The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voy...

Description: From New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides, an epic account of the most momentous voyage of the Age of Exploration, which culminated in Captain James Cook’s death in Hawaii, and left a complex and controversial legacy still debated to this day. “Sides has mastered the art of you-are-there historical narrative. A thrilling and necessary update to one of history’s most consequential cultural collisions." —John Vaillant, New York Times bestselling author of Fire Weather and The Tiger On July 12th, 1776, Captain James Cook, already lionized as the greatest explorer in British history, set off on his third voyage in his ship the HMS Resolution. Two-and-a-half years later, on a beach on the island of Hawaii, Cook was killed in a conflict with native Hawaiians. How did Cook, who was unique among captains for his respect for Indigenous peoples and cultures, come to that fatal moment? Hampton Sides’ bravura account of Cook’s last journey both wrestles with Cook’s legacy and provides a thrilling narrative of the titanic efforts and continual danger that characterized exploration in the 1700s. Cook was renowned for his peerless seamanship, his humane leadership, and his dedication to science-–the famed naturalist Joseph Banks accompanied him on his first voyage, and Cook has been called one of the most important figures of the Age of Enlightenment. He was also deeply interested in the native people he encountered. In fact, his stated mission was to return a Tahitian man, Mai, who had become the toast of London, to his home islands. On previous expeditions, Cook mapped huge swaths of the Pacific, including the east coast of Australia, and initiated first European contact with numerous peoples. He treated his crew well, and endeavored to learn about the societies he encountered with curiosity and without judgment. Yet something was different on this last voyage. Cook became mercurial, resorting to the lash to enforce discipline, and led his two vessels into danger time and again. Uncharacteristically, he ordered violent retaliation for perceived theft on the part of native peoples. This may have had something to do with his secret orders, which were to chart and claim lands before Britain’s imperial rivals could, and to discover the fabled Northwest Passage. Whatever Cook’s intentions, his scientific efforts were the sharp edge of the colonial sword, and the ultimate effects of first contact were catastrophic for Indigenous people around the world. The tensions between Cook’s overt and covert missions came to a head on the shores of Hawaii. His first landing there was harmonious, but when Cook returned after mapping the coast of the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, his exploitative treatment of the Hawaiians led to the fatal encounter. At once a ferociously-paced story of adventure on the high seas and a searching examination of the complexities and consequences of the Age of Exploration, THE WIDE WIDE SEA is a major work from one of our finest narrative nonfiction writers. Product details Publisher ‏ : ‎ Doubleday Language ‏ : ‎ English Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 432 pages ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0385544766 ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0385544764 Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.67 pounds SHIPPING Shipping All items fast! The majority of orders are shipped using USPS Priority Mail and UPS Ground if requested. There is an option at checkout to add a Signature of Delivery for extra security & peace of mind. This means you need to sign for your parcel. If you are not home, the courier will take it to your local post office for collection. We also offer expedited shipments upon request, we will quote the shipment and let you know of the estimated cost. If agreed we will process the order and add the shipping charge to your invoice. All items ordered by 3 PM EST will be shipped same day. We also are partnered with Ebay using the Global Shipping Program. We will ship internationally to any country that is a part of the program. "International buyers – please note: Import duties, taxes, and charges aren't included in the item price or postage cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. "Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be, prior to bidding or buying." Alaska/Hawaii/Puerto Rico charge extra : $30.00 Canada $50.00  *Additional taxes may apply Every item we ship is fully insured. You will receive a shipment confirmation and tracking number as soon as your item leaves our facility.    We offer same day shipment for orders submitted before 2:00 pm EST. Should an item arrive with damaged packaging, or if the item was damaged during shipment, you must contact us within 24 hours of receiving your item.  You can email us during our business hours at (email address). In the case of return due to a manufacturer defect, the cost of return shipping will be free.  All items must be returned within 30 days of the purchase ship date.  Please note that we do not refund the cost of shipping for returns and exchanges.  If you received free shipping, the cost that we paid to ship the item to you will not be refunded. PAYMENT We accepts the following methods of online payment: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, PayPal, and store credit. We also accept wire transfers on orders above $2,000.00 as well as certified checks. Please cantact us  for this type of payment. Security RETURNS If you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase you may return your item within 30 days from the ship date. A full refund will be issued only if: The item is never worn. The item's plastic protectors and stickers are all intact and have not been removed. There have been no sizing changes. Please note that we do not refund the cost of shipping.  The price to ship your return will be deducted from the total refund amount based on the original shipping method.  If you received free shipping, the cost that we paid to ship the watch to you will not be refunded.  Any items being returned to us must be clearly labeled with the authorization number given to you by our customer service team.  Please include the reason for your return within the return package.  Packages that are shipped collect or improperly labeled will be refused.  Your item(s) must be return shipped through a courier that can be tracked such as UPS, FedEx or USPS with insurance and delivery prepaid.  The customer is liable for any damages or lost packages during transit to us. Any items returned to us may be subject to a 20% restocking fee. The refund price (after restocking and shipping fees are deducted) will be issued to you via the original method of payment for your purchase. FEEDBACK Our all customers are 100% satisfied. If you have any issues with your orders, please contact us to resolve it. We are happy to help you EXCHANGE CANCELLATION You need to send us an order cancellation request through eBay before the shipment made. once we have the request, we will approve it from our end and grant your full refund back to your account. CONTACT US Please send us an email via ebay. We will reply within 24 hours. Copyright © | All Rights Reserved

Price: 29.5 USD

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2024-12-30T22:19:10.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD

Product Images

Item Specifics

Restocking Fee: No

Return shipping will be paid by: Seller

All returns accepted: Returns Accepted

Item must be returned within: 30 Days

Refund will be given as: Money back or replacement (buyer's choice)

Original Language: English

Unit Quantity: 1

ISBN: 0385544766

Book Title: Wide Wide Sea : Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook

Item Length: 9.5in

Item Height: 1.5in

Item Width: 6.3in

Author: Hampton Sides

Format: Hardcover

Language: English

Topic: Adventurers & Explorers, United States / State & Local / West (Ak, CA, Co, Hi, Id, Mt, Nv, Ut, WY), Essays & Travelogues, History, Maritime History & Piracy, United States / West / Pacific (Ak, CA, Hi, Or, Wa), Expeditions & Discoveries, Europe / Great Britain / Georgian Era (1714-1837), Oceania

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Publication Year: 2024

Genre: Biography & Autobiography, Travel, Science, History

Item Weight: 26.5 Oz

Number of Pages: 432 Pages