Resolution Journal of Johann Reinhold Forster, 1772-1775

The Resolution Journal of Johann Reinhold Forster captures the meticulous observations of the naturalist who accompanied Captain James Cook on his second voyage of discovery from 1772 to 1775. Commissioned by the British Admiralty to document the natural history and ethnography of the southern regions, Forster produced a detailed, often critical account of the expedition. The manuscript offers a scholarly contrast to Cook’s official logs, providing significant insights into the scientific inquiries and the interpersonal tensions that defined this major maritime undertaking.

This edition, edited by Michael E. Hoare and published by the Hakluyt Society, represents a definitive scholarly effort to present Forster’s complex text to modern readers. Hoare’s extensive research brings clarity to the dense, multi-layered observations regarding the geography, botany, and social structures encountered during the voyage. The publication is recognized in academic circles as an essential resource for historians of science, preserving the intellectual legacy of an expedition that fundamentally reshaped European understanding of the Pacific world.