Author: Nathaniel Philbrick File Type: mobi Amazon.com ReviewThe expeditions of Magellan, Columbus, and Lewis and Clark have been well documented and are instantly familiar to anyone with even a passing interest in world history. But the average person is likely unaware of the U.S. Exploring Expedition or its mercurial leader, Charles Wilkes. This despite the numerous accomplishments and lasting legacy of the massive four-year project that involved six ships and hundreds of men. The Ex. Ex., as it came to be known, is credited with the discovery of Antarctica, the first accurate charting of what is now Oregon and Washington, the retrieval of thousands of new species of life, and the foundation of the Smithsonian Institution. Yet when Wilkes returned, instead of being hailed as a great man of science or a national hero, he was shunned by the President, ignored by the press, and was the subject of so much ill will on the part of his men that he was ultimately put on trial for a variety of offenses. In the portrayal presented in Nathaniel Philbricks Sea of Glory, Wilkes is a passionate man, brash and enthusiastic, driven by seemingly impossible goals, many of which he actually accomplished. But hes also a petty, mean-spirited loner, egotistical enough to unilaterally give himself a promotion in the middle of the expedition. Without Wilkes singularity of purpose, its hard to imagine the mission being as successful as it was, but its also hard to conceive a personality more poorly suited to leadership than the near-universally-despised Wilkes. Philbrick also skillfully reveals the insecurity behind the tyranny in excerpts from letters to Wilkes wife, Jane. The accounts of the expeditions adventures are at various times exhilarating and tragic as the crew scales the volcanoes of Hawaii, becomes involved in a bloody war with Fijian natives, and struggles merely to stay alive while at the same time not killing Wilkes. Philbricks compelling narrative and meticulous research provide a vivid picture of the triumphs and hardships of the exploration age. --John MoeFrom Publishers WeeklyAfter chronicling the sinking of the whaleship Essex in In the Heart of the Sea, Philbrick attempts to rescue from obscurity the U.S. Exploring Expeditions 1838-1842 circumnavigation of the world and its cartographic and scientific accomplishments. With a strong narrative pull but an anticlimactic story arc, he chronicles the six-vessel squadrons Pacific escapades. Instead of a grisly page-turner, however, Philbrick follows his bestselling tragedy with a drawn-out success story. More than a tale of the Ex. Exs journey, the book also profiles the expeditions egomaniacal commander, Lt. Charles Wilkes the psychological warfare he waged against his officers and the near-miraculous survival of the squadron despite Wilkess perverse leadership and lack of nautical experience. Wilkes was, however, an accomplished surveyor, and the Ex. Ex. mapped hundreds of Pacific islands, 800 miles of the Oregon coast, 100 miles of the Columbia River and 1,500 miles of Antarctic coast. The expeditions scientists made groundbreaking contributions in ethnography, biology and geology (their collections formed the basis of the Smithsonian Institution). Particularly noteworthy among Philbricks gripping passages are his descriptions of brash navigation in the Antarctic-but too much of the book bogs down in Wilkess petty politicking, as he degraded talented men and promoted incompetent ones so as not to be outshone. After four years at sea, he had alienated nearly every officer and returned home to a court-martial. Instead of a thrilling tale of discovery and incredible achievement, [America] heard more about the flawed personality of the Expeditions commander than anyone wanted to know, Philbrick writes of Wilkess 1842 trial, in which he was acquitted. Unfortunately, this spoils the retelling, too. Maps not seen by PW. 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Author: K.D. Griffiths File Type: pdf