How many of you have read Nicholas Thomas' The Extraordinary Voyages of Captain James Cook and Anne Salmond's Trial of the Cannibal Dog: Captain Cook in the South Seas? I have only read the latter, while the former is on my reading list for this year. I am curious to see your comparisons and opinions on the two books and which is the most laudable account Captain James Cook and his voyages.
Other books on Captain James Cook I have read include:
- Empire, Barbarism & Civilization: William Hodges, Captain Cook and the Return to the Pacific by Harriet Guest.
- Aphrodite's Island: The European Discovery of Tahiti by Anne Salmond
- Explorations and Reassessments by Glyndwr Williams
I definitely recommend his own journals if you haven't read them, as they're fascinating.
I have always loved Marshall Sahlins "Historical Metaphors and Mythical Realities" (1981), which tells of the first contact between Captain Cook and the Native Hawaiians from the perspective of the Natives. It discusses how his actions were understood and why he was eventually killed by them. If you have already read the Western history of his voyages, you might enjoy hearing it from the other side. Happy Reading!