Captain Cook

Front Cover
Random House, Nov 30, 2011 - Biography & Autobiography - 480 pages

A uniquely woven story encompassing three separate centuries and three different lives. Captain Cook, best known for his heroic voyages through the Pacific Ocean, is brought to life in vivid detail. We follow his humble beginnings as the son of a farm labourer, through his convention-shattering treatment of the indigenous groups he met on his travels, and then onto his final tragic voyage which signalled the end of his revered reputation.

One hundred years on from the death of Cook, another great man, George Collingridge begins his own adventure. He, like Cook was oblivious to the implications his journey would have. Along the way he unfolds ancient maps, secret tales and unearths hidden lands and buried treasure. He is also said to have realised that it was not Cook who discovered Australia - it was the Portugese. This firm belief was the eventual cause of his self-destruction.

Another hundred years later Vanessa Collingridge, is searching for books on her lifelong hero Captain Cook in a university library. She discovers the name of a distant cousin, George Collingridge, in a dusty card index. And so a new journey of discovery begins - in the footsteps of her hero and his nemesis.

 

Contents

Preface
1
George Collingridges Story
23
A Taste of the Sea James Cook 1745
31
Italian Lessons George Collingridge 1867
37
Mr Cooks Genius and Capacity James
43
The Happy Foresight of Mr Collingridge
63
The Kings Surveyor James Cook 1762
72
The Surveyors Art James Cook 1763
81
A Calamitous Situation James Cook 1770
227
The Immortal Banks England 1771
249
The Dieppe Maps George Collingridge 1883
268
Further than Any Other Man James Cook 1772
275
The End of The Great Southern Continent
281
Terra Australis Cognita George Collingridge 1885
313
The Dinner Party James Cook 1775
319
Closing the Loop
347

Trouble in Paradise George Collingridge 1879 93 888
93
To the Southwards
99
Preparations James Cook 1768
127
The Voyage of the Endeavour James Cook 1768
141
Tahiti James Cook 1769
157
The 40th Latitude James Cook 1769
173
Botany Bay James Cook 1770
197
Jave La Grande George Collingridge 1883
205
Shipwreck James Cook 1770
213
The Final Voyage James Cook 1776
351
The Secrets of the Maps George Collingridge 1895
363
Alaska James Cook 1778
371
Obsession and Betrayal James Cook 1779
395
Kealakekua Bay 2001
416
Troublesome George Collingridge the
427
Heroes Heretics and the Great Whodunit
437
Select Bibliography
449
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

About the author (2011)

Vanessa Collingridge is best known as a presenter and reporter on Tonight with Trevor MacDonald. A first class Geography graduate of Oxford, Vanessa's presenting career has spanned many scientific and historical programmes on both TV and radio. She has also had her own column with the Daily Telegraph.

Bibliographic information