Editorial Review

Melding superb research and the extraordinary expedition photography of Frank Hurley, Read more

Reviews (147)

An essential book
This is such a good book, because of the way it is written, and also because of the incredible adventure it describes.It is the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 1914 expedition to Antarctica.Shackleton had been to the Antarctic twice before.The first time he accompanied Robert Falcon Scott in 1901 in an attempt to reach the as yet unclaimed South Pole and claim it for Great Britain.They were unsuccessful and came very close to losing their lives.The significant problems that went with traveling in the Antarctic were that no one lived there (and so no one was there to help if you got into trouble), nothing lived in the interior (no plants or animals to feed on), and the climatic conditions were horrific (snow, ice, wind speeds of up to 200 miles an hour and temperatures as low as -100 degrees Fahrenheit).Scott proved to be a very difficult man to travel with -arrogant, abusive and not particularly competent, which is not what you are looking for in the leader of such an expedition.The next time he journeyed south, in 1908, Shackleton, as the leader, chose his own men, and made his own mistakes, such as taking a team of ponies that were supposed to pull the sledges.The ponies were very ill-suited to such an environment and were eventually shot and eaten.This expedition was also a failure, but Shackleton had again learned a lot from the experience.By the end of 1912 the South Pole had been conquered by the Norwegian Amundson, and Shackleton's rival, Scott, had perished with all of his men only eleven miles from a supply depot that would have saved their lives.Now the only significant prize left to be achieved in the Antarctic was the traversing of the continent from one side to the other.Thus Shackleton's 1914 expedition was called the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
Real adventure
It's a book that takes you to an incredible adventure. Photogrpahs make it even more exciting !

What an Adventure, and Pictures,Too.
I don't know why I keep reading these sagas of sufferring and adventure about polar expeditions,but I do.Of course, Shackleton's Anarctic expedition is one of the best of the bunch.
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Subjects:  1. (1914-1917)    2. 1874-1922    3. Discovery And Exploration (General)    4. Earth Sciences - Geography    5. Endurance (Ship)    6. Expeditions & Discoveries    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition    11. Polar Regions    12. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,    13. Sir,    14. Special Interest - Adventure    15. Travel    16. Biography: general    17. Geographical discovery & exploration    18. Ireland    19. Journeys    20. Shackleton, Ernest Henry    21. Travel / Adventure   

Editorial Review

In the summer of 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set off aboard theRead more

Reviews (361)

The original book of Shackleton's adventure
When the Endurance steamed south into the splitting ice pack of the Weddel Sea in the summer of 1914, she carried aboard the renowned British explorer Earnest Shackleton.The Endurance was specially designed and massively constructed by one of the world's finest shipyards, staffed with scientists and qualified volunteers and outfitted with meticulously tested equipment. Shackleton himself was an experienced polar veteran who had once come within a day's march of being the first to reach the south pole.But in spite of careful planning, the Endurance was doomed, and this expedition would be Shackleton's last Antarctic voyage.Unexpected cold weather froze the ship solidly into the ice, and 7 months later, the mounting pressure of millions of tons of ice crushed the three-foot wooden hull. The Endurance sank into the black water, and left the 30 exhausted men marooned on the treacherous melting ice flows of the storm-churned antarctic sea.For six months the poorly-equipped castaways wouldstruggle under inconceivable hardship until the drifting ice broke up enough for Shackleton to lead his expedition in three open lifeboats through freezing open water to a lifeless bit of rock called Elephant Island.With 5 companions aboard the remaining battered lifeboat, Shackleton left his crew and stuck out across the open ocean in a desperate attempt to reach a remote whaling station to obtain help.His faithful men would remain behind to weather the winter storms sleeping under the upended wreckage of a lifeboat -- their lives dangling by the frail promise that he wouldsomeday return. Alfred Lancing is an experienced journalist whose detailed research combines with direct and perfectly-paced prose and a handful of the expedition's original photographs.It is a tale ofleadership, unflagging courage, and determination in the face of impossible odds.But maybe the real definition of heroism is to be undaunted by the impossible.After sixteen days covering 900 miles of water in an amazing feat of open boat navigation, Shackleton struck land at South Georgia Island -- and after a three-day sleepless march over the 10,000 foot mountains in the huge island's interior, Shackleton and his remaining companions finally stumbled into a remote whaling outpost.And 450 days after being shipwrecked, after 5 attempts in three different ships, Shackleton managed to return to Elephant island to rescue his 22 remaining crew members in a tugboat borrowed from the Chilean government -- finally delivering all 29 of his men without the loss of a single life --and making Endurance one of the most inspiring stories of human survival every written.
An account of breathtaking courage
The author has clearly been rigorous in piecing together diary extracts and interview notes to put together this account of an adventure, or perhaps ordeal, which required of its survivors a degree of courage, composure and determination that cannot fail to humble yet uplift and inspire the reader.The style of narrative is rather matter-of-fact, rather than dramatic, and its coverage is limited to the expedition itself without dwelling much on the lives of the key players before or after.

