Farther Than Any Man: The Rise & Fall of Captain James Cook

Martin Dugard (2001)
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THE A5 BOOK REVIEW

Not many names are more synonymous with exploration than eighteenth century British navigator Captain James Cook.  His three voyages to the Pacific helped build a more accurate understanding of world geography with the first European visit to the Hawaiian Islands, the first ship to cross the Antarctic circle, and the first circumnavigation around New Zealand.  He sailed thousands of miles through uncharted waters over twelve years, and the story of his experience, his motivation, and his perseverance is inspiring.  This isn't just facts and dates; Farther Than Any Man is a solid story about a farmer who rose through the ranks against the odds to leave his quaint English village to become one of the world's most famous sea captains.  These were arduous trips under extreme conditions: crazy weather, long spells of dreary repetition on deck, angry crews who wanted to go home, political battles with investors, and tense interactions with natives.  It wasn't uncommon to spend several months finding absolutely nothing.  The book also covers the background of Cook's death during a confrontation with some native Hawaiians and his crew.  Some critics have challenged some of the accuracy of some facts, but we still recommend it as one of the best biographies on Captain Cook.
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A5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THOSE THAT LIKE THIS BOOK

In Blue Latitudes, Tony Horwitz decided to retrace Cook's journey twenty years later, providing a modern point of view on Cook and a lot of laughs along the way.  Or enjoy two of the best stories of Antarctic exploration: The Worst Journey in the World and Endurance.  And finally, James Michener's Hawaii is an easy and entertaining way to learn about this region through historical fiction.

GREAT QUOTES FROM CAPTAIN JAMES COOK

"Ambition leads me not only farther than any other man has been before me, but as far as I think it possible for man to go"

"Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again."

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A MAP OF CAPTAIN COOK'S VOYAGES

The routes of Captain James Cook's three voyages. The first trip is shown in red, second trip in green, and the third is in blue. The route of Cook's crew following his death is shown as a dashed blue line.