Subjects:  1. (1910-1913)    2. 1868-1912    3. Antarctica    4. British    5. British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition    6. British Antarctic ('Terra Nova    7. Discovery and exploration    8. Expeditions & Discoveries    9. History    10. History: World    11. Polar Regions    12. Scott, Robert Falcon,    13. Travel    14. Travel - General   

Reviews (3)

mixed bag of impressions
This book is very uneven, unfortunately. On one side, photography is splendid, historical and geological discussion are very thorough, the spirit of adventure is live and well. However, I am TIRED to find Messner complaining about his partner on every single page. And the translation is so bad, that one can almost study German grammar from the English presented. A great adventurer, but not a great writer
The story of Reinhold Messner's walk across Antartica might have been moreinteresting had it been written by a professional author.Messner's firsthand accounts, while interesting, do not make for especially good reading. However, there is a huge number of color photographs included that in andof themselves almost make the book worthwhile.Messner is perhaps the mostaccomplished extreme sportsman in the world.But he would do betterletting someone else tell his fantastic stories.

A rather dull book on a not so exciting adventure.
Messner never gave me a feeling of what it was like crossing Antartica.He went into too much detail on all the problems he had just getting there, but was not very discriptive of life on the ice.I was never drawn intothe book and thus did not have much emphathy with the characters.Feltlike Messner did more complaining about things than trying to describe theadventure he was on.He complained about his life before the trip, hecomplained about all the problems he ran into trying to get to Antartica,he complained about his partner during and after his trip, and hecomplained about there being people at the South Pole.To his credit itprobably was hard to write this length of book when the story line was: Igot up each morning for 92 days and walked. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1944-    2. 1989-1990)    3. 20th Century Description And Travel    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. Fuchs, Arved    7. General    8. Messner, Reinhold,    9. Photo Essays    10. Polar Regions    11. Reference    12. Sports & Recreation    13. Winter Sports    14. Wurth-Antarktis-Transversale    15. Wèurth-Antarktis-Transversale (Expedition :    16. Antarctica    17. Climbing & mountaineering    18. Messner, Reinhold    19. Travel & holiday guides   

Editorial Review

The icy deaths of Robert Falcon Scott and his companions on their returnfrom the South Pole in 1912 made them English icons of courage and sacrifice.Soon, however, Scott's judgments and decisions were questioned, and hisreputation became one of inept bungler rather than heroic pioneer. SusanSolomon, senior scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationin Colorado, approaches Scott's story from a meteorologist's point of view. Sheshows that the three weeks from February 27 to March 19, during which theexplorers fell further and further behind the daily distances they had to coverin order to survive, were far colder than normal. Unusual blizzards of wet snowhad already slowed the party and depleted their provisions and strength. Withoutthese once-in-a-decade phenomena, Solomon believes the party would have returnedto its base on the Ross Sea--second after Roald Amundsen in the race to thePole, but safely. She opens each chapter with comments from a hypotheticalmodern visitor to Antarctica, presumably to give a wider context to the humandrama of the last century, though this reviewer finds them inappropriate. Sheenriches her narratives of Scott's two Antarctic expeditions with vintagephotographs and tables of meteorological data that highlight the explorers'achievements. Their determination was pitted against the worst weather in theworld. Scott's story has been told many times before, but its weatherinformation makes Read more

Reviews (23)

Cold, yes, but...
Solomon's is a well-written book that begs the question: How many ways are there to say that it is cold in winter at Antarctica?
This is not the place to take chances
Susan Solomon's book on the ill-fated Scott expedition of 1911-1912 tries to refute the Scott bashing in Roland Huntford's superior book, "The Last Place on Earth."Huntford carefully explains why the lesser-known Amundsen deserves praise while Scott pretty much kills himself.Solomon describes Scott as a "bumbler"- someone who makes mistakes because of incompetence.But her title and thesis is- it was the weather's fault.Inspector Clouseau was a bumbler.Scott's "preparation and leadership" cost him and all his men their lives.
An unforgiving land
Primarily a scientific investigation and a good one at that, with the human interest aspect secondary but significant. Solomon is very informative. Being in the Antartic may mean not just reckoning with the cold but also with low humidiity and high elevation. What being severely frostbitten is like. Considerations of what to bring on an Antartic expedition. The impact on bodies and minds as the temperature drops lower and lower.
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Subjects:  1. (1910-1913)    2. 1868-1912    3. Antarctica    4. Arctic Islands And Antarctica - History    5. British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition    6. British Antarctic ('Terra Nova    7. Discovery And Exploration (General)    8. Discovery and exploration    9. Expeditions & Discoveries    10. General    11. History    12. History - General History    13. History: World    14. Polar Regions    15. Scott, Robert Falcon,    16. Travel    17. Geographical discovery & exploration    18. History / Polar Regions    19. Journeys    20. Scott, Robert Falcon    21. c 1900 - c 1914   