An incredible book
Alfred Lansing's book, Endurance, dramatically details the 1914 expedition to the Antarctic led by Sir Ernest Shackleton.Although a non-fiction book, Lansing manages to make it read like a thriller, adventure.He wrote his story using first person accounts, interviews of survivors, journal entries, etc.While sometimes history can be a bit dry, this novel truly makes you feel a part of the adventure and reads very quickly.Ernest Shackleton's leadership abilities ensure not only the survival of the crew, but demonstrate his character as a man.Crew and officers were treated alike and shared in the duties of survival.Order was maintained and his personality and command of the situation enabled the group to survive what could have been a disaster. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1914-1917)    2. 1874-1922    3. Adventurers & Explorers    4. Antarctica    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Endurance (Ship)    9. Historical - British    10. Historical - General    11. Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition    12. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,    13. Sir,    14. Travel    15. History / Polar Regions    16. Journeys    17. Shackleton, Ernest Henry   

Reviews (4)

Amundsen was funny!
This book was a lot of fun, in a geeky documentary sort of way.
The Norwegian Method
Roald Amundsen's "The South Pole" is a detailed, even exhaustive account of his successful 1910-1912 expedition to the South Pole.Amundsen's expedition was the first to reach the South Pole, after failures by other expeditions.
Preparedness Leads To Success
In the Foreword, Roland Huntford describes Amundsen's narrative as "all that Scott's is not".How right he is!This a very large book, but nonetheless an easy read.Amundsen relates a fascinating tale of fortune, misfortune, hardship, and ultimately - success.The narrative is detailed, but not overly so.In many places, a dose of humor is weaved in.Complete with numerous photos, maps, and scientific data, this book should be considered one of the great narratives of exploration.The great moral lesson of this tale is that preparedness ultimately leads to success.Is it any wonder that Roald Amundsen and his comrades won the race to the South Pole? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1872-1928    2. Amundsen, Roald,    3. Antarctica    4. Discovery and exploration    5. Expeditions & Discoveries    6. General    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Norwegian    11. Polar Regions    12. South Pole    13. Travel    14. Geographical discovery & exploration    15. History / General    16. True stories of endurance & survival    17. c 1900 - c 1914   

Reviews (9)

LOVED IT
This book is amazing!!! The photos are spectacular, and the author is very descriptive -- he makes you feel like you are actually there. Recommend highly.

what it is like to work and wonder way way down under
This is a clearly written, funny, moving and fascinating account of what it was like for the author to work in Antarctica over a number of years.While he has told it like a one-year trip, in fact it is a distillation of 14 years experience.
First Person Text And Beautiful Photographs
The author, Jim Mastro, got to spend one year at the bottom of the world and he wrote first person text and included beautiful photographs in his presentation. Some of the photographs capture the incredible beauty of Antartica and of the beauty of the wildlife. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1953-    2. Antarctica    3. Description and travel    4. General    5. Mastro, Jim,    6. Nature    7. Nature/Ecology    8. Photography    9. Polar Regions    10. Subjects & Themes - Plants & Animals    11. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/General    12. Travel    13. Geographical discovery & exploration    14. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    15. Nature / General    16. Photography & Photographs    17. Travel writing   

