The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides

August 25, 2025

The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides

Although lauded as a hero in his own time, Captain James Cook has now become a controversial figure and something of a pariah in many circles, particularly Polynesia. One of the best mapmakers of his age, his explorations are blamed for the introduction of colonialism with all its evils, including epidemics, venereal disease, the subjugation of indigenous cultures, theft of relics and artifacts, and disruption of ecological systems. Cook's third and final voyage differed vastly from his earlier voyages. His crew noted that he appeared to be suffering from an unknown illness, either physical or mental, which caused an abrupt change in his behavior and personality. Sensitive readers should be aware that there are descriptions of both human and animal cruelty, as well as brutal violence.

Captain James Cook

The Old Lion by Jeff Shaara

January 10, 2025

The Old Lion by Jeff Shaara

A novel about President Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on his life before and after his time in office.

Although Theodore Roosevelt died at the age of 60, he packed a lot into those 60 years. Before reading this novel, I knew about Roosevelt's life superficially. I knew his face is on Mount Rushmore, but not really why he was chosen over other presidents. He suffered from ill health for much of his life, as well as the loss of two of his sons, yet he was determined to experience all that life could offer. He was a prolific writer on a wide variety of subjects. Rather than his presidency, the author chose to focus on Roosevelt's adventures and exploration. Part of Roosevelt's enduring legacy is the establishment of the national parks service, and he is responsible for the birth of the conservation movement. Recommended for readers of historical fiction, especially if you don't know much about Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt in his western gear

River of the Gods by Candice Millard

February 1, 2023

River of the Gods by Candice Millard

Since Roman times, explorers searched for the source of the River Nile. In Victorian England, two explorers - Sir Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke - join together to mount an expedition to discover the source of the "White Nile." Companions at first, they disagreed about which of them deserved the credit for the discovery and eventually became bitter enemies.

Speke was a British aristocrat who was largely ignorant of Africa's people, languages, and customs, and his main interest was hunting and killing as many animals as possible. Burton was an Anglo-Indian who grew up outside of England and spent much of his early life in India, a brilliant but odd man who spoke more than 20 languages. While Speke claimed to have found the source of the Nile, it was actually their guide, an African named Sidi Mubarak Bombay, who was the real hero of their exploits.

While maybe not as gripping as the author's other works, there is still excellent research and loads of gripping historical detail. The narrative was successful in that I learned about something that I had formerly known little about. I had heard of Sir Richard Burton, but it was for his translations of works including The 1,001 Arabian Nights rather than his explorations. I had never heard of John Hanning Speke, or suspected there was so much controversy about the source of the Nile. Interesting narrative nonfiction.

Sir Richard Burton

John Hanning Speke