consigned to an epilogue, to be brushed over as if they were mere footnotes to Cook's life and career. The lead up to Cook's death is similarly treated, with only passing mention of his declining mental state and the resultant bizarre behaviour that plagued his last voyage. Surely if we are to know the man, as the author suggests no other book has been able to achieve, we need to examine this glossed over period in more detail. It was as if so much effort had been put into researching the first half of Cook's life, that continuing on to do the second would have become a chore. Having said all that, if you want a lively, readable account of Cook's early years, this is the book for you. If you are already a Cook aficionado though, be warned, you'll find nothing new here.
March 1, 2020
Roaming a book store in Sydney Australia a few months ago I came across this newly released biography of James Cook by FitzSimons "Australia's bestselling non-fiction writer" and, given Cook's importance to Australian history, decided it would be an interesting read. And it was. First, it disabused me of some erroneous notions I had about Cook, primarily that he "discovered" Australia as the first European explorer to land there. Wrong, it was discovered by the Dutch and was called "New Holland" at the time. He did, however, plant a flag to claim a portion for the king and when they began to ship convicts in, the growth of Australia began - much to the horror of the locals who merely wanted to be left alone.
I enjoyed the Cook story, rising from a family of commoners to command of her majesties ship Endeavor, first to track a transit of Venus across the face of the sun in Tahiti, then to search for the "Great Southern Continent" and to map the previously uncharted lands along the way then a second trip to circumnavigate the globe at the furthest latitudes available to prove or disprove the existence of the continent, then a third trip to explore the possibility of a Northwest passage across North America. During this trip he managed to discover Hawaii which he named the Sandwich Islands.
He was accompanied on his first trip by scientist Joseph Banks, independently wealthy pioneer in the study of flora and fauna who rode with his own staff and equipment. Quite the contrast with Cook. Banks was a libidinous sort, much taken with the free love culture of the Tahitians, as were the sailors but of course even his privileged background did not prevent his contracting the venereal diseases being passed around. The New Zealand natives were quite different, interested but aggressive toward these strange foreigners who arrived in a "big white water bird" and carried weapons that could kill and maim at a distance. The Australian natives had the strangest reaction. They would not even look at the new arrivals and when Cook and his men tried to approach them they would only find hastily extinguished eating fires.
If you are a sailor, you will feel the tension in your gut as Cook navigates the globe, especially after being hung up on the Great Barrier Reef. Once they were finally able to free themselves by a technique called "fothering" which plugged the leak. Once on shore for repairs, they found a piece of the reef had broken off and helped plug the hole. Had it fallen into the water instead of into the ship all 90+ sailors would have perished.
The writing style gets a bit weird at times as the author inserts himself into the narrative with observations that might have been dropped by participants or observers. Often mocking, often entertaining, once I got used to it the style added to the story. A worthy read!
I enjoyed the Cook story, rising from a family of commoners to command of her majesties ship Endeavor, first to track a transit of Venus across the face of the sun in Tahiti, then to search for the "Great Southern Continent" and to map the previously uncharted lands along the way then a second trip to circumnavigate the globe at the furthest latitudes available to prove or disprove the existence of the continent, then a third trip to explore the possibility of a Northwest passage across North America. During this trip he managed to discover Hawaii which he named the Sandwich Islands.
He was accompanied on his first trip by scientist Joseph Banks, independently wealthy pioneer in the study of flora and fauna who rode with his own staff and equipment. Quite the contrast with Cook. Banks was a libidinous sort, much taken with the free love culture of the Tahitians, as were the sailors but of course even his privileged background did not prevent his contracting the venereal diseases being passed around. The New Zealand natives were quite different, interested but aggressive toward these strange foreigners who arrived in a "big white water bird" and carried weapons that could kill and maim at a distance. The Australian natives had the strangest reaction. They would not even look at the new arrivals and when Cook and his men tried to approach them they would only find hastily extinguished eating fires.
If you are a sailor, you will feel the tension in your gut as Cook navigates the globe, especially after being hung up on the Great Barrier Reef. Once they were finally able to free themselves by a technique called "fothering" which plugged the leak. Once on shore for repairs, they found a piece of the reef had broken off and helped plug the hole. Had it fallen into the water instead of into the ship all 90+ sailors would have perished.
The writing style gets a bit weird at times as the author inserts himself into the narrative with observations that might have been dropped by participants or observers. Often mocking, often entertaining, once I got used to it the style added to the story. A worthy read!
May 4, 2024
I have just finished reading “James Cook - the story behind the man who mapped the world” by Peter Fitzsimons.
It’s a great read and the first Peter Fitzsimons book I have read.
It is also fitting a read as 2020 marks 250 years since James Cook’s first voyage on the Endeavour.
Peter Fitzsimons has been able to capture the true essence of who James Cook was when little as actually been known about the sort of person he was.
Peter Fitzsimons also has been able to feel as though the reader is experiencing Cook’s maiden voyage first hand as one of the crew. You can get a real feel of what the experience was like in all its rawness and reality.
Peter Fitzsimons has also been able to give the perspective of the native people in each of the lands the First Voyage went.
This is a read book to read in the lead up to Australia Day on January 26th. For many Australians this day is also known as invasion day. I also recently read “Australia Day” by Stan Grant where in his book he talks about a statute of James Cook in Sydney that mentions how James Cook discovered Australia and how flawed than concept was particularly in acknowledging Indigenous Australians.
One thing is clear James Cook would never claim such a suggestion. He was of the mind that the Dutch were the first Europeans to discover Australia. Cook was also one not for invasion but for relationship for respecting native traditional cultures and customs.
“One cannot blame them for when one considers the light in which they must look upon us, its impossible for them to know our real design, we enter their Ports without their daring to make opposition, we attempt to land in a peaceable manner, if this succeeds well, if not we land nevertheless and maintain the footing we thus got by the Superiority of our fire arms, in what other light can they look at us but invaders of their Country; time and some acquaintance with us can only convince them of their mistake” - Captain Cook’s Log
“No less than 250 years later, in Australia, that very issue of invasion is being widely discussed, with the idea growing that the only way forward is by some measure of Treaty, as we are still the only nation settled by the British without one” - Peter Fitzsimons
Not long ago, the Australian government dismissed the latest attempt by Indigenous Australians to present their own vision for the future, in the Uluru Statement from the Heart
“Cook is not the appropriate avatar of Empire to embody this continual denial, but his persistent enrolment as a national icon ensures that his legacy will continue to shadow the nation’s future. Would it not be too much to ask that, instead of avatar or icon, hero or villain, we begin to see Captain Cook with fresh eyes? We might then begin to see beyond him, beyond the reflection of our wished-for selves, and begin to perceive new possibilities” - Professor Bruce Buchan Griffith University
One thing is sure, Peter Fitzsimons book does exactly this in seeing Captain Cook with fresh eyes.
