The Wide Wide Sea

From New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides,an epic account of the most momentous voyage of the Age of Explorationwhich culminated in Captain James Cook’s death in Hawaiiand left a complex and controversial legacy still debated to this day On July 12th1776Captain James Cookalready lionized as the greatest explorer in British historyset off on his third voyage in his ship the HMS Resolution. Two-and-a-half years lateron a beach on the island of HawaiiCook was killed in a conflict with native Hawaiians. How did Cookwho was unique among captains for his respect for Indigenous peoples and culturescome to that fatal moment? Hampton Sides’ bravura account of Cook’s last journey both wrestles with Cook’s legacy and provides a thrilling narrative of the titanic efforts and continual danger that characterized exploration in the 1700s. Cook was renowned for his peerless seamanshiphis humane leadershipand his dedication to science–the famed naturalist Joseph Banks accompanied him on his first voyageand Cook has been called one of the most important figures of the Age of Enlightenment. He was also deeply interested in the native people he encountered. In facthis stated mission was to return a Tahitian manMaiwho had become the toast of Londonto his home islands. On previous expeditionsCook mapped huge swaths of the Pacificincluding the east coast of Australiaand initiated first European contact with numerous peoples. He treated his crew welland endeavored to learn about the societies he encountered with curiosity and without judgment. Yet something was different on this last voyage. Cook became mercurialresorting to the lash to enforce disciplineand led his two vessels into danger time and again. Uncharacteristicallyhe ordered violent retaliation for perceived theft on the part of native peoples. This may have had something to do with his secret orderswhich were to chart and claim lands before Britain’s imperial rivals couldand to discover the fabled Northwest Passage. Whatever Cook’s intentionshis scientific efforts were the sharp edge of the colonial swordand the ultimate effects of first contact were catastrophic for Indigenous people around the world. The tensions between Cook’s overt and covert missions came to a head on the shores of Hawaii. His first landing there was harmoniousbut when Cook returned after mapping the coast of the Pacific Northwest and Alaskahis exploitative treatment of the Hawaiians led to the fatal encounter. At once a ferociously-paced story of adventure on the high seas and a searching examination of the complexities and consequences of the Age of ExplorationTHE WIDE WIDE SEA is a major work from one of our finest narrative nonfiction writers.