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Loading... Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Beforeby Tony Horwitz
An enjoyable and informative read--fascinating account of Captain Cook, his voyages, accomplishments, origins and death. (  ) nmele | Apr 6, 2013 |  There are literally not enough stars for me to give this book. The style is highly readable, informative without being even remotely dry, and the author's sense of humor really helps to make the book a deceptively quick read. Perhaps more importantly to me, the references are immaculate and all the historical information is very well-researched. I initially borrowed this book from the Maine Charitable Mechanics Association Membership Library in Portland, Maine, but adore it so much that I'm going to buy a copy the first chance I get. A must-read for anyone who still wants to grow up to be an adventurer. (  ) themythicalcodfish | Aug 8, 2012 | In Blue Latitudes, Pulitzer winning writer Tony Horowitz describes his adventures following the path of Captain Cook. His achingly funny, yet candid account of his travels will leave you in stitches. Horowitz describes in detail his trip around the world and his encounters with some of the most colorful characters you’ll ever meet! Horowitz artfully mixes facts with humor as he educates you in the life of Captain Cook. The book switches flawlessly between Cook’s travels and Horowitz’s own. You are able to see both the similarities and the differences between their experiences. I never thought I could laugh and learn at the same time, but Blue Latitudes proved me wrong! I found myself laughing while actually absorbing information about this interesting man. It takes a truly skilled writer to entertain one as much as Horowitz does. I highly recommend this book whether you’re a traveler or not; you can brave the high seas from the safety of your own couch or bring this book along with you as you sail the waters yourself! MrsHoran | Jun 14, 2012 | In Blue Latitudes, author Tony Horowitz travels the routes of the great explorer Captain James Cook. At each of the locations Cook visited, Horowitz compares the modern-day realities to the status during Cook’s 18th century visit. The book focuses on 3 of Cook’s global explorations, the last of which ended with his tragic demise in the Hawaiian Islands. The book does an amazing job at comparing modern-day locations to what Cook discovered, and collects opinions from the current residents. One example is in Niue, known to Cook as Savage Island, due to the Natives’ red teeth, and savage, cannibalistic appearance. Horowitz discovers that Niue has always been a very calm and inviting place, with no history of cannibalism; a special banana was the cause of their red teeth. In Cooktown, Australia, an annual festival celebrates Cook’s arrival date; Horowitz finds that the festival is more of a mockery, and isn’t very historical. The book examines what Cook represents to people living in the areas he “discovered”. The book also gives interesting details about Cook’s voyages and about his reputation in the world. AlexaFaith | Apr 5, 2012 | This was a fun read but not great history. ( ) phillund | Feb 7, 2012 |
Tony Horwitz has done it again. In his earlier, riveting book, "Confederates in the Attic," he journeyed through the South to explore the rich and thorny legacy of the Civil War. With the same keen insight, open- mindedness and laugh-out-loud humor, he undertakes another daunting quest in "Blue Latitudes" -- to travel across the globe in search of the memory of Captain James Cook, the 18th century English explorer whose ambition led him, as he famously put it, "not only farther than any other man has been before me, but as far I think it possible for man to go."
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