Known twentieth century books
Eighteenth century books
below
His Majesty's Bark Endeavour. The story of the ship and her people Macarthur, Antonia. 1997
Captain James Cook Endeavours Rae, Julia. 1997
Captain Cook and His Exploration of the Pacific. The story of Britain's most famous scientific navigator and his charting of the South Seas Morriss, Roger. 1977
The Voyage of the Endeavour Waters, Colin. 1997
King George's Bark Endeavour. The Whitby-built ship in which James Cook R.N. circumnavigated the globe from 26th August 1768 1997
Mr. Bligh's Bad Language Dening, Greg. 1992
Captain James Cook - freemason? Clemens, Roy H. 1980
Fellowship of Three Beasley, A.W. 1993.
Discovery and Exploration Hordern House. 1998
By Antonia Macarthur and John Longley, was published in 1997 by Addax Retail Publishing Ltd (ISBN 1-86007-051-5).
The first half of the book explains how the replica was built, her rigging and sailing capabilities and layout above and below decks. The second half describes Cook, his officers and seamen, the Royal Society and the Transit of Venus, Joseph Banks and his group, health and diet at sea, as well as the Endeavour's voyage. Only 31 pages, but they are A4 size.
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1418, volume 20, number 3 (1997).
By Antonia Macarthur, was published in 1997 by Angus & Robertson (ISBN 0-207-19180-8).
This book describes the background to the voyage and what happened during it. Unusually it contains a ship's crew list that has biographical details of the men, and a list of the nine Endeavour journals (none by Cook) held in the Public Records Office at Kew, London. 86 pages with 73 illustrations: the familiar, the unusual; photos of the replica and specially drawn sketches. I have read many books, but I still learnt something new!
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1418, volume 20, number 3 (1997).
By Julia Rae, published by the Stepney Historical Trust (ISBN 0-9517924-1-5).
Building on her previous book From Whitby to Wapping. The story of the early years of Captain James Cook (Stepney Historical Trust, 1991, 0-9517924-0-7), Julia describes the results of recent researches into Cook's early life at Marton, Great Ayton, Staithes, Whitby, East London, Canada and Newfoundland, taking him "from farm boy to King's surveyor". 118 pages and 48 illustrations, some of which have never before appeared in a book. Many people do not know much about James Cook before he became famous. After reading this book they will feel well informed.
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1418, volume 20, number 3 (1997).
By Roger Morriss. It is a Snapping-turtle guide, by Ticktock Publishing Ltd (ISBN 1-86007-032-9).
Its 32 pages may seem few, but its packed with more illustrations that many books twice its size; there are 6 on the cover alone and over 90 inside! Rather than a long narrative, the text is broken up into bite-size chunks increasing its appeal to those people not already smitten by our hero. Buy two: one to keep and one to give away to the person who doesn't understand "what all the fuss is about".
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1418, volume 20, number 3 (1997).
By Colin Waters, Whitby Press, 1997, 12 pages.
Nothing new. A few errors!
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1418, volume 20, number 3 (1997).
Published by the Whitby Literary & Philosophical Society, 1997 (ISBN 0-902074-12-1), 24 pages.
Nothing new. A good read.
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1418, volume 20, number 3 (1997).
By Greg Dening, was published by Cambridge University Press in 1992 (ISBN 0-521-38370-6).
I'm ever on the lookout for material to submit for Cook's Log, and when I saw the title of the book Mr. Bligh's Bad Language, I thought that I might learn more about Cook's master on the third voyage. I found a goldmine in Greg Dening's carefully researched book. He is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Melbourne.
Captain Bligh's patron, Sir Joseph Banks, had a great deal to do with the renovation of the Bethia (later called the Bounty) making the plant nursery take precedence over crew's and officers' quarters. Perhaps the crowding of personnel was responsible for the eventual mutiny.
Bligh's bad language was more criticized than his tendency toward violence. Dening gives many examples of what was considered "bad" (page 56). In fact in 1805 Bligh was court-martialled for bad language long after the Bounty experience.
I enjoyed this quote concerning use of languages: "So if, at a later date, the loyal sailors of HMS Pinafore gave three hearty cheers and one cheer more for a captain who never, well, hardly ever, used a big, big D---, they were only acting out of a social satire that helped control sailors through the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries."
The author defends Bligh's degree of violence by comparing his flogging record with that of fifteen other British captains who were exploring the Pacific from 1765 until 1793. Cook's and Vancouver's flogging record showed much more severity than Bligh's.
Professor Dening takes us on Bligh's journey from the mutiny to his arrival at Portsmouth some ten months and fifteen days later, giving amazing details along the way. The descriptions of ducking, yarning and dancing aboard ship I found most illuminating.
The section "Dreams of perfect naval discipline" as expressed by Jonas Hanway was an amazing approach to creating disciplined sailors (pages 133-140). The chapter entitled "Sharks That Walk on the Land" presented an account of Cook's disastrous visit to Kealakekua Bay that I had not read about in such detail. The time of Lono called "makahiki" was explained.
The task of writing of the Pacific discoveries of Byron, Wallis, Carteret and Cook was given to John Hawkesworth, I had not realized what an effect such a publication had upon the English people. The scandals, negative criticism and bitterness was a great embarrassment to Joseph Banks and probably led to Hawkesworth's death.
Mr. Bligh's Bad Language by Greg Dening (Cambridge University Press) makes for fascinating reading.
Reviewer: John Dusel
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1481, volume 21, number 1 (1998).
By Roy H. Clemens, published by Masonic Public Library, Honolulu in 1980.
This is an interesting little work prompted by the author reading in two Freemasonry journals articles that stated that Cook was a Freemason. In ten pages he sets out the evidence for and against and comes out firmly against Cook having been a member.
Reviewer: John Robson
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1525, volume 21, number 3 (1998).
By A.W. Beasley, published by Kangaroo Press in 1993 (ISBN 0864175426).
A.W. Beasley, a retired orthopaedic surgeon, of Wellington, New Zealand wrote this 80 page book based on material he compiled for the Herbert Moran Memorial Lecture at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. It was fittingly published in the bicentenary year of the death of John Hunter.
In this book, Dr Beasley writes of John Hunter, famous surgeon, the navigator James Cook, and naturalist Joseph Banks. All three were contemporaries, and were linked - all being fellows of the Royal Society.
An interesting book to all fans of Captain Cook.
Reviewer: Ray Ward
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1556, volume 21, number 4 (1998).
By Hordern House, published by Hordern House in 1998 (ISBN 1875567216).
A catalogue of 481 books for sale. Of the many Cook voyage items I will quote two.
106. Hawkesworth's Account of the Voyages... in the Southern Hemisphere, three volumes, quarto, with 52 finely engraved maps and plates; in contemporary calf skilfully rebacked; slight staining to edges of a few pages in the first volume, otherwise a very good set. London, W. Strahan, 1773 A$12,500
114. Captain James Cook's A Voyage towards the South Pole, and Round the World, Performed in His Majesty's Ships the Resolution and Adventure..., two volumes, quarto, with frontispiece portrait and 63 engraved charts, portraits and plates; a few slight spots or stains; an excellent set in contemporary lightly sprinkled calf, flat spines panelled in gilt; joints skilfully renewed. London, W. Strahan and T. Cadell, 1777. A$10,500
Reviewer: Ian Boreham
Originally published in Cook's Log, page 1557, volume 21, number 4 (1998).