Reviews (1)

Comments on The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World
While intended for a young audience this serves as a very basic introduction to Arctic exploration and scientific study. Scientific and political issues mentioned could have been a good springboard for young adults to understand that scientific methods can serve as a process to follow when trying to answer difficult questions. Additionally, it is unfortunate that Mr. Revkin did not include even a passing mention of Dr. John Rae (Fatal Passage). This is a good book to provoke discussion and does little to answer the "big" questions.Mr. Revkin also might consider using a paradigm from Paracelsus that all substances are toxic - its the dose that differentiates the poison. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Exploration & Discovery    2. Arctic regions    3. General    4. Description and travel    5. Juvenile literature    6. North Pole    7. Revkin, Andrew    8. Travel    9. Juvenile Travel    10. People & Places - Polar Regions    11. Science & Nature - Environmental Science & Eco Logy    12. History - Exploration & Discovery    13. Juvenile Nonfiction   

Reviews (5)

The Most Useless Journey in the World
"The Lost Men", by Kelly Tyler-Lewis is the sister book to the original saga of Sir Ernest Shcakelton's journey to Antarctica. The original called "The Worst Journey in the World" tells of Shackelton's failed expedition to cross Antarctica. His ship the Endurance was smashed by ice in the Weddell Sea and his men stranded until their eventual rescue by Shackelton himself after a harrowing journey in a 22 foot open boat across the southern ocean.
How the choice and use of dogs may have affected the outcome
The Lost Men: The Harrowing Saga of Shackleton's Ross Sea Party is not about Inuit Sled Dogs. It isn't even mostly a story of the largely mixed breed, non-polar spitz, pathetic lot of twenty-four dogs that actually survived the voyage to the Ross Sea side of Antarctica and were expected to relay tons of supplies along a treacherous route to establish a line of life-sustaining depots. There is no doubt, however, that the hindsight of "what ifs" and "what should have been done" regarding the dogs loomed large throughout the pages of this book. The year was 1913 and a war soon to engulf the world was heating up in Europe. Nevertheless, Sir Ernest Shackleton would embark on his audacious plan. He was motivated by the death of his fellow countryman and nearest rival, Robert Falcon Scott, who froze to death while coming in second to Norwegian Roald Amundsen's stunning achievement, the first to reach the South Pole. In his haste and relentless pursuit of glory, Shackleton put together a flawed strategy. As the pages of The Lost Men flew by, I came to understand how Shackleton was no different from so many others of his ilk. While he had some fine qualities, he had a colossal ego and was unwilling to let such details as a looming world war, acquiring suitable transportation, finding qualified men, ensuring an orderly command and securing adequate funds stand in his way once his mind had been seduced by the prospect of his country's adulation. The vicious Antarctic weather, its wind-driven seas and massive ice pack, a blind adherence to British military ritual, and a lack of commitment to collect up the right dogs for the job helped ensure the mission's fate.In a nutshell, the plan was for Shackleton, some of his men and the majority of the ninety-nine dogs, collected in Canada, to sail on the ship Endurance to one side of Antarctica while the Aurora and the balance of the crew and remaining dogs would navigate to the other side. The Ross Sea Party, ten men from the Aurora, would then be responsible for laying depots enabling Shackleton and his men to complete the first crossing of the continent, promoted as The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. And then everyone would triumphantly sail back to Great Britain on the Aurora whereupon Shackleton would be acclaimed as the hero. A fundamental plot of this story details the antagonism between Æneas Lionel Acton Mackintosh who, despite lack of any polar experience, Shackleton made Commander of the shore party, and Ernest Edward Joyce who, although assigned the role of Sledging Equipment and Dogs, enjoyed no decision-making authority regarding the care, training and use of the animals. Indeed it was Mackintosh who insisted on calling all of those shots despite having not one shred of skill or understanding of working sledge dogs, even though Joyce did. The odds were already against the dogs. They were sick, malnourished, parasite riddled, infected by fight wounds, not socialized into cohesive teams, unfamiliar with commands given by unskilled mushers who didn't know their original names. Putting a man like Mackintosh (who was not inclined to listen to the voice of reason and experience, let alone that of a subordinate) in charge of when and how the dogs were to be used, spelled disaster. Duty bound to follow Mackintosh's orders, right or wrong, the Ross Sea Party's success was in doubt. By the end of the first disastrous year, all but six of the dogs were dead, the depot-laying operation was far from complete and the men had no inkling of Shackleton's progress in their direction or if their failure to that pointwould spell doom for their commander-in-chief.Providing adequate communication was another of Shackleton's shortcomings. Between the end of December, 1914, when the Aurora steamed toward Antarctica from Australia, and January, 1917, when the landing party's seven survivors and their three remaining dogs were recovered, neither Shackleton's contingent nor the Ross Sea Party had any idea of the other's outcome. It wasn't until their rescue that the Ross Sea Party, miraculously having fulfilled their leader's orders to lay the all his required depots, learned that Shackleton was never able to set foot on the continent in the first place.Inuit Sled Dog enthusiasts will recognize that had Shackleton insisted on acquisition of more suitable draught dogs, and had given authority to a man competent in their training and use, The Lost Men might have had no reason to be written. Although it surely cannot be said that the right dogs would have all survived and would be singularly responsible for ensuring mission's success without enduring horrific hardship, the story of The Lost Men is a case in point of how not using the far better suited Inuit Dog can and has resulted undue suffering.This is a splendid narrative, beautifully written, replete with minute details, background and history preceding Shackleton's failed expedition. It offers readers comprehensive understanding of what drives men to dangerous places, and the socio-political-economic forces affecting their survival. The reader becomes intimately familiar with the lives of the characters before, during the expedition and, for the `lucky' ones, after their return to civilization. Kelly Tyler-Lewis leaves no stone unturned, including those elements relating to the dogs, in creating a yarn that will leave readers shivering.