“One measure of how highly Captain Cook remains regarded in the modern era by those on the cusp of explorative science, is that in 1984 NASA’s third space shuttle was named ‘Discovery’, after one of the two ships used by Cook on the Third Voyage, while the last shuttle to fly in 2011, was named nothing less than ‘Endeavour’” - Peter Fitzsimons
Captain Cook is the most well known and respected explorer of Australia. He even has the Captain Cook Bridge in Brisbane named after him which spans the Brisbane River. He even has a University named after him. He has even worked his way into the Australian vernacular - ‘Have A Look’ becomes ‘Have A Captain Cook”
I would encourage everyone to have a look at this book as it gives a fresh reading of Australia’s history at this time and you discover more about the man, the myth, and the legend of Captain James Cook.
The 29.04.20 marks 250 since Cook's landing in Australia
"My conclusion is this. Today should not be a day of division between those who support Cook and his landing, and those who decry them. Cook himself was the first to acknowledge just what was lost through European contact and then invasion of the lands of the people of Pacific. In modern Australia, we cannot keep going around in circles, with endless polemics.
We need to acknowledge both what happened and the fact that what happened is irreversible. And let that be the starting point for what today should mostly be about ??? how this nation needs a long overdue treaty with the traditional owners, with recognition built into the constitution ??? our best attempt between reconciling the horror of what happened with a future where we can all go forward together. Let's have a Captain Cook at it and get it done" Peter Fitzsimons
It’s a great read and the first Peter Fitzsimons book I have read.
It is also fitting a read as 2020 marks 250 years since James Cook’s first voyage on the Endeavour.
Peter Fitzsimons has been able to capture the true essence of who James Cook was when little as actually been known about the sort of person he was.
Peter Fitzsimons also has been able to feel as though the reader is experiencing Cook’s maiden voyage first hand as one of the crew. You can get a real feel of what the experience was like in all its rawness and reality.
Peter Fitzsimons has also been able to give the perspective of the native people in each of the lands the First Voyage went.
This is a read book to read in the lead up to Australia Day on January 26th. For many Australians this day is also known as invasion day. I also recently read “Australia Day” by Stan Grant where in his book he talks about a statute of James Cook in Sydney that mentions how James Cook discovered Australia and how flawed than concept was particularly in acknowledging Indigenous Australians.
One thing is clear James Cook would never claim such a suggestion. He was of the mind that the Dutch were the first Europeans to discover Australia. Cook was also one not for invasion but for relationship for respecting native traditional cultures and customs.
“One cannot blame them for when one considers the light in which they must look upon us, its impossible for them to know our real design, we enter their Ports without their daring to make opposition, we attempt to land in a peaceable manner, if this succeeds well, if not we land nevertheless and maintain the footing we thus got by the Superiority of our fire arms, in what other light can they look at us but invaders of their Country; time and some acquaintance with us can only convince them of their mistake” - Captain Cook’s Log
“No less than 250 years later, in Australia, that very issue of invasion is being widely discussed, with the idea growing that the only way forward is by some measure of Treaty, as we are still the only nation settled by the British without one” - Peter Fitzsimons
Not long ago, the Australian government dismissed the latest attempt by Indigenous Australians to present their own vision for the future, in the Uluru Statement from the Heart
“Cook is not the appropriate avatar of Empire to embody this continual denial, but his persistent enrolment as a national icon ensures that his legacy will continue to shadow the nation’s future. Would it not be too much to ask that, instead of avatar or icon, hero or villain, we begin to see Captain Cook with fresh eyes? We might then begin to see beyond him, beyond the reflection of our wished-for selves, and begin to perceive new possibilities” - Professor Bruce Buchan Griffith University
One thing is sure, Peter Fitzsimons book does exactly this in seeing Captain Cook with fresh eyes.
“One measure of how highly Captain Cook remains regarded in the modern era by those on the cusp of explorative science, is that in 1984 NASA’s third space shuttle was named ‘Discovery’, after one of the two ships used by Cook on the Third Voyage, while the last shuttle to fly in 2011, was named nothing less than ‘Endeavour’” - Peter Fitzsimons
Captain Cook is the most well known and respected explorer of Australia. He even has the Captain Cook Bridge in Brisbane named after him which spans the Brisbane River. He even has a University named after him. He has even worked his way into the Australian vernacular - ‘Have A Look’ becomes ‘Have A Captain Cook”
I would encourage everyone to have a look at this book as it gives a fresh reading of Australia’s history at this time and you discover more about the man, the myth, and the legend of Captain James Cook.
The 29.04.20 marks 250 since Cook's landing in Australia
"My conclusion is this. Today should not be a day of division between those who support Cook and his landing, and those who decry them. Cook himself was the first to acknowledge just what was lost through European contact and then invasion of the lands of the people of Pacific. In modern Australia, we cannot keep going around in circles, with endless polemics.
We need to acknowledge both what happened and the fact that what happened is irreversible. And let that be the starting point for what today should mostly be about ??? how this nation needs a long overdue treaty with the traditional owners, with recognition built into the constitution ??? our best attempt between reconciling the horror of what happened with a future where we can all go forward together. Let's have a Captain Cook at it and get it done" Peter Fitzsimons
March 9, 2020
I just was amazed how gripping this was. Told using verbatim accounts from Cook’s log and Banks’ diaries this gives a wonderful insight into the life of a great man
January 25, 2020
An excellent read which I highly recommend to Australians as it’s an interesting perspective into British maritime exploration, mapping of the unmapped and a man who was destined to achieve his dream, despite social and political divides.
I also recommend this book for those, who like me, received a sub-par secondary education on all things Cook.
I also recommend this book for those, who like me, received a sub-par secondary education on all things Cook.
February 17, 2020
James Cook - The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World is an excellent account of the voyage undertaken by Captain James Cook in the story written by Peter Fitzsimons.
I loved sailing the high-seas; hearing about the voyage, landing in Tahiti and exploring all the different continents. This is a real sea adventure!
Hearing about Tahitian flowers, the amazing scent of the Tiare bloom; navigation in all different forms across the wide open seas; whether it be by the sun in the day or by the stars at night.
I've never read anything by the author, Peter Fitzsimons until now and I found this to be very interesting and extremely well-written. Descriptions of everything are perfect.
James Cook is an excellent book for all those interested in navigation, sailing and history.
Absolutely, everything is covered in this book. Some of it's everything we learned at school but the way the author describes the voyage is so much better than a school history book!