Subjects:  1. Polar Regions    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel - General    5. Wildlife    6. Arctic regions    7. Travel / Polar Regions    8. Wild animals   

Reviews (1)

Good combo of "funny" and "informative"
I picked this up for our daughter at the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Splash Zone exhibit. I had some reservations at first but they were quickly put to rest after my daughter started laughing and quoting facts about penguin behaviour and penguin species (for about 1 hour of our drive home). The book is nicely done with a combination of simple cartoons, jokes, beautiful photographs, and natural science information. I'm hoping that the authors come up with more of this series. I've already put in an order for their other book, "Cat Nap". Nice job folks! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Animals - Birds    2. Antarctica    3. Children's 9-12 - Nature / Guide Books    4. Children's Books/Ages 9-12 Nonfiction    5. Children: Grades 2-3    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Juvenile literature    8. Nature & the Natural World - General    9. Penguins    10. Birds & birdwatching    11. Non-Classifiable    12. Zoology & animal sciences   

Subjects:  1. Pictorials    2. Polar Regions    3. Subjects & Themes - Landscapes    4. Travel    5. Travel - General   

Reviews (3)

Worst Journey - best book
Apsley Cherry-Garrard's amazing tale of life in the Antarctic as the youngest member of Scott's fatal expedition. I was gripped from the very first line of this book; "Polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time which has been devised." He describes wearing clothes for 6 months with no dirt building up on them, or it being 'more lonely than London' and later he talks of his later experiences in the Great War (1914-18) where the polar explorers felt, considering what they had been through, the trenches were a relatively comfortable alternative. In short Cherry-Garrard has a simple way with words that I loved. One of the best Antarctic adventure tales
One of the members of Scott's last expedition to Antarctica was the author of this book, who at the time was one of the youngest members of the group. Cherry-Garrard recounts his personal adventures as part of the expedition,as well as the fate of the small group who trekked to the South Pole withScott (they died on the return journey).However, Cherry-Garrard, with twoother expedition members, made a journey that was far more harrowing thanScott's trek to the pole -- a journey of some weeks across the Antarcticice shelf in winter!Walking in the near-total darkness, Cherry-Garrard'sgroup man-hauled their heavy sledges, almost lost their tents in agale(without which they would have perished), and endured extremes oftemperature that not even Scott experienced -- all in pursuit of the rarestof prizes -- the eggs of an Emperor penguin (in order to study the animal'sdevelopment). Unfortunately, in later years Cherry-Garrard would sufferfrom repeated nervous breakdowns, partly due to his war experiences andpartly to his (misplaced) conviction that he might have been able to saveScott and his polar party.Cherry-Garrard was the last person to visit thefarthest supply dump, called One-Ton Depot; Scott and his group would die amere eight miles from this depot.However, at the time Cherry-Garrardvisited the depot, Scott and his men were much farther away than this --they also weren't expected to arrive back yet for some weeks. Although hisexpedition comrades in later years would try to make it clear to him thatit would be absolutely impossible for him to have saved Scott, he was neverentirely convinced. Of all the polar adventure books I have read, thiswill always stand out to me as one of the most thrilling.

Epic tales of survival and discovery in Antarctica
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Subjects:  1. (1910-1913)    2. Antarctic regions    3. British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition    4. Discovery and exploration    5. General    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Literary Criticism    9. Polar Regions    10. Antarctica    11. Biography: general    12. Geographical discovery & exploration    13. Travel writing    14. c 1900 - c 1914   

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History: World    4. Polar Regions    5. Travel - General    6. Antarctica    7. Geographical discovery & exploration    8. Travel writing   

Reviews (7)

another great Ehrich book
Excellent book about cold places, global warming,life and solitude.
The Future of Ice
A travel memoir, meditation on winter and nature, and jeremiad upon the imminent destruction of everything.
A very refreshing read.
I recently completed reading this book while travelling in Iceland and the Faroes last week. And I picked up this book at a bookstore in Reykjavik. Clearly Gretel is a strongly worded and passionate writer. But while she was able to connect with me while talking about her hikes (and her dog, Sammy; I lost my own doggie about a month ago), she quite often seems to go on a rant. Sometimes I just skimmed over words without attempting to grasp what she was saying. She does not describe any flora and fauna in detail but I don't think that was the intention of this book (read Barry Lopez's "Arctic Dreams" for that). But all that sounds like nitpicking. It is not often you come across a book by someone who obviously has travelled so extensively or loves winter so much. Make this your next read while travelling across the northern Atlantic next time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th Century Description And Travel    2. American - General    3. Arctic Ecology    4. Cold regions    5. Description and travel    6. Ecology    7. Ehrlich, Gretel    8. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    9. Nature    10. Nature/Ecology    11. Travel    12. Nature / Ecology   

Reviews (3)

