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billblume's review against another edition
5.0
Most of my favored reading involves mystery, fantasy or suspense, but every so often, something different makes it through the cracks. With that in mind, let me introduce you to Tony Horwitz’s Blue Latitudes.
In Blue Latitudes, Tony follows the adventures of the explorer Captain Cook. Had anyone asked me before reading this book who Cook was, I’d have probably guessed he was a pirate (which says little for my knowledge of world history). Cook might well stand as the British Empire’s greatest and most notorious naval explorer. To keep Cook’s story from devolving into some dull textbook history lesson, Tony visits the same places Cook’s explorations took him. His many stops include Australia, Alaska and Hawaii (where Cook was killed). Tony’s mirror voyages inject a lot of humor into this book, and his writing takes advantage of his misadventures which include a hunt for a rare red banana, vast amounts of alcohol and an unintentional act of car theft.
Tony’s conversational writing style makes this book akin to a barside chat with an old friend. His own love for Cook and Cook’s accomplishments infected me as I read the book. Quite often, Cook became hated for bringing the “modern world” and all its ills to what were once pristine islands and other remote civilizations. The truth is that he was merely the messenger. The modern world was coming... with or without Cook. His fame and crime is being first.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing to see was how Tony became Cook. Nowhere did this prove more true than his visit to the isolated island of Niue. Tony found next to nothing documented about this place, so when he visited it, he set foot upon the island knowing little more than Cook. When he arrived, the locals greeted him with smiles, but by the time he had left, Tony received mostly dirty looks. His welcome had definitely worn out. This pretty much sums up Cook’s story almost everywhere he went.
One reason I read this book was because I met the author at the first James River Writer’s Conference in October of 2003. Tony was joined by another Virginia author Dean King (Skeletons of the Zahara) in a session about non-fiction writing. Tony’s discussion of his adventures made me curious enough to buy his book, and I’m glad I did. My only regret is that I waited a year after buying Blue Latitudes to read it.
In Blue Latitudes, Tony follows the adventures of the explorer Captain Cook. Had anyone asked me before reading this book who Cook was, I’d have probably guessed he was a pirate (which says little for my knowledge of world history). Cook might well stand as the British Empire’s greatest and most notorious naval explorer. To keep Cook’s story from devolving into some dull textbook history lesson, Tony visits the same places Cook’s explorations took him. His many stops include Australia, Alaska and Hawaii (where Cook was killed). Tony’s mirror voyages inject a lot of humor into this book, and his writing takes advantage of his misadventures which include a hunt for a rare red banana, vast amounts of alcohol and an unintentional act of car theft.
Tony’s conversational writing style makes this book akin to a barside chat with an old friend. His own love for Cook and Cook’s accomplishments infected me as I read the book. Quite often, Cook became hated for bringing the “modern world” and all its ills to what were once pristine islands and other remote civilizations. The truth is that he was merely the messenger. The modern world was coming... with or without Cook. His fame and crime is being first.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing to see was how Tony became Cook. Nowhere did this prove more true than his visit to the isolated island of Niue. Tony found next to nothing documented about this place, so when he visited it, he set foot upon the island knowing little more than Cook. When he arrived, the locals greeted him with smiles, but by the time he had left, Tony received mostly dirty looks. His welcome had definitely worn out. This pretty much sums up Cook’s story almost everywhere he went.
One reason I read this book was because I met the author at the first James River Writer’s Conference in October of 2003. Tony was joined by another Virginia author Dean King (Skeletons of the Zahara) in a session about non-fiction writing. Tony’s discussion of his adventures made me curious enough to buy his book, and I’m glad I did. My only regret is that I waited a year after buying Blue Latitudes to read it.
bookworm_anna's review against another edition
4.0
I knew nothing about Capitan Cook, nor did I have much desire to learn anything about his, when I picked up this book. I chose it solely b/c I have loved Horwitz's other books, and was interested in whatever he was interested in! I definitely enjoyed it. It gave fascinating insight into European encounters with Pacific Islanders. I also liked how Horwitz connects what happened in the past with what is happening today, and how Cook's encounters shaped (or not) what happened later. However, I will say that it does get a little slow towards the end. Horwitz follows Cook to the bitter end, and the end isn't quite as interesting as the beginning. I do love his sidekick, Roger, though!
lmfm's review against another edition
4.0
I liked this book but I didn't love it as much as "Confederates in the Attic" or "Voyage Long and Strange". Like most of Horwitz's books, this is a mix of history and travelogue. In this one, I thought the historical sections relating directly to Cook and his voyages were really interesting and well-done but I struggled more with Horwitz's modern journey. He travels the Pacific but seems to enjoy very little of it, and it seems like he is jumping from one economically depressed area grappling with a loss of traditional culture to the next. Perhaps that is Cook's legacy but it wasn't until the last few pages that he really tied all of it together. The history and modern legacy of Captain Cook is certainly a fascinating subject and this was a good read.