This is an excellent story of James Cook - The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World and a new book written by Peter Fitzsimons.
I would recommend this for everyone and especially all seafarers!
I loved sailing the high-seas; hearing about the voyage, landing in Tahiti and exploring all the different continents. This is a real sea adventure!
Hearing about Tahitian flowers, the amazing scent of the Tiare bloom; navigation in all different forms across the wide open seas; whether it be by the sun in the day or by the stars at night.
I've never read anything by the author, Peter Fitzsimons until now and I found this to be very interesting and extremely well-written. Descriptions of everything are perfect.
James Cook is an excellent book for all those interested in navigation, sailing and history.
Absolutely, everything is covered in this book. Some of it's everything we learned at school but the way the author describes the voyage is so much better than a school history book!
This is an excellent story of James Cook - The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World and a new book written by Peter Fitzsimons.
I would recommend this for everyone and especially all seafarers!
June 30, 2024
‘Who was James Cook? What sort of man was he?’
Peter Fitzsimons sets out to answer these questions in this chatty, weighty tome.
Does he succeed? Not really.
I am a big fan of Captain James Cook the navigator. I have read several books about him and his journeys: the boy from the Yorkshire farm who became a master mariner, an accomplished cartographer and navigator. I am interested in where he came from, in how a farm boy from Yorkshire ended up being the foremost navigator of his era.
And in parts Mr Fitzsimons gave me that. But I cannot warm to his style of writing, to his little asides. I kept reading (for once I start a book, I feel compelled to finish it). While I did not learn anything new, I did quite enjoy the description of fothering which was undertaken to keep the Endeavour afloat after she was holed on 11 June 1770.
If you enjoy history as portrayed on television, with actors in period costume trying to give you some idea of how, say, Henry VIII lived and Ann Boleyn schemed, then you may well enjoy this book more than I did. I like my facts less adorned. Boring, I know.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Peter Fitzsimons sets out to answer these questions in this chatty, weighty tome.
Does he succeed? Not really.
I am a big fan of Captain James Cook the navigator. I have read several books about him and his journeys: the boy from the Yorkshire farm who became a master mariner, an accomplished cartographer and navigator. I am interested in where he came from, in how a farm boy from Yorkshire ended up being the foremost navigator of his era.
And in parts Mr Fitzsimons gave me that. But I cannot warm to his style of writing, to his little asides. I kept reading (for once I start a book, I feel compelled to finish it). While I did not learn anything new, I did quite enjoy the description of fothering which was undertaken to keep the Endeavour afloat after she was holed on 11 June 1770.
If you enjoy history as portrayed on television, with actors in period costume trying to give you some idea of how, say, Henry VIII lived and Ann Boleyn schemed, then you may well enjoy this book more than I did. I like my facts less adorned. Boring, I know.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
February 2, 2023
Although the subtitle of Peter Fitzsimmon’s book claims to give an account of ‘the man who mapped the world’, it’s almost singular focus on Captain James Cook’s first circumnavigation of the globe means that there are still many questions about the man left unanswered. The retelling of Cook’s first voyage is no less compelling or exhaustive, however, but in truth it captures in detail less than 25% of the master commander’s seafaring sojourns, and therefore serves as a minor shortcoming when evaluating this title. In addition to this, Fitzsimmon’s informal style occasionally grates to the point of irritation. With these things being said, I did appreciate the mountainous volume of information provided about Cook’s world-changing journey of discovery, and it makes for an even more interesting experience when comparing it to the historical records of the impact of colonisation on Australian First Nation’s peoples I’ve recently been researching. In all, it leaves Cook’s legacy in a contentious place - glorious but undeniably tainted - a man who who opened up the world to the West, with the ultimate cost the near annihilation of myriad native populations across the globe.
February 9, 2020
Another great read (audiobook)from Peter FitzSimons who has a way of making what could be dry history both come alive and indeed read like a novel. Have read a number of his pieces and particularly enjoy those that have a maritime theme.
In this work I actually felt in some way that I was onboard the vessels, and riding the waves of emotions and the oceans with these heroic pioneers of centuries ago. Further in some way I gained new insight into the life and times of these
tough and courageous seaman.
Wondering where Mr FitzSimons will go next with his stories and in reading his latest piece believe that the story of Joseph Banks could be a stand alone title?
Would also be remiss not to acknowledge that the narrator of this work contributed positively to my enjoyment.
In this work I actually felt in some way that I was onboard the vessels, and riding the waves of emotions and the oceans with these heroic pioneers of centuries ago. Further in some way I gained new insight into the life and times of these
tough and courageous seaman.
Wondering where Mr FitzSimons will go next with his stories and in reading his latest piece believe that the story of Joseph Banks could be a stand alone title?
Would also be remiss not to acknowledge that the narrator of this work contributed positively to my enjoyment.
November 23, 2019
Absolutely marvellous! A riveting read, wonderfully narrated as always, by Michael Carman.
I have no hesitation in pre-ordering Peter FitzSimons books as I know they will never disappoint.
I have no hesitation in pre-ordering Peter FitzSimons books as I know they will never disappoint.
January 20, 2025
Barely short of 5 stars because you follow the thoughts and deeds of not only Cook but his polar opposite counterpart Annoying Banks, the one man that may have truly changed history if Cook was not around.
I picked this up as the debate over Australia day and Captain Cook began to drift into anti colonialism and hate. I began to believe the crimes and racism and hostility that Cook procured in Australia. Wanting my own perspective i conducted an attentive reading of Fitzsimmons copy and consistently returned to his convenient references whenever i called bullshit.
How wrong i could have been. Fitzsimmons brings Cook to life and showcases his incredible intelligence, work ethic, stoicsm, leadership qualities, all the things that made his discovery of Australia’s east coast so.. successful.
From the implementation of sauerkraut, rigorous cleaning, reservations in the face of temptations, lifelong career, navigating intelligence and upbringing you begin to understand Cook and how he succeeded in these naval feats that often took so many lives, or outright failed.
When Cook discovers New Zealand, you discover New Zealand for the first time. When Cook lands in Botany Bay so do you, and the chase to track Venus and all that astrological navigating jargon was actually phenomenally interesting. Fitzsimmons ability to immerse you into the historical context is so profound that the controversial moments in history that are so hotly debated today like first contact feel like a battle scene.
Once you understand the man and the historical context in which imperialist England saw itself, the controversies become comprehensible. In fact, Cook carried out his duties as if before his time, more honourably as one would today in light of the times and historical context. He respected indigenous wishes, reasonably defended his sailors, justly punished crimes, reserved all temptations on what was treated by Europeans as an island whorehouse and calculated the best ways of contact, trade and knowledge. He is truly an inspiring gentleman. And Fitzsimmons does an extraordinary job at bringing these qualities to the forefront of Cooks exploits.