A Fantastic Nonfiction Adventure
Kelly Tyler-Lewis' The Lost Men is the first full account of the Ross Sea Party side of Ernest Shackleton's attempt to cross Antarctica during World War I.The book simultaneously tells a harrowing tale of adventure as well as exemplifying outstanding historical research.Until this book, the men of the Ross Sea Party were truly lost and voiceless.Tyler-Lewis located diaries, photographs, and even film that no other historian could find.The result of her research is an outstanding, clear, and concise work of nonfiction.
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Subjects:  1. (1914-1917)    2. 1874-1922    3. Adventurers & Explorers    4. Antarctica    5. Biography & Autobiography    6. Biography / Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Endurance (Ship)    9. Historical - General    10. Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition    11. Polar Regions    12. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,    13. Sir,    14. Travel    15. Biography & Autobiography / Adventurers & Explorers   

Editorial Review

Based on 15 extended trips to the Canadian far north over a five-year period, Read more

Reviews (22)

Good Arctic Study
This is a really good book.I think the author's ability to describe the Arctic environment and its inhabitants in glorious detail.Each chapter is devoted entirely to an Arctic creature or an environmental characteristic or to some historical context.My favorite chapter by far is "Ice and Light".In this chapter we get, I think, the most detailed description to be found on the colors of icebergs, flora, fauna, sea, and general landscape of the Arctic.In addition to that, we get an added bonus (especially for you astro-geeks out there).Lopez delves into the atmospheric phenomena that occur in and around the Arctic.I found this section to be truly amazing.The occurrence of these atmospheric effects resulted in some unique sightings by early explorers only to be later attributed to these phenomena.All in all, this is a really good read.

