The book alternates back and forth between Cook's 18th century experience and Mr. Horwitz's modern day travels. Horwitz does an excellent job of interpreting the various sources available and giving an account that the historical layperson can relate to. Key characters include the author, Cook, the colorful Joseph Banks (the Endevour's Botanist) and Horowitz's even more colorful traveling companion Roger Williamson. Horwitz paints a picture of Cook as an austere, yet fair man-seemingly driven to the edges of the earth. As driven as Cook is to explore the world, Banks is driven to explore the anatomies of females from different Polynesian cultures. Roger is mainly content to explore the bottle and make wisecracks about Horwitz's adventure. If you think Blue Latitudes sounds like a dry historical piece, you're sorely mistaken. Any potential dryness is quickly quenched by Horwitz's wit, Banks's "botanizing" and Roger's boozing.

Much to my wife's amusement I found myself laughing out loud many times while reading Blue Latitudes. Despite that, I found myself strangely moved after reading the account of Cook's death. While the consequences of Cook's voyages are complex, you cannot help but feel a great admiration for this man who started with so little yet went so far. Great book, highly recommended.


Follow Cook & History to Exotic Places with a Social Update   November 29, 2002
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Horwitz takes a historianys appreciation for Cook into an opportunity to travel and see the sights that Cook saw in the Pacific traveling first on a replica of the Endeavor, Cookys first Pacific ship, then by small boat, plane, ferry and on land by car and by foot. Horwitz provides a historical telling of Cook utilizing his actual logs, diaries of shipmates, and noted biographers. Horwitz tells the story of Cookys travels and historical events as he traverses the globe to the sites that Cook visited in three separate Pacific voyages. The best part of the book are his telling of what Cook saw and did at each site but also Horwitzys critical analysis of these exotic places as they appear today in contrast to 225 years ago. Horwitz asks natives today what they know about Cook and he gets an updated perspective from the populations unique to each place. In addition, Horwitz tries to walk and stand in the same places that Cook did. In this way, you get a great feel for what Cook went through in his travels starting with Horwitzys week long stay on the Endeavor replica as a crew member that worked hours and assignments similar to the original crew. Although, the Endeavor featured modern and safer bathrooms and kitchens, the grueling work requirements, hours, lack of sleep, storms and sleeping in hammocks wedged between other mates of various sizes gave the reader an appreciation for what Cookys sailors went through on 2 y 3 year voyages.

Horwitzys description is somewhat startling and amusing as he quotes an individual stating that the ybest thing about Tahiti are the post cardsy. His humorous and hard drinking Aussie companion describes that main city in Tahiti as ybeing built by unemployable architectsy. The poorly constructed building, the extreme heat, black sand (there is no white sand), insects and the care free or careless lifestyle of the Tahitians does not sound attractive. In addition, many of the Polynesian natives know little of Cook or think of him not as an explorer but as an exploiter of the lands. A man that brought violence, disease and western culture that destroyed the lifestyle of the lands. The New Zealand natives think of Cook in the same way that the American Indian Movement of the 1970s feel about Columbus today. Horwitz adds balance by telling of Cooks modern approach to keep his sailors healthy, quarantine the sick away from island women (a challenge in any day) and his attempts to peacefully co-exist with natives. Horwitz tells some delightful tales of his experiences in these exotic places such as Cook Town where Cook was beached after striking the Great barrier Reef (tough way to discover something) and joins the hard and early drinking residents in a re-enactment of their first landing. But he also tells of the plight of the Aborigines, their lack of need for material things and their virtual eradication by early settlers. He tells of the Island Tonga and its split society between Royalty and affluent and the balance of the natives that have little exercise of a true democracy. He also visits the Island of Niue, which was called Savage Island by Cook due to an aggressive meeting with the natives. Niue mysteriously earns income through a nefarious company licensing providing the government income and a tax shelter for the company. In addition, Niue has a 900 number connection as an income producer and a short lived medical college that has no students and a questionable lone member faculty.

Even if someone is unfamiliar with Cook, you will grew to appreciate the individual who rose from very modest means to a celebrated British Naval captain and navigator and explorer of the Pacific. By the time Horwitz tracks Cook on his third voyage to the Pacific particular his travels to Alaska and the windy and cold Aleutians
and then Hawaii, you cannot help but have developed respect for this brave and straitlaced traveler. Although you know early on of Cookys death in Hawaii, Horwitz visits the island last appropriately in the same locations as Cook and he weaves the story of his death while telling of the development of the Island and its people. At the end, it seems that Cookys elementary method of using force to recapture a stolen boat under estimated the response of the natives which may have been aggravated by his physical failings on his third trying voyage in a very short time with a boat that was disabled prematurely. This is the ultimate travelogue, visiting history with a social respective of the people and places with humor and with an Aussie who adds fun with a blunt perspective.