I picked this up as the debate over Australia day and Captain Cook began to drift into anti colonialism and hate. I began to believe the crimes and racism and hostility that Cook procured in Australia. Wanting my own perspective i conducted an attentive reading of Fitzsimmons copy and consistently returned to his convenient references whenever i called bullshit.
How wrong i could have been. Fitzsimmons brings Cook to life and showcases his incredible intelligence, work ethic, stoicsm, leadership qualities, all the things that made his discovery of Australia’s east coast so.. successful.
From the implementation of sauerkraut, rigorous cleaning, reservations in the face of temptations, lifelong career, navigating intelligence and upbringing you begin to understand Cook and how he succeeded in these naval feats that often took so many lives, or outright failed.
When Cook discovers New Zealand, you discover New Zealand for the first time. When Cook lands in Botany Bay so do you, and the chase to track Venus and all that astrological navigating jargon was actually phenomenally interesting. Fitzsimmons ability to immerse you into the historical context is so profound that the controversial moments in history that are so hotly debated today like first contact feel like a battle scene.
Once you understand the man and the historical context in which imperialist England saw itself, the controversies become comprehensible. In fact, Cook carried out his duties as if before his time, more honourably as one would today in light of the times and historical context. He respected indigenous wishes, reasonably defended his sailors, justly punished crimes, reserved all temptations on what was treated by Europeans as an island whorehouse and calculated the best ways of contact, trade and knowledge. He is truly an inspiring gentleman. And Fitzsimmons does an extraordinary job at bringing these qualities to the forefront of Cooks exploits.
December 20, 2024
This biography of James Cook is the best narrative non-fiction I've read this year. FitzSimons' writing is clever and light, while also being accurate and thoroughly researched. The book focuses mostly on Cook's first voyage on the HMS Endeavor, which has all of the elements of a true-to-life 18th century Odyssey. It left me wishing for a sequel from FitzSimons' recounting his second voyage in equal detail. The author doesn't omit or ignore any of the darker actions of Cook and his crew on their first voyage, or the perspective of indigenous peoples, however there is a clear framing of Cook in a neutral-positive light. I suspect that FitzSimons largely ignores The second voyage of the Endeavor both for narrative pacing reasons, and as to not totally tear down the character of Cook in the mind of the reader.
March 16, 2021
I haven’t enjoyed a book as much as this one in quite some time. I loved the storytelling of Peter Fitzsimons. His writing is playful but it is also polished and this struck a highly enjoyable and fulfilling balance for me. I was so humbled by the shy & dignified response of our Traditional Custodians at first contact - their gentle persona has always stood before them - and this will leave a lasting impact on me as I close this book’s pages.
February 25, 2025
Interesting book about a fascinating individual that is so well known and yet so unknown. Probably longer than needed, and would have benefited from more focus on an Australian lens, but that has probably much more to do with the fact that his landing in Australia was a footnote for Cook in the context of such broad and varied achievements. FitzSimons is a little folksy in places that are a little cringey, but it functions well to lighten quite heavy info, and the direct quotes are great. I liked all the extra info about Banks too.
January 6, 2021
This was a very thorough account of Cook's life and particularly his first voyage to the Pacific in which he mapped Tahiti, NZ and the Australia east coast. I find the style of writing a bit annoying, the many exclamation marks. But very useful to read in this year of the 250 year anniversary.
July 19, 2023
Story of James Cook from a little boy, how he came to be a ships captain from very humble beginnings. Readable and informative I enjoyed this and learnt a lot having not read a biography of him before. Interesting his info about the different reactions by peoples in the countries he landed in.
April 6, 2021
Good read but double the length it needed to be.
October 28, 2022
I've known his name my whole life... I wonder what he would think if he knew his name would become so well known and what he would have done differently... Another brilliantly told story by Peter FitzSimons.
January 25, 2020
Excellent account of a great explorer, scientist and just a great man James Cook.
December 18, 2024
This weeks Book Review: Captain Cook by Peter FitzSimons. Here lies the tale of another industrious and steadfast Yorkshireman, James Cook—though this one swapped his flat cap and coal for a tricorne and a sextant. In Captain Cook, Peter FitzSimons takes us on a wild ride with the lad from Yorkshire who, rather than settling for a quiet life, decided he’d map half the known world. Imagine a farm boy who trades being a store keeper for mastering the Seven Seas and turns his grit into global fame. And while he might be celebrated (and sometimes cursed) around the world, FitzSimons reminds us that behind every legendary explorer is just another Yorkshireman who’s simply too stubborn to quit.
Setting sail with Peter FitzSimons’ Captain Cook is like embarking on a grand voyage through one of history’s most storied explorations. Regarding the author, initially, I wasn’t sure about FitzSimons; to me he seemed loud, even a bit too sure of himself. But after reading my first Fitzsimons, ‘The Ballad of Les Darcy’, I found a historian who brings history alive with rich, well-researched tales, anchored with his Aussie pride and flair. Captain Cook is no exception—packed with all the grit and passion one might expect from a true tale of discovery.
Captain James Cook is a towering figure in Australian history—a legend in his own time and ours, both celebrated and scrutinised. FitzSimons paints Cook’s life as a journey from farm boy to master navigator, charting a course into the unknown. This isn’t just a chronicle of one man’s voyage; it’s an epic of adventure, conflict, and ambition. FitzSimons’ prose moves with the same wind that carried Cook across the high seas, bringing immediacy and depth to a figure who’s often seen as an icon rather than a person.
We start with Cook’s formative years and early naval career, especially his role in the American Seven Years’ War, where he cut his teeth as a talented Master under Captain Hugh Palliser. It was here, under the mentorship of surveyor Lieutenant Samuel Holland, that Cook developed his famed cartographic skills there on the St Lawrence River. He absorbed knowledge like a sponge at sea, taking on lessons in astronomy, navigation, and mathematics, that would define his approach to exploration. FitzSimons deftly charts this early course, setting up Cook as a man driven by the love of the sailors life and discovery, not conquest.
What truly sets this biography apart is FitzSimons’ decision to bring Joseph Banks, the aristocratic botanist, into the spotlight as a co-partner in this narrative. Banks—wealthy, flamboyant, and scientifically curious—adds an unexpected breeze to the story, as his quest for knowledge pushes the Endeavour beyond navigation into realms of science and cultural exploration. The contrast between Cook’s discipline and Banks’ exuberance makes for a fascinating study of how their partnership shaped the first Cook voyague, each man charting his own course but steering together toward the unknown.
