Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before

Tony Horwitz retraces the three epic voyages of Captain James Cook in the eighteenth century. Cook's ships traveled 150,000 miles across the globe—from the Arctic to the Antarctic, Tasmania to Oregon, Easter Island to Siberia. When Cook departed for the Pacific in 1768, a third of the world remained unmapped. By his death in Hawaii in 1779, the world map was substantially complete. Horwitz recounts Cook's journeys and the scenes he encountered, including tropical customs, taboo rituals, and human sacrifice. He follows Cook's route to places such as Tahiti, Savage Island, and the Great Barrier Reef to examine Cook's legacy today. Horwitz also works as a crewman aboard a replica of Cook's vessel, experiencing the challenges of sailing a tall ship. The book explores Cook's life: an impoverished farm boy who overcame class barriers to become Britain's greatest navigator. Horwitz also presents the perspectives of indigenous peoples—Tahitians, Maoris, Aleuts, Hawaiians, and others—affected by Cook's voyages and their role in creating the interconnected world of today.