Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery, the U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842

A glory to read!

I am really at a loss on how to convey Philbrick¿s epic story and accomplishment to you. Unlike his last book, In the Heart of the Sea (which is a tremendous favorite of mine) which was an adventure story of survival Mr. Philbrick¿s SEA OF GLORY is a major contribution to U. S. History. How is it possible, that I had not heard of this expedition, it¿s results, it¿s contribution to the Smithsonian and science. Philbrick¿s answer is to blame its strange leader, Lieutenant Charles Wilkes. Yet the telling puts lots of blame on politics and personality as they impact history. But the great thing is, that although many may have been aware of this expedition, Mr. Philbrick has brought it alive for the general reader, and I suspect to the lesson plans of many U. S. History classes. Having just read OVER THE EDGE OF THE WORLD about Magellan¿s voyage three hundred years earlier I found it a great prequel to the story of the Wilke¿s expedition that circumnavigated the world and accomplished some amazing things. One of Philbrick¿s real accomplishments is the personalization of the voyage, told through the one of the Expeditions officers, William Reynolds who at first idolizes his commander only to form a ¿hate¿ that even colors his own judgement and ability to fairly assess the Exhibitions results. This personal story makes this narrative more compelling and entertaining. I highly recommend Sea of Glory.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

A Lost Opportunity

SEA OF GLORY is more about Lt. Charles Wilkes and his command of the exploring expedition than about the expedition itself. While the successes and failures of the expedition depended largely on the personality of Lt. Wilkes, the reader does not get a sense of what the adventure was like outside of his interactions with his officers and men which was the main focus of the book and which became tiring to read about. What an opportunity to describe the daily life on the ships for four years! How did the men survive the cold of Antarctica; what type of food was eaten; how was the food cooked; how was laundry done; what type of illnesses did the men have and how were they treated, and so much more. Likewise, little description of the scientific findings of the exploration is presented except at the end when the numbers of various types of exhibits are listed. It would have made the book so much more interesting to have described how animals were collected, coral samples taken, plants discovered, etc.; about all that was mentioned was surveying the lands without adequate detail to understand how that was done. This book is far less educational and well rounded than UNDAUNTED COURAGE which chronicles the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Truly, a lost opportunity!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

POWERFUL READINGS

Both landlubbers and seafarers will find much to enjoy in Nathaniel Philbrick's engrossing account of the United States South Seas Exploring Expedition of 1838. Traversing the Pacific Ocean it was surely one of the largest voyages of discovery in the Western world. Leading this groundbreaking mission was Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, a dichotomous, controversial gentleman. However, there is no controversy whatsoever about the first-rate readings of this tale by vocal performers Dennis Boutsikaris and Scott Brick. Already familiar to audio book aficionados they bring a wealth of experience, assurance, and power to their readings. When it comes to stories of the sea, Nathaniel Philbrick has few peers. A National Book Award winner for The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex and author of the enduring In the Heart of the Sea, he is director of the Egan Institute of Maritime Studies. Bringing the same meticulous research and thoughtful prose that was so evident in his previous works, Mr. Philbrick has crafted his latest tale richly laced with drama and adventure. Suffice it to say that Charles Wilkes was not a fit man to head such a venture, yet the endeavor was more than successful as 2000 new species were brought back and 280 Pacific Islands surveyed. Sea Of Glory is a monumental work; a gift for armchair adventurers and historians alike.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Seagoing adventure and plenty of scientific discovery

This book was everything I hoped it would be. The narrative of the ambitious U.S. Exploring Expedition is captivating, and uncovers so much information about a historical event I was previously unaware of.

The story reminded me of a few other books I've read, including the story of the Lewis & Clark expedition, Charles Darwin's voyage on the Beagle, and the fictional Aubrey & Maturin series. Which is my way of saying that it masterfully combines adventure, science, and exploration into a very readable package. The fact that the expedition came home with the scientific samples that eventually became the basis for the Smithsonian Institution is a perfect link to the modern reader's world. This was a story that needed to be told well, and Mr. Philbrick has done it.

Excellent Listening

Very informative with enough personal information to keep it involving.

Excellent Look into America's EX.EX. Voyage

A wonderful story most people probably haven't heard. It moves through the historical necessities quickly, and keeps you turning pages as the adventure continues. I would rate it lower than some of this other books in excitement, however I think it is just as well researched and complete.

ex ex explained

After reading this it is easy to understand why the lewis & clark expedition is so celebrated and the ex ex so obscure. While the leadership of the corp of discovery seemed to bring out the best in american exploration, Lt Wilkes did just the opposite. Perhaps more Americans will learn of this tremendous achievement now.

Not great, but very good

The book bogged down once in awhile especially in it's treatment of Wilkes, but in general a highly recommended read. I had just finished the Mauritius Command (one of O'Brian's Aubrey series) and started on this. This true story was a nice contrast to O'Brian. I was especially interested in seeing the connections 20+ years down the road (Civil War era) with the Trent Affair, Reynold's brother John (see Killer Angels by Shaara)

How to be a leader

This book should be required reading for all military officers and business people. The protagonist, Lieutenant Charles Wilkes shows us how to lead: Promote yourself. The world will never recognize your important contributions unless you ceaselessly point them out. Ignore the long-standing traditions of your organization. Obviously, these petty confining rules were not meant to apply to you. Micromanage. Always remember that your subordinates cannot be trusted with any decisions, no matter how trivial. Be quick to to punish failure. When a subordinate fails in a task, as inevitably will happen due to his cravenness and incompetence, punish him harshly and publicly. Never praise success. Any success is entirely due to your prescience and courage in making executive decisions. In case of genuine danger, faint. Whatever the problem is will be gone when you wake up, whether that be here or in the hereafter. Beware of cabals. Your enemies are always scheming against you. Curry favor with your superiors. It is critical to fawn over your superiors and make them think you are their toady, even as you ignore their ridiculous orders.

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