FitzSimons crafts the tale as a series of compelling “episodes,” like scenes from a voyage log. From tense diplomatic encounters in Rio de Janeiro to Banks’ awestruck discovery of a Tahitian temple deep in the jungle, to Cook’s careful engagement with the Aboriginal people of Australia, the journey unfolds as a living, breathing adventure. Particularly gripping is the Endeavour’s harrowing brush with disaster on the Great Barrier Reef and the crew’s later battle with disease and death in Batavia. These moments aren’t just dramatic; they reveal the human cost and the sheer resilience demanded by such a monumental voyage. In a fitting nod to nautical lore, FitzSimons also handles Cook’s encounters with Indigenous peoples with a steady hand on the wheel, offering perspectives from both sides. In one stark example, Cook’s decision to take the sacred sea turtles from the coast of New Holland as food rations—a necessity for the crew—had a devastating impact on the Aboriginal communities, for whom the turtles were a carefully managed resource. FitzSimons navigates these cultural rifts with care, highlighting the ripples Cook’s actions left in his wake.
FitzSimons’ writing itself is imbued with the adventurous spirit of a sailor on open water, channeling the dynamic, character-driven style of Patrick O’Brian. Each page captures the hardships of seafaring, the camaraderie of the crew, and the tensions between Cook and Banks. Unlike O’Brian’s unified trio, FitzSimons shows a more complex relationship, with Banks often treated as the main player in the eyes of the British public and especially the upper class set, while Cook—despite his command—seems almost another employee of Banks. As FitzSimons wryly notes, “that’s the way the Cookie crumbles.”
In the end, FitzSimons’ portrait of Cook goes beyond the typical, giving us a man disciplined, skilled, and surprisingly empathetic. Rather than casting him as an instrument of empire, FitzSimons shows a nuanced side of Cook—a captain more intent on discovery than domination or invasion, deeply concerned for his crew and committed to family back home. Cook’s legacy is complicated, but here we find a balanced view that acknowledges both his achievements and his role in a fraught history.
While this biography covers only Cook’s first voyage, it’s as immersive and engaging as any sea adventure. For those willing to hoist anchor and sail with Cook once more, this is one voyage worth taking.
Setting sail with Peter FitzSimons’ Captain Cook is like embarking on a grand voyage through one of history’s most storied explorations. Regarding the author, initially, I wasn’t sure about FitzSimons; to me he seemed loud, even a bit too sure of himself. But after reading my first Fitzsimons, ‘The Ballad of Les Darcy’, I found a historian who brings history alive with rich, well-researched tales, anchored with his Aussie pride and flair. Captain Cook is no exception—packed with all the grit and passion one might expect from a true tale of discovery.
Captain James Cook is a towering figure in Australian history—a legend in his own time and ours, both celebrated and scrutinised. FitzSimons paints Cook’s life as a journey from farm boy to master navigator, charting a course into the unknown. This isn’t just a chronicle of one man’s voyage; it’s an epic of adventure, conflict, and ambition. FitzSimons’ prose moves with the same wind that carried Cook across the high seas, bringing immediacy and depth to a figure who’s often seen as an icon rather than a person.
We start with Cook’s formative years and early naval career, especially his role in the American Seven Years’ War, where he cut his teeth as a talented Master under Captain Hugh Palliser. It was here, under the mentorship of surveyor Lieutenant Samuel Holland, that Cook developed his famed cartographic skills there on the St Lawrence River. He absorbed knowledge like a sponge at sea, taking on lessons in astronomy, navigation, and mathematics, that would define his approach to exploration. FitzSimons deftly charts this early course, setting up Cook as a man driven by the love of the sailors life and discovery, not conquest.
What truly sets this biography apart is FitzSimons’ decision to bring Joseph Banks, the aristocratic botanist, into the spotlight as a co-partner in this narrative. Banks—wealthy, flamboyant, and scientifically curious—adds an unexpected breeze to the story, as his quest for knowledge pushes the Endeavour beyond navigation into realms of science and cultural exploration. The contrast between Cook’s discipline and Banks’ exuberance makes for a fascinating study of how their partnership shaped the first Cook voyague, each man charting his own course but steering together toward the unknown.
FitzSimons crafts the tale as a series of compelling “episodes,” like scenes from a voyage log. From tense diplomatic encounters in Rio de Janeiro to Banks’ awestruck discovery of a Tahitian temple deep in the jungle, to Cook’s careful engagement with the Aboriginal people of Australia, the journey unfolds as a living, breathing adventure. Particularly gripping is the Endeavour’s harrowing brush with disaster on the Great Barrier Reef and the crew’s later battle with disease and death in Batavia. These moments aren’t just dramatic; they reveal the human cost and the sheer resilience demanded by such a monumental voyage. In a fitting nod to nautical lore, FitzSimons also handles Cook’s encounters with Indigenous peoples with a steady hand on the wheel, offering perspectives from both sides. In one stark example, Cook’s decision to take the sacred sea turtles from the coast of New Holland as food rations—a necessity for the crew—had a devastating impact on the Aboriginal communities, for whom the turtles were a carefully managed resource. FitzSimons navigates these cultural rifts with care, highlighting the ripples Cook’s actions left in his wake.
FitzSimons’ writing itself is imbued with the adventurous spirit of a sailor on open water, channeling the dynamic, character-driven style of Patrick O’Brian. Each page captures the hardships of seafaring, the camaraderie of the crew, and the tensions between Cook and Banks. Unlike O’Brian’s unified trio, FitzSimons shows a more complex relationship, with Banks often treated as the main player in the eyes of the British public and especially the upper class set, while Cook—despite his command—seems almost another employee of Banks. As FitzSimons wryly notes, “that’s the way the Cookie crumbles.”
In the end, FitzSimons’ portrait of Cook goes beyond the typical, giving us a man disciplined, skilled, and surprisingly empathetic. Rather than casting him as an instrument of empire, FitzSimons shows a nuanced side of Cook—a captain more intent on discovery than domination or invasion, deeply concerned for his crew and committed to family back home. Cook’s legacy is complicated, but here we find a balanced view that acknowledges both his achievements and his role in a fraught history.
While this biography covers only Cook’s first voyage, it’s as immersive and engaging as any sea adventure. For those willing to hoist anchor and sail with Cook once more, this is one voyage worth taking.
August 17, 2023
I have an interesting relationship with Peter Fitz’s writing. As a history post-grad, I recognise the value of a well written story that engages public imagination, and provides some instruction around the history of their land and society. In short, if it gets people interested, it can’t be a bad thing. However, this is offset by a simple fact known by just about every history student and historian in the country: the guy in the red bandana is *not* a historian. He employs professional researchers and writes stories from their notes, without having to adhere to accepted methods and standards of research himself.
