Assouline Travel Books Pacific Islands

In three extraordinary expeditions, British captain James Cook (1728-1779) became the first European to trace the coasts of the main islands of New Zealand and eastern Australia; he visited or revisited many islands, including Tahiti and those of Tonga, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and the Hawaiian archipelago. More than 100,000 miles were sailed aboard the three ships of the expeditions, the Endeavour, the Resolution, and the Adventure, which became the first to circumnavigate and chart both the North and the South Islands of New Zealand.Pacific Islands: James Cook Voyages explores the stunning landscapes, wildlife, and flora of places regarded today as some of the most extraordinary travel destinations in the world. The entire flora and fauna of Australia, as well as hundreds of other new species from elsewhere across the Pacific, were documented for the very first time in the eighteenth century. The natural wonders and the culture of the South Seas’ inhabitants, along with landscapes where turquoise seas give way to dense forests and snowcapped peaks, take readers on a journey through the age of exploration.