An internationally bestselling, award-winning novel peering deep into
the passions, losses, and reveries of the wife of eighteenth-century
explorer Captain James Cook.
After twelve years of marriage to English explorer James Cook, Elizabeth
has yet to spend an entire year with her husband. In their house by the
Thames, she moves to the rhythms of her life as a society wife, but
there is so much more to her than meets the eye. She has the fortitude
to manage the house and garden, raise their children, and face
unbearable sorrow by herself--in fact, she is sometimes in thrall to her
own independence.
As she prepares for another homecoming, Elizabeth looks forward to
James's triumphant return and the work she will undertake reading and
editing his voluminous journals. But will the private life she's been
leading in his absence distract her from her role in aid of her
husband's grand ambitions? Can James find the compassion to support her
as their family faces unimaginable loss, or must she endure life alone
as he sails off toward another adventure?
An intimate and sharply observed novel, The Homecoming is as
revelatory as James Cook's exploration of distant frontiers and as
richly rewarding as Elizabeth's love for her family. With courage and
strength, through recollection and imagination, author Anna Enquist
brilliantly narrates Elizabeth's compelling record of her life, painting
a psychological portrait of an independent woman ahead of her time and
closely acquainted with history.