So how did this book turn out?
Exactly as you’d expect.
Fitzsimons spins an enthralling tale, fleshing out all the snippets and rumours we Australians learn as school children. And what a tale it is! Ship wrecks, political intrigue, exploration and discovery, science, sex, the voyages of captain Cook are a story more unbelievable than any fiction, and Fitzsimons tells the tale masterfully.
Oh, did I say voyages? Plural? Yes, you see, this is where Fitzsimons plays true to form.
Unfortunately, this is not actually a biography of James Cook, as much as it professes to be. That would be too hard and do people really want to know alllll about him?
This is the story of just one of his three major voyages. Sure, we see Cook’s journey from a young apprentice in Yorkshire to being the captain of a ship, but we also see the same attention given to the life of Joseph Banks. And when they return from their famous voyage? Yes, the focus is mainly on Joseph Banks again. This book is actually a retelling of their first voyage around the world, told through the perspective of Cook, Banks, and others. We have around 350 pages dedicated to this voyage, but only around 40 pages in total dedicated to Cook’s final two voyages. In other words, as a biography of arguably the world’s greatest ever explorer, sailor and scientist (bet you didn’t know that), this effort is actually fairly lazy. The author has just included what he thinks is interesting, fleshed it out with a bit of humour, and called it a biography.
And that, my friends, is why he’s not a historian.
As a tale of early navigation, discovery and a clash of cultures, this is exceptional. As a history and biography… meh.
So how did this book turn out?
Exactly as you’d expect.
Fitzsimons spins an enthralling tale, fleshing out all the snippets and rumours we Australians learn as school children. And what a tale it is! Ship wrecks, political intrigue, exploration and discovery, science, sex, the voyages of captain Cook are a story more unbelievable than any fiction, and Fitzsimons tells the tale masterfully.
Oh, did I say voyages? Plural? Yes, you see, this is where Fitzsimons plays true to form.
Unfortunately, this is not actually a biography of James Cook, as much as it professes to be. That would be too hard and do people really want to know alllll about him?
This is the story of just one of his three major voyages. Sure, we see Cook’s journey from a young apprentice in Yorkshire to being the captain of a ship, but we also see the same attention given to the life of Joseph Banks. And when they return from their famous voyage? Yes, the focus is mainly on Joseph Banks again. This book is actually a retelling of their first voyage around the world, told through the perspective of Cook, Banks, and others. We have around 350 pages dedicated to this voyage, but only around 40 pages in total dedicated to Cook’s final two voyages. In other words, as a biography of arguably the world’s greatest ever explorer, sailor and scientist (bet you didn’t know that), this effort is actually fairly lazy. The author has just included what he thinks is interesting, fleshed it out with a bit of humour, and called it a biography.
And that, my friends, is why he’s not a historian.
As a tale of early navigation, discovery and a clash of cultures, this is exceptional. As a history and biography… meh.
September 25, 2021
Stories of Cook and his voyages have inspired innumerable writers of history and fiction. As with other Fitzsimons books, this one is somewhere in between; not quite history, not quite historical fiction. A rousing and readable tale well dosed with imaginings (never mind the footnotes). Also, these books play for the home crowd. They are primarily concerned with Australian history.
The title itself is a spoiler. I was particularly interested to read about Cook after the Endeavour voyage. Unfortunately the two subsequent epic voyages are given short shrift, covering a handful of initial epilogue pages before we revert back to the Endeavour and Australia.
Fitzsimons previously dedicated more space to Cook’s untimely death, in Hawaii, in the prologue to his “Mutiny on the Bounty.” However, here there are some head-scratching discrepancies. A major theme of the previous book was Bligh’s bastardry. In that book Fitzsimons (and co-workers) have the cursed Bligh firing an unwonted first shot, causing a chain of reaction that lead to Cook’s death (the relevant footnote, is an authorial digression that attests support for this extraordinary claim but does not provide a source). Bligh observed the consequences through a telescope, from his Cutter (or, as stated by others, from the Resolution). Bligh, as Cook’s chosen Master Sailor, brought the ships home, under an ailing Captain Clerke. Bligh’s published account is an influential primary source on Cook’s fall.
In the Cook biography Bligh rates but three tangential mentions, once each for his prim moralising, his navigation skills and for his patron, Joseph Banks. Fitzsimons is shtum on Bligh’s relationship with Cook, his contribution to Cook’s story and his role in Cook’s death. By contrast, Banks arrives on every second page. While the man from Yorkshire who repeatedly sailed the globe and explored half the world, remains as quietly, humble, taciturn and obscure as ever.
The title itself is a spoiler. I was particularly interested to read about Cook after the Endeavour voyage. Unfortunately the two subsequent epic voyages are given short shrift, covering a handful of initial epilogue pages before we revert back to the Endeavour and Australia.
Fitzsimons previously dedicated more space to Cook’s untimely death, in Hawaii, in the prologue to his “Mutiny on the Bounty.” However, here there are some head-scratching discrepancies. A major theme of the previous book was Bligh’s bastardry. In that book Fitzsimons (and co-workers) have the cursed Bligh firing an unwonted first shot, causing a chain of reaction that lead to Cook’s death (the relevant footnote, is an authorial digression that attests support for this extraordinary claim but does not provide a source). Bligh observed the consequences through a telescope, from his Cutter (or, as stated by others, from the Resolution). Bligh, as Cook’s chosen Master Sailor, brought the ships home, under an ailing Captain Clerke. Bligh’s published account is an influential primary source on Cook’s fall.
In the Cook biography Bligh rates but three tangential mentions, once each for his prim moralising, his navigation skills and for his patron, Joseph Banks. Fitzsimons is shtum on Bligh’s relationship with Cook, his contribution to Cook’s story and his role in Cook’s death. By contrast, Banks arrives on every second page. While the man from Yorkshire who repeatedly sailed the globe and explored half the world, remains as quietly, humble, taciturn and obscure as ever.
June 8, 2025
Audible/Kindle
FitzSimons style of mixing a bit of historical fiction and flair with documented facts is exactly my jam. I really dig his style...and Batavia is one of his absolute best and this one ain't too far behind.
Cook's life begs study. Brilliant, driven, & c. Adjectives fail.
His life leading up to his famous 3 voyages is covered extensively & might be the most fascinating area (at least for me); a commoner to rise so high was basically impossible in his time. His skill at map making got him noticed. Driven and seemingly humorous, no booze no fun...all study all the time. The book also covers naturalist Joseph Banks.
