The Wide Wide Sea by Hampton Sides Summary

The Wide Wide Sea details Captain James Cook’s third voyage across the Pacific, focusing on his encounters with Indigenous peoples, imperial rivalries, and the expedition’s violent end in Hawaii. Hampton Sides examines Cook’s legacy, the ecological impact of exploration, and the moral complexities of cross-cultural contact during the Age of Discovery.

History enthusiasts, fans of narrative nonfiction, and readers interested in colonialism or maritime exploration will find this book compelling. Its dramatic storytelling and balanced critique of European expansion make it suitable for both casual readers and academic audiences.

Yes—The New York Times named it a 2024 Top 10 Book, praising its meticulous research and cinematic pacing. Barack Obama featured it on his summer reading list, while critics like Stephen Fry called it “extraordinarily compulsive”.

• Imperial ambition: European powers’ race for Pacific dominance
• Cultural collision: Consequences of first contact between Europeans and Indigenous Hawaiians
• Leadership under stress: Cook’s unraveling mental state during the voyage
• Environmental exploitation: Overharvesting of natural resources like sea otters

Like Blood and Thunder (Native American history) and In the Kingdom of Ice (Arctic exploration), this book uses immersive storytelling to dissect pivotal historical events. However, it uniquely critiques colonial power dynamics through Indigenous perspectives.

Some historians argue Sides overly dramatizes Cook’s internal struggles, while others note limited primary sources from Hawaiian perspectives. However, most praise his balanced approach to Cook’s legacy as both navigator and agent of imperialism.

Sides incorporates accounts from Hawaiian oral traditions and critiques the Eurocentric view of exploration. He highlights Indigenous agency, such as Polynesian navigational expertise and resistance to British encroachment.

• The theft of a British cutter boat by Hawaiians
• Cook’s failed attempt to take Chief Kalaniʻōpuʻu hostage
• Escalating violence fueled by cultural misunderstandings and Cook’s declining judgment

Yes—the book has been optioned for a screen adaptation, capitalizing on its cinematic narrative of adventure and conflict. No release date has been announced.

Sides’ investigative rigor (honed at Outside and National Geographic) shines in his archival research and firsthand visits to Pacific locations. His journalistic pacing creates suspense, even for readers familiar with Cook’s fate.

The book underscores parallels between 18th-century imperialism and modern debates about cultural appropriation, environmental stewardship, and the ethics of exploration. Sides challenges readers to reconsider “discovery” narratives.

Hampton Sides’ website and educator guides from Penguin Random House provide discussion topics on colonialism, leadership, and historical memory. Book clubs often focus on Cook’s legacy versus Indigenous resilience.