Last Voyage of Captain Cook: The Collected Writings of John Ledyard

by John Ledyard

Book Overview

A collection of selected letters and excerpts from journals by the eighteenth-century explorer offers an eyewitness account of the final voyage of Captain Cook, including a firsthand chronicle of his... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0792293479
• ISBN13: 9780792293477
• Release Date: March 2005
• Publisher: National Geographic Society
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.1"

Customer Reviews

Worth getting second-hand but only at these prices (at time of writing 18 cents)

Although I agree with the criticisms of the other two reviewers, I found Ledyard's journal on Cook's voyage interesting reading, and worth paying a few dollars postage for. But as there are only about 115 pages worth reading, I'd feel disappointed with this book if I'd bought it new, or paid more than a few dollars plus postage for it. Apparently, this is about the only chance you have of reading Ledyard's journal without going to antique book auctions. But more gifted writers may have covered this voyage better, and few readers will wade through the rest of the book in its entirety, letters and all. More interesting perhaps is the biography of Ledyard's life, written by James Zug. Just because a man led an exciting life doesn't mean he was a great writer.

intersting and insightful

This book can not be said to hold up to many of the writings about any of the voyages of Captain Cook. I also agree that the letters are of no worth. However, for anyone that has read other books about Captain Cook it is a very interesting book. There are many things that Ledyard writes, which differ with the accounts that Cook records, which makes it an interesting look at what some of the crew thought about the third voyage. If you have never read anything about Captain Cook, DO NOT start wiht this book. If you have read anyhting about Cook already then this book will please you.