First Voyage (1768–1771): HMS Endeavour (Cook's beloved Whitby Cat) to observe "the transit of Venus" from Tahiti, where the food is plenty and the women are...um, welcoming. From there, it's off to New Zealand to meet the Maori and map the land...then to New Holland (Australia) Botony Bay (on the East Coast)...here, the interacted with the locals and pissed them off by killing too many sea turtles; they also discovered Kangaroo, which taste like beef & venison.
Cook's 2nd & 3rd voyages are not covered in great detail - being summed up in the Epilogue.
Second voyage (1772–1775): HMS Resolution
Third voyage (1776–1779): HMS Resolution & Capt Charles Clerke on the HMS Discovery to try and find the Northwest Passage.
All in, fascinating account of a shopkeeper who rose to become a maritime legend...only to be killed by misguided locals in Hawaii, who thought he was some sort of god (I think). Interesting that B.Franklin passed the word at the outset of the Rev War that Cook was to be left alone to continue his work.
FitzSimons style of mixing a bit of historical fiction and flair with documented facts is exactly my jam. I really dig his style...and Batavia is one of his absolute best and this one ain't too far behind.
Cook's life begs study. Brilliant, driven, & c. Adjectives fail.
His life leading up to his famous 3 voyages is covered extensively & might be the most fascinating area (at least for me); a commoner to rise so high was basically impossible in his time. His skill at map making got him noticed. Driven and seemingly humorous, no booze no fun...all study all the time. The book also covers naturalist Joseph Banks.
First Voyage (1768–1771): HMS Endeavour (Cook's beloved Whitby Cat) to observe "the transit of Venus" from Tahiti, where the food is plenty and the women are...um, welcoming. From there, it's off to New Zealand to meet the Maori and map the land...then to New Holland (Australia) Botony Bay (on the East Coast)...here, the interacted with the locals and pissed them off by killing too many sea turtles; they also discovered Kangaroo, which taste like beef & venison.
Cook's 2nd & 3rd voyages are not covered in great detail - being summed up in the Epilogue.
Second voyage (1772–1775): HMS Resolution
Third voyage (1776–1779): HMS Resolution & Capt Charles Clerke on the HMS Discovery to try and find the Northwest Passage.
All in, fascinating account of a shopkeeper who rose to become a maritime legend...only to be killed by misguided locals in Hawaii, who thought he was some sort of god (I think). Interesting that B.Franklin passed the word at the outset of the Rev War that Cook was to be left alone to continue his work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 31, 2021
4 stars
Captain James Cook. His name is taught to every Australian school student and no matter what your thoughts on him advising the English Government to ‘settle Australia’ are; the fact remains he’s an inconic historical figure. But just who is the man behind the title?
In his book James Cook: The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World; Peter FitzSimmons explores the myth, the man, the legend that Cook was regard as in the 1700s and constructs the story of the man who revolutionised cartography and mapped many countries in Australiasia.
First things first, this is not a book that deals with the atrocious act of declaring Australia terra nullius. You’ll need to look elsewhere for that. Instead, it’s a book about Cook the man. A story about how a boy from a poor family worked and studied hard; had an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time;
and had a contemporaneous talent for navigation and life at sea along with science and maths. It’s also the story of a man who loved deeply, cared greatly and inspired others.
For me, it was an eye opener on many accounts and I learnt a lot. FitzSimmons is excellent with his use of primary sources and, as always; this made the book for me. I also learnt a lot about Joseph Banks, which was an unexpected bonus. I’m glad that FitzSimmons included as much about him as he did as the contrast between the two men made for interesting reading and gave a context to a lot of the personal information that was given about Cook. It also added a lot to how Cook ‘discovered’ the places he did, given how egocentric Banks was.
Using the hard work of his researchers and an abundance of primary sources (which I loved), FitzSimmons delves into Cook’s world in a way that few historians have before. I also liked that it was not as thick as FitzSimmons’ books usually are. Whilst I’m always up for a long book if the plot/text is engaging; just looking at the thickness of some of FizSimmons’ books are the reason they are still sitting unread on my shelf.
A must for fans of Australian history, James Cook is a recommended read.
James Cook: The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World is my eighteenth read in #ktbookbingo, category ‘land or space exploration.’ To play along with my book bingo and to see what else I’m reading, go to #ktbookbingo or @kt_elder on Instagram.
Captain James Cook. His name is taught to every Australian school student and no matter what your thoughts on him advising the English Government to ‘settle Australia’ are; the fact remains he’s an inconic historical figure. But just who is the man behind the title?
In his book James Cook: The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World; Peter FitzSimmons explores the myth, the man, the legend that Cook was regard as in the 1700s and constructs the story of the man who revolutionised cartography and mapped many countries in Australiasia.
First things first, this is not a book that deals with the atrocious act of declaring Australia terra nullius. You’ll need to look elsewhere for that. Instead, it’s a book about Cook the man. A story about how a boy from a poor family worked and studied hard; had an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time;
and had a contemporaneous talent for navigation and life at sea along with science and maths. It’s also the story of a man who loved deeply, cared greatly and inspired others.
For me, it was an eye opener on many accounts and I learnt a lot. FitzSimmons is excellent with his use of primary sources and, as always; this made the book for me. I also learnt a lot about Joseph Banks, which was an unexpected bonus. I’m glad that FitzSimmons included as much about him as he did as the contrast between the two men made for interesting reading and gave a context to a lot of the personal information that was given about Cook. It also added a lot to how Cook ‘discovered’ the places he did, given how egocentric Banks was.
Using the hard work of his researchers and an abundance of primary sources (which I loved), FitzSimmons delves into Cook’s world in a way that few historians have before. I also liked that it was not as thick as FitzSimmons’ books usually are. Whilst I’m always up for a long book if the plot/text is engaging; just looking at the thickness of some of FizSimmons’ books are the reason they are still sitting unread on my shelf.
A must for fans of Australian history, James Cook is a recommended read.
James Cook: The Story Behind the Man who Mapped the World is my eighteenth read in #ktbookbingo, category ‘land or space exploration.’ To play along with my book bingo and to see what else I’m reading, go to #ktbookbingo or @kt_elder on Instagram.
July 5, 2020
Very enjoyable, and FitzSimons' writing style is very "storytelling" oriented rather than a dry recitation of facts.
Overall I would have liked a bit more substantive detail on early life and more depth into his development as a sailor, explorer and navigator, but it's impossible to know a) if that's just a factor of the author's style and focus, or b) if given the 200+ years of time and the fact that Cook wasn't famous until AFTER his voyages, it's understandable if there simply is very little archival documentation available.