One of my favorites...
My favorite book, since I was in high school, has been Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire. I never thought any book I ever read could trump the drama and emotion of that book, but Arctic Dreams is its equal, if not its superior. I do admit I am biased. This book is like a life story of a person I have been in love with for my entire life.I've read a ton of books on the Arctic, and this is one of the best.
Extensive account on wildlife too....
I especially liked his account of polar bears, harp seals and whales and their intermingling relationships. His description of how he perceived his surroundings made me feel as if I was there! In fact, it made me book a 10-day trip to Alaska in order to escape the stresses of city-living for a while! I was somewhat surprised by the chapter on Eskimos and a thorough discussion of their origin since I had expected this book to be a travelogue at best. Of course, it is much more. The chapter on Ice and Light, for instance, is outstanding and has probably the best description I have read on the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis)!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arctic regions    2. Description and travel    3. Discovery and exploration    4. General    5. Natural History    6. Nature / Field Guide Books    7. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    8. Nature / General   

Reviews (4)

gorgeous illustrations, info. you won't find anywhere else
This has got to be the single best guide to Antarctica's unusual wildlife. Everything is covered here, from Gentoo Penguins to Crab-Eater Seals (which don't actually eat crabs). Beautiful illustrations make it easy to identify birds & other animals while your out on the ice. If you're going to the White Continent, you'll want to stash this little book in your daypack. This book was useful when my husband & I visited the Antarctic peninsula, which we chronicle in our DVD "T&T's Real Travels in Antarctica" (also available on amazon.com).

A handbook essential for any Antarctica-bound traveler
The price tag may seem steep for the fourth edition of this 144-page paperback - but where else are you going to find details on the wildlife of Antarctica, tailored as a take-along tote for the Antarctica-bound traveler? Color drawings by Dafila Scott accompany nature history descriptions of each creature and discussions of identification specific to Antarctica, from contending with visibility factors to seasonal identification features. Antarctica: A Guide To The Wildlife is a unique and strongly recommended "take-along" handbook essential for any Antarctica-bound traveler.
Great, portable guide
I bought this book in preparation for a trip 'South' in December 1999/January 2000 and it was an extremely useful guide to wildlife in general but especially good for penguin information. The drawings by an ancestor of Robert F. Scott's are lifelike, and engaging art as well.The brief summaries of natural and exploration history are accessible and informative. If you are looking for a portable guide to peninsular wildlife get the book--you won't regret it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Australia & Oceania - General    2. Polar Regions    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel - General    6. Travel Guides    7. Wildlife    8. Wildlife Conservation    9. Antarctica    10. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    11. Travel / Polar Regions   

Subjects:  1. Antarctica    2. General    3. Individual Species Of Mammals    4. Life Sciences - Zoology - General    5. Mammals    6. Marine Life    7. Nature    8. Nature / Field Guide Books    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Science    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Seals (Animals)    13. Marine & freshwater mammals    14. Science / Zoology    15. Seals (Animals)--Antarctica   

Reviews (4)

Future trip to Antarctica
My friend and I are off on an adventure to Antarctica in February and this book offered by Lonely Planet and authored by Jeff Rubin has been very informative and helpful in many aspects. I purchase all my travel books printed by Lonely Planet.

great backgrounder
If you're one of the few actually going to Antarctica, this book will give you an excellent background on the White Continent. It's not necessarily the best for planning a trip -- you'll get more up-to-date cruise ship info. online. But Lonely Planet will tell you all about the different possible landing spots, which can help you choose which tour to take. There's also good details about the most common embarkation points for Antarctica cruises. This book was handy when my husband & I planned our trip to the peninsula, which we chronicle in our DVD "T&T's Real Travels in Antarctica" (also available on amazon.com).

