Book cover of Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before

Book description

In an exhilarating tale of historic adventure, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Confederates in the Attic retraces the voyages of Captain James Cook, the Yorkshire farm boy who drew the map of the modern world

Captain James Cook's three epic journeys in the 18th century were the last great voyages…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Blue Latitudes as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I had enjoyed Tony Horwitz's work before ("Blue Latitudes") and chose "Spying on the South" really for that reason and the very sad reason that this was his last book.
To be honest, having read several works about the American South including Paul Theroux's, "Deep South" and having taken a swipe at characterizing that part of our beloved homeland myself in, "Travels With Max: In Search of Steinbeck's America Fifty Years Later" I didn't expect to learn much. But I did, actually and you will too. And while doing so you will enjoy Horwitz's self-deprecating, humorous and insightful perspective.

This is one of my favorite books ever. Horwitz’s project was to follow famous travelers, and Blue Latitudes follows Captain Cook on a voyage that Cook himself characterized as having gone “farther than any other man has been before.” (Trekkies take note: Cook/Kirk, “farther than any other man has been before”/”boldly go where no man has been before.” Who knew?) 

Star Trek aside, Horwitz, accompanied by his hard-drinking sidekick Roger, boldly goes where Cook went, exploring history, culture, and the legacies of European colonialism on their way. In between bouts of laughter, we learn a lot about the South…

From Susan's list on blending memoir, travel, and history.

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