officerdean's review against another edition
5.0
I have been reading books about sailing and came across this at the book store. Strangely, I was not aware of any of Tony Horowitz's work. I definitely am now. I really enjoyed this book. The skipping back and forth from Tony's present day travels, following Captain Cook, to Captain Cook's actual adventures was well organized and flowing. The travelogue was entertaining, Roger is hysterical, and I laughed out loud a number of times. The history was educational and very well researched. It was a perfect balance. I really enjoyed Tony's perspective on Cook's travels. He really tried to immerse himself and it showed. A lot of very thought provoking writing that I would think on after I put the book down every day. I will definitely be reading more of Tony's work.
midwinteraz's review against another edition
3.0
An intrepid reporter and his rough-around-the edges buddy set off to retrace the three voyages of Captain Cook around the world. Some sections dragged on for too long, but the anecdotes were entertaining, and the book made a valiant attempt to tie together the various myths and truths about Captain Cook's life and times. Historical passages were interwoven with modern-day observations of post-contact/post-colonial life throughout the South Pacific and up through the Alaskan peninsula.
ehays84's review against another edition
5.0
Man, I love Tony Horwitz books. I believe I have read 4 now by him, and I think I have given them all 5 stars. He is so devoted to his task, and his research and then willingness to travel and face crazy sitautions is so unique. His writing is also quite fun to read. Mainly, though, it is his unique blend of travel and history that I love the most. The two other authors I know of that come the closest are Bill Bryson and William Dalrymple, but they aren't quite the same.
This book taught me so much about naval life in the late 18th century, the Pacific, and Captain Cook, all of which I knew next to nothing about beforehand, seemingly. I would have said that I knew something, but this book convinced me I really didn't. It also convinced me that I would dearly love to visit New Zealand and Hawaii someday.
I wonder if anyone besides myself has written about the similarities between Bryson's pseudonym friend and travel companion, Katz, and Horwitz's I assume true-named friend and travel compansion, Roger. Both are a bit (ok, a lot) bawdy, iconoclastic, overweight, alcoholic, and hilarious. Bryson and Horwitz aren't exactly playing the straight man in their travel works, but the duality with these two pairs certainly makes for more interesting reading. You end up seeing everything they visit through two sets of eyes and worldviews rather than just one (of highly educated and fairly well off white Americans).
Finally, I had a good friend in college from Unalaska, the spot way out on the Aleutians that Horwitz and Roger visit for a while because Cook did. We always kind of wondered, "how did you wind up at Wheaton College (in Chicagoland)?" Learning more about Unalaska makes me even more surprised at him surfacing there, but also much less surprised that he ended up flopping out of Wheaton because of a drinking habit and the sure knowledge that he could go back home and make a bundle of money on fishing boats (even if it's one of the most dangerous professions in the world). Poor Nathan, I hope you are well wherever you are, and that you haven't given up on God. Unalaska had to be an incredibly hard place to grow up, especially as a white evangelical Christian. Being from a place that gets over 150 inches of snow a year and has probably the most notorious barfights anywhere in the 50 states doesn't exactly set you up to succeed at Wheaton College.
I'm already looking forward to my next Horwitz read.
This book taught me so much about naval life in the late 18th century, the Pacific, and Captain Cook, all of which I knew next to nothing about beforehand, seemingly. I would have said that I knew something, but this book convinced me I really didn't. It also convinced me that I would dearly love to visit New Zealand and Hawaii someday.
I wonder if anyone besides myself has written about the similarities between Bryson's pseudonym friend and travel companion, Katz, and Horwitz's I assume true-named friend and travel compansion, Roger. Both are a bit (ok, a lot) bawdy, iconoclastic, overweight, alcoholic, and hilarious. Bryson and Horwitz aren't exactly playing the straight man in their travel works, but the duality with these two pairs certainly makes for more interesting reading. You end up seeing everything they visit through two sets of eyes and worldviews rather than just one (of highly educated and fairly well off white Americans).
Finally, I had a good friend in college from Unalaska, the spot way out on the Aleutians that Horwitz and Roger visit for a while because Cook did. We always kind of wondered, "how did you wind up at Wheaton College (in Chicagoland)?" Learning more about Unalaska makes me even more surprised at him surfacing there, but also much less surprised that he ended up flopping out of Wheaton because of a drinking habit and the sure knowledge that he could go back home and make a bundle of money on fishing boats (even if it's one of the most dangerous professions in the world). Poor Nathan, I hope you are well wherever you are, and that you haven't given up on God. Unalaska had to be an incredibly hard place to grow up, especially as a white evangelical Christian. Being from a place that gets over 150 inches of snow a year and has probably the most notorious barfights anywhere in the 50 states doesn't exactly set you up to succeed at Wheaton College.
I'm already looking forward to my next Horwitz read.
misajane79's review against another edition
4.0
Not quite as engaging or funny as Confederates in the Attic, but then I didn't have an existing interest in the topic.
Still, Horwitz does what he does best--explore history and its ripple effects to the prsent. His passages on sailing on a replica Endeavor were amazing. Before reading, I knew next to nothing about Cook, and now I'm in awe of the miles traveled and the places discovered--and what that meant to native cultures. Worth checking out.
Still, Horwitz does what he does best--explore history and its ripple effects to the prsent. His passages on sailing on a replica Endeavor were amazing. Before reading, I knew next to nothing about Cook, and now I'm in awe of the miles traveled and the places discovered--and what that meant to native cultures. Worth checking out.