Author: Robert Davis Cook

1Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume 1

By James Cook

Having, on his first voyage, discovered Australia, Cook still had to contend with those who maintained that the Terra Australians Incognita (the unknown Southern Continent) was a reality. To finally settle the issue, the British Admiralty sent Cook out again into the vast Southern Ocean with two sailing ships totalling only about 800 tons. Listen as Cook, equipped with one of the first chronometers, pushes his small vessel not merely into the Roaring Forties or the Furious Fifties but becomes the first explorer to penetrate the Antarctic Circle, reaching an incredible Latitude 71 degrees South, just failing to discover Antarctica. (Introduction by Shipley)

LibriVox volunteers bring you 16 recordings of Be Kind When You Can by Eliza Cook. This was the Weekly Poetry project for January 30, 2011.<br><br>Eliza Cook was an English author, Chartist poet and writer born in London Road, Southwark.<br><br>She was the daughter of a local tradesman. She attended the local Sunday Schools and was encouraged by the son of the music master to produce her first volume of poetry. From this she took confidence and in 1837 began to offer verse to the radical Weekly Dispatch, then edited by William Johnson Fox. She was a staple of its pages for the next ten years. She also offered material to The Literary Gazette, Metropolitan Magazine and New Monthly. (summary from Wikipedia)

3Life of Florence Nightingale, Volume 1

By Edward Tyas Cook

A history of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of modern nursing. Here's the definitive biography, gleaned from a lifetime of her notes, letters and writings, that goes way beyond the mere legend of "The Lady With The Lamp", and the "Founder Of Modern Nursing". This well written saga covers the vastly more expanded story of her development into an intelligent woman with a high purpose, her social standing and family connections that opened many doors for her, her extensive work after the Crimean War working with governments to develop better health care delivery systems to the indigent in England and in India, and her voluminous writings on numerous topics. Volume 1 recounts her life from childhood through 1861. (Summary by Michele Fry)

4Life of Florence Nightingale, Volume 2

By Edward Tyas Cook

A history of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), the founder of modern nursing. Here's the definitive biography, gleaned from a lifetime of her notes, letters and writings, that goes way beyond the mere legend of "The Lady With The Lamp", and the "Founder Of Modern Nursing". This well written saga covers the vastly more expanded story of her development into an intelligent woman with a high purpose, her social standing and family connections that opened many doors for her, her extensive work after the Crimean War working with governments to develop better health care delivery systems to the indigent in England and in India, and her voluminous writings on numerous topics. Volume 2 recounts her life from 1861 through her death in 1910. (Summary by Michele Fry)

The first of 3 voyages of Captain Cook - this one is to New Zealand and the South Pacific. - Summary by Lynda Marie Neilson

6Adrift in the Unknown; or Queer Adventures in a Queer Realm

By William Wallace Cook

A delightful, imaginative, and sometimes silly adventure in early science fiction. Join a noble scientist and some of his less noble associates as they take flight in a newly constructed, seemingly magical spaceship. After they land on the planet Mercury, they are caught in the crossfire in a war between futuristic Mercurean city-states which wield high-tech weaponry. As they fight for their own survivial and that of their fellow humans, each man is challenged to confront his own moral failings. Set aside your 21st-century knowledge of physics and settle in for a lighthearted, somewhat predictable romp through outer space. - Summary by Amanda Rumbaugh

7Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume 2

By James Cook

Having disproved the myth of Terra Australis Incognita (The unknown Southern Continent), Cook returns to New Zealand via the Friendly Islands, Easter Island, Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, and Vanuatu. Cook then returns home via Cape Horn, discovering South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands before putting into Cape Town to refit before finally sailing home. Volume 2 also includes the Journal of Captain Furneaux during the period when he was separated from Captain Cook - Summary by David Cole

8First Voyage of James Cook Volume 1

By James Cook

In May 1768, the Admiralty commissioned the 39-year old Cook to command a scientific voyage to the Pacific Ocean to observe and record the 1769 transit of Venus across the Sun. The expedition sailed aboard HMS Endeavour in August 1768, rounded Cape Horn and continued to Tahiti, where the observations of the transit were made. Cook then opened sealed orders for the second part of his voyage: to search the south Pacific for signs of the postulated rich southern continent of Terra Australis. Cook proceeded to circumnavigate New Zealand's two main islands, which is where this volume ends. - Summary by David Cole

9First Voyage of James Cook Volume 2

By James Cook

Following his discovery and circumnavigation of New Zealand recorded in Volume 1, Cook sailed westwards to Australia, whose east coast was at that time unknown. After initially sighting Port Hicks, Cook landed at Botany Bay, where he tried but failed to make contact with the native inhabitants. He proceeded northward, mapping about a thousand miles of coastline and discovering the Great Barrier Reef by severely damaging his ship in running into one of the reefs. The ship was in danger of sinking and limped to the mainland where, over a period of seven weeks, major repairs were made by the ship's crew. Cook then proceeded to Cape York, the northern tip of Australia and completed his circumnavigation of the globe via Batavia (modern Jakarta, Indonesia), the Cape of Good Hope and St. Helena. - Summary by David Cole

10Third Voyage of James Cook, Volume 1

By James Cook

Only months after his return from his mammoth Second Voyage, the Admiralty ordered Cook back to the Pacific, ostensibly to return Omai, a young man from Raiatea, to his homeland, but in fact to attempt the discovery of the Northwest Passage (a proposed route from the Pacific to the Atlantic north of Canada). Cook commanded HMS Resolution and was accompanied by Captain Clerke commanding HMS Discovery. After sailing to the Pacific via Tenerife, Cape Town and New Zealand, Omai was returned to his home, after which Cook became the first European to visit the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and then mapped the West Coast of North America. After many delays, he penetrated the Bering Strait, but was unable because of ice to proceed either East or West. He eventually returned to Hawaii, where Cook was killed by the natives. Following the death of Captain Clerke from tuberculosis, the ships eventually returned to Britain under the command of Captain Gore. This first volume covers only the portion of the voyage up to the first visit to Hawaii. - Summary by David Cole

Only months after his return from his mammoth Second Voyage, the Admiralty ordered Cook back to the Pacific, ostensibly to return Omai, a young man from Raiatea, to his homeland, but in fact to attempt the discovery of the Northwest Passage (a proposed route from the Pacific to the Atlantic north of Canada). Cook commanded HMS Resolution and was accompanied by Captain Clerke commanding HMS Discovery. After sailing to the Pacific via Tenerife, Cape Town and New Zealand, Omai was returned to his home, after which Cook became the first European to visit the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and then mapped the West Coast of North America. After many delays, he penetrated the Bering Strait, but was unable because of ice to proceed either East or West. He eventually returned to Hawaii, where Cook was killed by the natives. Following the death of Captain Clerke from tuberculosis, the ships eventually returned to Britain under the command of Captain Gore. This second volume covers the portion of the voyage from leaving Tonga, sailing through the Bering Strait and attempting to find a Northwest or Northeast passage, and sailing to Hawaii, up to immediately before Cook's death there. (Summary by David Cole)

From the darkest corners of the Amazon to the idyllic island paradise of Borneo, the early years of Weird Tales were chocked full of dread tales of jungle terrors. Fierce beasts, deadly cannibals and all other manner of unknown horrors await beneath the lush canopies of trees. Even if you aren't foolish enough to brave the dangers of the jungle, the jungle may come to you instead! Join us for another fright-filled collection of stories from the celebrated halls of Weird Tales magazine! - Summary by Ben Tucker