A truly great achievement up to LP standards, and even more
This book from Lonely Planet is, as always, the ultimate choice of guidebook for travelers.It provides excellent and up-to-date information which any type of traveler will find invaluable.Despite the fact that Antarctica is probably the least visited of the many regions of the world covered by LP, the authors have managed to put together an outstanding agglomeration of data and advice, well edited and excellently written.But... furthermore, on top of being an excellent travel book, this LP guide is also (like many other LP guides, but even more outstandingly) a great book about Antarctica's reality: the place itself, the peculiar or unique characters of this wonderful land, etc.Truly wonderful material is provided in this book, ensuring excellent reading for the armchair traveler, or the Antarctica beginner alike.Its many chapters and additional text boxes about a variety of topics, contain and provide extremely rich information on matters from history to politics, from geography to biology.All in all, a masterpiece. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Polar Regions    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Antarctica    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (1)

excellent overview
If you're going to the White Continent or just a fan, this map gives an excellent, detailed picture of Antarctica. All the major landing spots are covered, & it gives an overview of the wildlife & where they're found. This map was handy when my husband & I planned our trip to the Antarctic peninsula, which we chronicle in our DVD "T&T's Real Travels in Antarctica" available on amazon.com. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antarctica    2. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Reviews (2)

Very Well Designed and Informative
Lot of great pictures and very informative articles.This book will definitely be with my camara and computer during my trip to Antarctica.

Fine book beautifully produced!
Anyone who has read my other reviews will know that I don't give stars easily but I can find no reason even to deduct a single star from this book. Whether you have been, are going or just want to dream of going this is the book for you. As its title indicates, its prime purpose is to describe the wildlife, and it gives top billing to the birds - all in a level of detail which should satisfy the most demanding birder, but which the average interested amateur naturalist should also find interesting. The authors have sensibly provided a fine set of plates rather than relying on photos as the main identification aid. There are however many good photos as well - this use of both "media" is, as far as my experience goes, unusual in bird books which tend to opt for one or the otherwhen in fact each has its advantages and disadvantages. The section onmarine mammals is of a similar quality. Another section comprehensively describes each of the regions (including Sub-Antarctic islands all the way up to Tristan) with information which makes the book useful as a "travel guide" for planning and accompanying a trip (though it is really too fine a book to get damaged in use!). In addition there are good (if relatively short) sections on geology, climate, history, botany etc etc - in fact on just about any relevant subject you could think of. Indeed if you could only have 1 book on the Antarctic this is a very good candidate - and at a very good price! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antarctic Ocean    2. Antarctica    3. Birds    4. Marine mammals    5. Nature    6. Nature/Ecology    7. Reference    8. Wildlife    9. Biological Sciences    10. Birds & birdwatching    11. Birds (ornithology)    12. Birds and Natural History    13. Nature / Wildlife    14. Polar regions   

Reviews (18)

An Amazing Story!
The Final Frontiersman is a fascinating story of one man's personal journey from a difficult background in Wisconsin to the freedom and challenges of life in the most remote region in the U.S.The man, Heimo Korth, unexpectedly finds romance and a life partner - and establishes a close knit family while living outside the margins of what some call "civil society."A clear and wonderfully told story which unapologetically describes how Heimo and his native spouse, Edna, live a subsistence lifestyle - primarily on freshly killed, free-ranging caribou and moose. It also describes how swiftly tragedy can strike.
To the Korths
I just finished reading "The Final Frontiersman" and would recommend it to anyone.It's well-written, entertaining, and truly educational, not only about the hardships and joys of life in the Arctic bush but about the politics of Alaskan wilderness "preservation."
Final Frontiersman
Most people do not understand what it is like to live in the bush, they are city people who just stay indoors most of their lives, they believe that people should not hunt or kill animals for their fur or for their meat, they read a book but dont like it becuase someone killed an animal in it, boo hoo.They are simpleminded people who dont know any better, natives and residents in Alaska do this everyday, and it most likely will no be changed for a long time, since they grew up around such things and live to do it every day. This book shows what it is really like in the Alaskan bush and if you dont like it, does it look like we care? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alaska - Local History    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. General    6. Regional Subjects - General    7. Social History    8. Alaska    9. Biography & Autobiography / General    10. Travel writing   

Reviews (1)

