Captain James Cook and the Search for Antarctica (Hardback)
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9781526753571
Published: 18th May 2020
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Two hundred and fifty years ago Captain James Cook, during his extraordinary voyages of exploration, searched for Antarctica – the Unknown Southern Continent. During parts of his three voyages in the southern Pacific and Southern Oceans, Cook ‘narrowed the options’ for the location of Antarctica. Over three summers, he completed a circumnavigation of portions of the Southern Continent, encountering impenetrable barriers of ice, and he suggested the continent existed, a frozen land not populated by a living soul. Yet his Antarctic voyages are perhaps the least studied of all his remarkable travels. That is why James Hamilton’s gripping and scholarly study, which brings together the stories of Cook’s Antarctic journeys into a single volume, is such an original and timely addition to the literature on Cook and eighteenth-century exploration.
Using Cook's journals and the log books of officers who sailed with him, the book sets his Antarctic explorations within the context of his historic voyages. The main focus is on the Second Voyage (1772-1775), but brief episodes in the First Voyage (during 1769) and the Third Voyage (1776) are part of the story. Throughout the narrative Cook’s exceptional seamanship and navigational skills, and that of his crew, are displayed during often-difficult passages in foul weather across uncharted and inhospitable seas.
Captain Cook and the Search for Antarctica offers the reader a fascinating insight into Cook the seaman and explorer, and it will be essential reading for anyone who has a particular interest the history of the Southern Continent.
Featured in
The Polar Times
Captain James Cook and the Search for Antarctica is well researched and Hamilton’s exceptional historical investigation is noteworthy. Hamilton provides the readers with extensive excerpts from Cook’s and his scientist companions’ journals as well as from officers’ master log books. While these thorough accounts inspire the imagination and allow readers to perceive the journey and the search for the most elusive continent, the book is an academic read. I would recommend this book to scholars of maritime history and anyone who is interested in factual details of eighteenth-century seafaring.
Nautical Research Journal
An extremely well-researched book which will give hours of pleasure to all those interested in Cook and his voyages.
World Ship Society - Marine News, November 2020
Featured in
Mariners Mirror
This is the first detailed study of Captain Cook’s three voyages of exploration, searching for the unknown Southern Continent, Antarctica. The author has provided a key work on Captain Cook and this book is likely to remain the definitive work on the subject. – Most Highly Recommended
Firetrench
Read the full review here
Two hundred and fifty years ago Captain James Cook, during his extraordinary voyages of navigation and maritime exploration, searched for Antarctica – the Unknown Southern Continent. During parts of his three voyages in the southern Pacific and Southern Oceans, Cook narrowed the options for the location of Antarctica. Over three summers, he completed a circumnavigation of portions of the Southern Continent, encountering impenetrable barriers of ice, suggesting that in fact the continent existed, a frozen land not populated by a living soul. His Antarctic voyages are perhaps the least celebrated of all his remarkable travels: this book goes quite some way to remedying that.\r\n\r\nRead the full review here
Julian Stockwin
I was brought up reading books like With Clive in India, and even though that particular title and the others I read as a young boy were sanitised and heavily edited, the premise was the same, and I congratulate James Hamilton for turning in the kind of history book I was familiar with back in the 1950s. Superb.
Books Monthly
I loved this book. I have recently become interested in early Arctic exploration including the Franklin expedition and this was a great re-telling of Cooks expidition. I found it well researched and was happy to read it.
NetGalley, Dale Dewitt
A look at his three voyages and three ships, who he was and some of the people who backed him and worked with him. Maps of the three journeys and other trips. Very informational and have details of the voyages and day to day things or events.
NetGalley, Alexandra Roth
Cook's series of voyages toward, around, then in Antarctica told in a steady, albeit stiff documentarian writing style, i.e. you can almost hear the skid of a pointing stick against a map and/or chalkboard the further you go into the book. Beyond just the travels is his involvement in the Royal Navy, the outfitting of his ships, observations of animals and people, terrible inclement weather, and contributions to history’s voyagers, mapmakers, and even astronomers with his discovery.
NetGalley, Kristine Fisher
The passion Dr. Hamilton has for his subject is unmistakeable and his dedication to research is unarguable. There is an incredible level of detail in the book and it's focus on the three explorations of the Antarctic area allow for a very laser focused approach.
NetGalley, Jennifer Ruth
About Dr James C Hamilton
Dr James Hamilton is a professional historian and retired administrator who earned his PhD in British and European history at the University of Iowa. He has a long-standing interest in the voyages of Captain Cook and has published many articles on his Antarctica and Sub-Antarctic travels in Cook's Log, the quarterly journal of the Captain Cook Society. In addition to his special interest in Captain Cook, he is a keen stamp collector and philatelist and he has contributed to the New CartoPhilatelic Journal and American Philatelist.
Born on this day - James Cook
27th October 1728
Cook explored thousands of miles across largely uncharted areas of the globe, surveying, recording and naming features for the first time.
Captain James Cook becomes 1st to cross Antarctic Circle (66° 33' S)
17th January 1773
Captain James Cook becomes 1st to cross Antarctic Circle (66° 33' S)