I would have also liked to have more detail about his specific interactions with the natives in Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia. I became interested in Cook and the Endeavour on a recent trip to New Zealand and Australia, and hoped to really learn more about those native engagements. While I'd expect there would maps and log details/excerpts from both Cook's and Banks' writings, those were substantively lacking in this book.
Those minor issues aside, the story overall was informative, pleasant and a Good Read, and likely a very solid first choice for a Cook biography. However, I would read another if there was more depth and detail, so feel free to make a recommendation.
Overall I would have liked a bit more substantive detail on early life and more depth into his development as a sailor, explorer and navigator, but it's impossible to know a) if that's just a factor of the author's style and focus, or b) if given the 200+ years of time and the fact that Cook wasn't famous until AFTER his voyages, it's understandable if there simply is very little archival documentation available.
I would have also liked to have more detail about his specific interactions with the natives in Tahiti, New Zealand and Australia. I became interested in Cook and the Endeavour on a recent trip to New Zealand and Australia, and hoped to really learn more about those native engagements. While I'd expect there would maps and log details/excerpts from both Cook's and Banks' writings, those were substantively lacking in this book.
Those minor issues aside, the story overall was informative, pleasant and a Good Read, and likely a very solid first choice for a Cook biography. However, I would read another if there was more depth and detail, so feel free to make a recommendation.
April 9, 2025
Probably should have done more research to find out this was almost entirely about Cook's first journey to Tahiti, New Zealand, and Australia. For the length of it I really assumed we would cover his later voyages and death, which was a let down to not really learn about. But the personality of the crew and the seas were insightful, and Fitzsimons did a very colorful job bringing the cast to life.
James Cook through and through felt more like a Neil Armstrong than a Christopher Columbus. His humble Quaker upbringing and collected, matter-of-fact demeanor as a captain and navigator painted him as much more a technical engineer than a colonialist. The consequences of his voyage are not in doubt, but Fitzsimons takes careful attention to examine how Cook interacted with Maori, Polynesians and Aboriginals. Again, his sobriety and preoccupation with the tides and mapmaking mostly prevented anything close to a Columbian exchange, and his restraint also kept his men largely in check. Nathanial Banks was an insufferable, egotistical, and comical foil for highlighting the class differences that existed between Cook and most aristocrats.
Overall I think this was very well-written and researched, by a true expert. I wish it covered his whole life though.
James Cook through and through felt more like a Neil Armstrong than a Christopher Columbus. His humble Quaker upbringing and collected, matter-of-fact demeanor as a captain and navigator painted him as much more a technical engineer than a colonialist. The consequences of his voyage are not in doubt, but Fitzsimons takes careful attention to examine how Cook interacted with Maori, Polynesians and Aboriginals. Again, his sobriety and preoccupation with the tides and mapmaking mostly prevented anything close to a Columbian exchange, and his restraint also kept his men largely in check. Nathanial Banks was an insufferable, egotistical, and comical foil for highlighting the class differences that existed between Cook and most aristocrats.
Overall I think this was very well-written and researched, by a true expert. I wish it covered his whole life though.
September 19, 2021
When I had to drive to work every day, I would listen to an audiobook every day, averaging about 25 audiobooks a year. This is only the fourth one I’ve finished since I started my new job in May! No commute and a broken knee definitely impacted my listening time in a big way.
So, this listen was a long two months worth, but I enjoyed hearing the story of the life of James Cook, told in FitzSimons’ conversational, story-telling style. And it was as much the story of Joseph Banks included in the deal, which was an interesting contrast.
To be honest, I found some aspects of the book a little to invented to accept, given that I’d invested my time in non-fiction. Nevertheless, I do feel like I got a nice insight into the navigational adventures and significant historical moments experienced by Cook and his crews.
I am passionate about Australian history and I particularly liked the way FitzSimons handled writing about the impact of colonial expansionism upon native landowners all over the world.
I’ve read a lot of books by this author and I imagine I’ll read the rest over time. I like the way he tells a tale.
So, this listen was a long two months worth, but I enjoyed hearing the story of the life of James Cook, told in FitzSimons’ conversational, story-telling style. And it was as much the story of Joseph Banks included in the deal, which was an interesting contrast.
To be honest, I found some aspects of the book a little to invented to accept, given that I’d invested my time in non-fiction. Nevertheless, I do feel like I got a nice insight into the navigational adventures and significant historical moments experienced by Cook and his crews.
I am passionate about Australian history and I particularly liked the way FitzSimons handled writing about the impact of colonial expansionism upon native landowners all over the world.
I’ve read a lot of books by this author and I imagine I’ll read the rest over time. I like the way he tells a tale.
February 21, 2021
The book is largely based on the diaries of Cook and Banks and, despite the title, is mainly based on Cook’s first journey. Although there are some quotes from these diaries in large part the telling is a dramatisation. This artistic licence paints a somewhat reasonable picture of life on the journey of the Endeavour, however, I question where the information on Australian indigenous thinking in relation to the Endeavour came from, it is not reference adequately. But my reason for two stars is because I found the writing style difficult going and struggled to finish reading this book. It is hard to know what audience the author had in mind as it reads like a young persons novel not a history book for a general readership. I really like an exploration book with good figures and maps so I have to comment on the drawings of maps. What was the author thinking? A world map of the trip appears in the last pages of the book, almost like an afterthought, and other maps just don’t have sufficient detail to be informative at all.
August 18, 2023
All Peter Fitzsimmons books are written in a certain style that quite frankly grates. The subject matter is always interesting however the story interspersed with “Avast, ye matey” comments are annoying.
This book is pretty much the Endeavour voyage and treats his next to voyages as well as his death, as an Epilogue - not sure why.
Cook was no doubt an extraordinary individual, a man of science, an expert seaman and a good man who had the respect of his crew. To have voyaged in a wooden ship around the world mapping uncharted territory, sailing where no European had sailed before, in the late 1700s was an enormously brave and just plain incredible.
Joseph Banks doesn’t come across as very well respected as a man but as a Botanist he comes across as dedicated and resourceful.
Three stars just because the writing style and the title of the book which I felt should be “Captain Cook’s Endeavour Voyage” rather than what it was titled.
This book is pretty much the Endeavour voyage and treats his next to voyages as well as his death, as an Epilogue - not sure why.
Cook was no doubt an extraordinary individual, a man of science, an expert seaman and a good man who had the respect of his crew. To have voyaged in a wooden ship around the world mapping uncharted territory, sailing where no European had sailed before, in the late 1700s was an enormously brave and just plain incredible.
Joseph Banks doesn’t come across as very well respected as a man but as a Botanist he comes across as dedicated and resourceful.
Three stars just because the writing style and the title of the book which I felt should be “Captain Cook’s Endeavour Voyage” rather than what it was titled.
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