An exciting essay on bears in nature. Extreme Photography
Kennan Ward:''Grizzlies in the Wild": This is the stuff that gets a"couch potato" out to the campsites! Nature at it's extreme,Indian legend, bears so huge and unique that that they are known far andwide by their names alone. Carniverous and dangerous, the author respectsthem all. The tenacity of Ward's pursuits and his dedication as aphotographer, brings us one of the most inspiring and picturesque booksthat i've read in a very long time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Arctic regions    3. Bears    4. General    5. Individual Species Of Mammals    6. Mammals    7. Nature    8. Nature/Ecology    9. Photography / Nature & Wildlife    10. Pictorial works    11. Polar bear    12. Travel    13. Ward, Kennan    14. Journeys    15. Nature & Wildlife    16. Photographs: collections    17. Photography    18. Wild animals   

Reviews (4)

Several trips in one book
Roff Smith writes in this book about more than one trip to Antarctica, and in each trip he moves around from base to base to explore the place.For this reason, the book feels a bit disjointed, but it is a great portrait of the place and the people who live and work there today and the support systems that help them from the outside.Smith is often funny, as well as awestruck.That seems to be the effect the place has on people.

Great book
I've been looking for a book on Antarctica as I will soon be going there in a research support capacity. I was anxious to get an account of "what it is really like" being down there.Smith's accounts of dealing with the US program were especially interesting to me.His writing is humerous, insightful and thoroughly enjoyable to read.After reading this book, I think I have a decent sense of what to expect (his description of the pre-trip paperwork has already proven to be dead-on).
Needs Pictures!
I've been fascinated with Antarctica since hearing Vaughan Williams' Sympony No. 7 "Antarctica."This is the first book about the area that I've read. I found it fascinating right from page one. The author wastes no time getting to the ship and the voyage, and does a tremendous job describing the landscape.
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Subjects:  1. Description And Travel    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. General    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Polar Regions    7. Special Interest - Adventure    8. Travel - General    9. Travel / Adventure   

Reviews (10)

An amazing memoir
I can count on one hand the number of books that have truly and wholly transported me to another time and place. The Last Gentleman Adventurer easily joins the work of Jack London and Herman Melville in this regard, with the happy and astonishing distinction of being a true account rather than fiction. The author, Edward Maurice writes with a rare kind of insight, humane and honest. His adventures are at once breathtaking and sobering. My only regret is that this was his only book.

The Dawn of His Life but the Twilight of an Era
Edward Beauclerk Maurice, in his waning years, looked back on his first job, a job so distant in time and space that it might as well have been hundreds of years ago:In the 1930s, Maurice was recruited as a teenager to run one of the last fur-trading outposts in Arctic Canada operated by the Hudson Bay Company.Dropped off in a tiny Inuit village with a year's worth of trading supplies, he is meant by the Company to be both purveyor and parent to the local people.Of course, as an unexperienced teenager he had no skills for either role, and it is only through the benevolence of the villagers that he is able to cope.
Coming of Age in the Arctic
"The Last Gentleman Adventurer" is a delightful, even beautiful account by Edward Maurice of his time as a young clerk for the Hudson's Bay Company in the Canadian Arctic of the 1930's.Maurice was working literally at the intersection of the Inuit and European worlds.We are most fortunate as readers that the author was unjaded, exceptionally observant, and open to the possibilities of life in that time and place.
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Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Adventurers & Explorers    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography And Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. Canada    9. Canada, Northern    10. Customs & Traditions    11. Description and travel    12. Discovery And Exploration (General)    13. Explorers    14. Frontier and pioneer life    15. Inuit    16. Maurice, Edward Beauclerk    17. Personal Memoirs    18. Polar Regions    19. Social life and customs    20. Biography & Autobiography / Adventurers & Explorers   

Reviews (13)

