In a deeply researched and engagingly written narrative of science, adventure, love, and an unprecedented voyage of discovery, Ridley reveals the true story of Jeanne Baret, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe.

Samuel de Champlain was one of the most colorful explorers of the 16th century. A master mariner, he had other occupations, too: spy, soldier, diplomat, writer, and artist. His explorations in the New World, though, made him famous for the ages. This detailed, easy-to-read biography gives readers a look at a man who served as the Geographer to the French king, an expert on Native Americans, a skilled mapmaker, the founder of Quebec City, and the father...

In 1769 two ships set out independently in search of a missing continent: a French merchant ship commanded by Jean de Surville, and a small British naval vessel, the Endeavour, commanded by Captain James Cook. Neither knew of the other's existence. Cook's first long voyage was one of the most remarkable in recorded history: in a ship not much larger in area than a tennis court, he not only sailed around the world, following the most difficult route...