Book Review: The Wide Wide Sea

I just finished reading a book on Captain James Cook's final voyage titled The Wide Wide Sea. I have never been good at writing (or even verbalizing) book reviews, so why not practice here?

To be honest, I think book reviews are mostly irrelevant, excluding those who are looking to purchase books. If it's unanimous that the book sucks, why waste the money? However, in the status quo, most reviews are politically motivated to some degree, which is sad.

This is the second book in a row that I have read on early British exploration of the high seas. The first book I read was The Wager, a very readable and enjoyable narrative non-fiction.

This genre has not only educated me on an historical subject that I should have been better informed of, but also afforded me a new found respect for the men who came before. These men would run circles around modern men in every conceivable aspect. They were real men, driven by a purpose. 

Not to digress, but much of our nihilistic nature today are the results of the conquests of the men of yesteryear. In many regards, their successes have left their decedents twiddling their thumbs. 

I thought about asking AI for some advice on how to formally write a book review. Actually, I don't want to be dishonest, I did ask AI, "standard outline for writing a book review?" It came up with the 8 or 9 steps that book reviews entail. I very briefly scanned it before deciding, "You know what, this is my book review. I'm going to write it how I want to."

I actually read a physical copy of the book, and didn't listen to the audiobook. It was on loan from the library, and I've already returned it. I didn't take notes. Thus, I can't sit here and type out quotes, which is something most standard book reviews include.

But, a few days after reading the book, I'll tell you what I learned, and perhaps most importantly, what resonated. I can't tell you how many books I've read that just don't resonate.

Up until the time period of this book (18th century), James Cook was the GOAT of explorers. He had ventured further south than anyone (in search of some mythical southern continent that he proved didn't exist) and further north than anyone (up to the ice pack past the 65th parallel). 

He had essentially retired and came out of retirement in his late 40s to make the voyage the book is based on. He had been all around the world twice, and was already a living legend.

His final mission was to find a route above Canada that connected the Pacific and Atlantic oceans to bypass the need to go all the way around the southern tip of South America to get to the Pacific ocean. There was essentially a "discovery race" between European empires to stake their land claims and establish trade routes all around the world. 

It had been rumored that a non-British explorer (I can't recall, but I think he might have been French or Danish) had found his way across the top of Canada, and Cook was sent on a "secret mission" to find it.

The number of worldly discoveries Cook is credited with is truly remarkable. So many places were named by him, and/or after him. He was cool, calm and collected as a captain, and even in the most dangerous situations, he was never rattled.

The "not so secret part" of Cook's final voyage, was to return a Polynesian man to Tahiti. His name was Mai, and he was the first Polynesian to come to Britain. It was a multicultural experiment, exposing Europeans to non-Europeans. He was treated like royalty, and became very close with Cook, as well as the King. Mai spent 4 years in Britain, assimilating to British culture. The goal was to take him back "home" and set him up as an extension of Britain (animal husbandry, weaponry, culture, ethics, etc).

When they finally got him back to Polynesia, Mai wasn't received well. The idea for him to live like a Brit, and expose his peers to British life, with the goal of the Polynesians becoming an extension of the British, had been a failure. Britain learned that Polynesians weren't just Europeans with a darker skin tone. In fact, Cook was never in favor of pushing European customs on natives, and was adamant about the incompatibility. He had had a lot of experience with native populations over the years, and while he respected their ways of life, and at times even admired them, he never was in favor of trying to make them culturally European.

Rumor had it that Mai only lived a couple more years (he was in his early 20s), and none of the animals, plant life or cultural norms that he was responsible for sowing took root. The social experiment had failed. When the British returned a few years later, only a tree that had been planted by the house they had built Mai was still there. Everything else had disappeared (including Mai).

After re-homing Mai, Cook "discovered" the Hawaiian islands while on his way to Alaska. Anytime Cook and his crew (there were 2 boats on this journey) would dock in the tropics, trade and sex were the staples of the stop. Cook was sympathetic to the natives, and was very aware of the venereal diseases his men had. He tried hard to restrict the sexual encounters from happening, but just like dogs in heat, turn your head for a second, and they're stuck. While this may seem like a crude analogy, I find it rather appropriate based on the narrative given in the book.

The women of these tropical islands would throw themselves at the sailors. It was only once the native men came to understand how much the sailors craved sex that it became marketed. The women, until oblivious to their sexual value, never wanted to "sell" themselves, they just wanted sex with strangers (again, a crude analogy, but the narrative nonetheless).

It was also theorized, that in many of these cultures the whiter the skin the more social prominence one would have. So perhaps there was that angle, that the women were hoping to have offspring with whiter skin as a hierarchal strategy to increase their familial social status.

But, likely on most occasions it was just lust that motivated the sexual behaviors of the women. When Cook came back to Hawaii after he failed to find what he was looking for in Alaska, the women would even swim out to the ship amidst dangerous tides trying to sneak on board. They were determined and just as eager as the European men to fornicate. 

There was obviously a language barrier, so there was no courtship, sex would just occur instantly. Often right on the beaches, or out in the open in general. Thus, reemphasizing the previous "dogs in heat" analogy

Once the native men figured out they could monetize the sex trade, they did. Often the men would take a nail or small piece of iron (this was the primary currency of trade the natives sought) and allow the men to pick from his household (wife or daughter). The sexual morays of Island natives was very different from monogamous European culture.

Ultimately what lead to the death of Captain Cook was that he was viewed as a god. When the ships arrived back to the Hawaiian islands from Alaska, there was a festival going on. This festival was the celebration of a god named Lona. When Cook arrived, the natives thought he was Lona, and literally began worshipping him. 

After several weeks, the islanders were wondering when "Lona" was going to leave. Their gods were cyclic and seasonal, and Lona's time had passed. Not too mention, tensions between the sailors and the islanders had begun to mount. 

After repairing their ships and restocking the food and water supplies, the two ships left. Almost immediately they ran into a violent storm and were forced to return after Cook's mast was broken. Their welcome had already been worn out, and the "Lona's" ship wasn't supposed to break down.  

Once anchored back in the harbor, a boat was stolen off the side of the ship in the middle of the night, and Cook went to retrieve it (theft was very common and problematic everywhere they went). The boat was paramount to their journey. After coming ashore, a large group of warriors approached "Lona" and Cook shot his gun and killed one of them. Chaos erupted, and 4 marines were killed and Cook was bludgeoned to death. The dead men were dragged into the hills, and possibly eaten.

This was a really interesting book, and one that I recommend you read if you have an interest in James Cook's final voyage. Captain James Cook was a legendary explorer. The kind of man novels are written about hundreds of years after his passing.

If you enjoyed this book review, please bookmark My Cousin the Carp and visit regularly. 

Thanks for reading.

God bless!