Inspirational and Honest
I read this book when we were in the process of finding a boat to cruise on with our 2 toddlers. I found this book to be very enlightening on the crusing lifestyle. I found it humerously written in parts when the Martins made a plan for every obstacle they faced. I laughed, I cried and I laughed and cried at the same time. I've read a lot of books catered to women out cruising and as a woman and mother I found this book to be the most interesting as it really delved into family life on board. It is the only cruising book my husband wanted to hear about - in fact I'd read to him at night and we enjoyed it together. Jaja has a positive attitude that is infectious. You find yourself almost connected to the Martin family. Other books leave you feeling depressed your not out there yet but this book leaves you feeling inspired. A very happy read and I've recommended it to a lot of people. My only regret is I loaned it to my father-in-law and, now that I'm out cruising, I'd love to read it again but I can't get it back from him!
A big dose of adventure with afew drops of sanctimony.
We all love adventure books:the power and challenge of wild, the beauty of nature, the personal tests of hardship, and the strength of the human spirit.All of this and more can be found in the Marin's saga.It makes for great reading.But pervading all of this adventure and beauty is a philosophy.For some, it appears, this philosophy is enlightening, uplifting and "enriching", speaking to our desires to be free from the pathos of our modern world.For me, this philosophy of rejection by the Martins comes across a little heavy-handed, with inverted narcissism (hey, look at us, look how simple and humbly we can live), a touch of hypocrisy (ooh, let's keep our children out those American schools in North Carolina, but wow, wouldn't it be culturally uplifting to enroll them in an Icelandic and a Norwegian school), and an air of superiority.OK, OK, I'm being overly critical.We all at times seek a simpler life and I too envy the Martin's freedom, spirit and sense of adventure and this really is an enjoyable book.But hey, let's not take ourselves too seriously here.I give Into the Light 4 stars: 4 or 5 for the great adventure, and 2 or 3 for the overdose of "Martinism".

Sailor"s review of this book
Being a sailor myself I bought this book with great expectation of entertainment in reading about an adventurous sailing journey.I was very disappointed.There was very little data given about the boat, its gear, and sailing tactics.The book was about what they did when they got there.The author would go on and on about people and places in Iceland and Scandanavia that you could not pronounce; yet, I still don't know what brand of Diesel engine the vessel had, its displacement or horse power.Sail plan, displacement, keel type, etc., are still a mystery.No pictures or data charts.Did a vessel really exist?Read more

Subjects:  1. 1962 or 3-    2. Arctic regions    3. Description and travel    4. Martin, Dave,    5. Martin, Jaja    6. Polar Regions    7. Special Interest - Adventure    8. Travel    9. Reading Group Guide   

Reviews (1)

A fabulous book
For over thirty years, Canadian photojournalist Fred Bruemmer has lived with and photographed the Arctic peoples of North America, and in this book he draws on his numerous experiences to fashion poignant and moving memoir of his life in the North and the many people who he has met.This is a book that for someone like myself, who has a limited understanding of this region, will give them new understanding and deeper insight into its past and the lives of the peoples who have inhabited it for countless generations. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography/Autobiography    2. Native American Anthropology    3. Biography: general    4. Canada    5. Ethnography   

Reviews (3)

Turning 30
This is an undiscovered gem, cherished by those who have read it. That Katha Politt no longer publishes poems and devotes herself to writing columns for the Nation is a great tragedy. Her columns are inevitablyinconsistent and often predictable. Her poetry is extraordinary andvibrant, although perhaps not to the taste of the same people who admireher column. My favorite poem might be Turning Thirty: Home, you writefeverishly in all five notebooks at once, then faint into bed dazed withambition and too many cigarettes...... Oh, what were you doing, why weren'tyou paying attention that piercing blue day, not a cloud inthe sky, when suddenly choices ceased to mean infinite possibilities andbecame instead deciding what to do without ..... (forgive the typography)

A delight
This is a collection of poems that are both accessible and intelligent. It's hard to imagine a literate reader who would not find a great deal to admire and enjoy here.

Of some interest, but also disappointing
Katha Pollitt is certainly a better writer when, as an essayist, she is discussing issues of Women's choices in contemporary society. This book is just a bit disappointing when having read her journalism and essays, butone shouldn't hold that against her. I found the shorter poems to be themost interesting, and risk taking. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Non-Classifiable