A grueling account
Englishmen Ranulph Fiennes and Mike Stroud together made four failed attempts on the North Pole. Their major success was an expedition both inwardly expected to fail - the unsupported (carry everything) crossing of Antarctica.
There are two sides to every story
Adverturers come in all shapes and sizes - of ego, that is!And this book is an excellent opportunity to see the diversity of people who succeed at extremely challenging outdoor pursuits.I thoroughly enjoyed this account from a relatively modest style of person, who took on and succeeded at a challenge, the difficulty of which left me aching and bleary eyed just thinking about it. Enduring endurance
A fascinating epic with all the hardships and truths told. An honest account of human mental and physical strengths and weaknessness. At times it unecessarily draws you into the on going ego battle between Stroud andFiennes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1944-    2. Antarctica    3. Discovery and exploration    4. Essays & Travelogues    5. Fiennes, Ranulph,    6. Polar Regions    7. Sir    8. Sir,    9. Travel    10. Travel - General    11. Geographical discovery & exploration    12. Travel / General    13. Travel writing   

Reviews (2)

South -- to the end.
My case of Shackleton Fever finally ended with this book -- the story of the doomed antarctic expedition as seen through the eyes of Shackleton himself.He emerges from these pages as an intelligent man who is modest about his achievements -- but not so modest as to blunt the excitement of his story.This book also gives many additional details of his attempts to rescue his men, and the often-overlooked story of the not-so-lucky supply expedition that awaited him on the far side of the antarctic ice pack.Perhaps the only fault of the book is that its careful narrative strips some of the mystery away from Shackleton's almost superhuman story.After reading 4 books on the subject, I find I still prefer Lancing's original version (see my review).But true Shackleton buffs won't rest easy until they have seen the original silent movie of the same name, including remarkable cinematography by Frank Hurley -- now available on videotape as a mesmerizing 90 minute movie from the dawn of motion pictures.
Great account of adventure and survival in Antarctica.
This is one of the best survival/adventure stories that you will ever read.The events which take place during the Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917 are re-told by several different points of view and this gives the overall story a multi-faceted persona.The main re-telling of the story of the ENDURANCE is told primarily from Shackleton's point of view and re-affirmed through diary notes of his mates.His point of view is very straight-forward.He doesn't dwell on the painful and depressing conditions as you might expect but, seems to exude a strong, matter-of-fact leadership style which most likely gave his men strength in the face of such disastrous and dangerous conditions.Contrast his account of the ENDURANCE voyage with that of the AURORA which was originally planned to be the expedition's supply ship and you clearly see what I am talking about.The painful, weakened conditions of the AURORA men is agonizing to read...frostbite, scruvy, depression, fatigue, hunger, thirst, and the loss of 3 of their comrades.This is not implying that Shackleton never mentions the poor shape of his conditions or of his crew; it just seems that he doesn't dwell upon it however worried he may have been.Yet, we sense his concern for the failing health of some of his men and we share his pride when they are in fact rescued from Elephant Island and he watches them eat "proper" food for the first time in a very long time.In fact, one can hardly review this book without letting Shackleton, in his own words, describe the joy that found when they encountered when his small party found the whaling village at Stromness Bay, "We had pierced the veneer of outside things.We had "suffered, starved, and triumphed, groveled down yet grapsed at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole."...We had reached the naked soul of men."This is truly one of the greatest adventure stories ever written. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. (1914-1917)    2. 1874-1922    3. Antarctica    4. Discovery And Exploration (General)    5. Endurance (Ship)    6. Expeditions & Discoveries    7. General    8. History    9. History - General History    10. History: World    11. Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition    12. Maritime History    13. Polar Regions    14. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,    15. Sir,    16. Travel    17. Biography & Autobiography / Adventurers & Explorers    18. Geographical discovery & exploration    19. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. Antarctic regions    2. Description and travel    3. Minto, Mount    4. Minto, Mount (Antarctic regions)    5. Mountaineering    6. Sports    7. Sports & Recreation   

Reviews (2)

A Testament to the Human Spirit
Ranulph Fiennes is a remarkable person who set out to achieve what most considered impossible.From circumnavigating the Earth's polar axis to discovering a lost ancient city in Arabia to gut-wrenching unsupported polar treks, Fiennes shares the ups and downs of a life lived in full.
Ranulph Fiennes's lifetime of adventures is documented
Sir Randolph Fiennes has been called the 'world's greatest living explorer': he's spent thirty years circumnavigating the globe, broken many exploration records, and has had both high and low moments in the process, so it's little surprise BEYOND THE LIMITS provides such a fascinating memoir and examination of these points. Ranulph Fiennes's lifetime of adventures is documented in a vivid series of lessons: add color photos and you have an outstanding achievement.
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Subjects:  1. 1944-    2. Biography    3. Explorers    4. Fiennes, Ranulph,    5. General    6. Great Britain    7. Sir,    8. Special Interest - Adventure    9. Travel    10. Travel - General    11. Arctic regions    12. Australasia    13. Places & peoples: general interest    14. True stories of endurance & survival   

Reviews (3)

An Exciting Period in History
The late 19th and early 20th centuries were an exiting time of exploration in which indomitable men raced to be the first to set foot upon the farthest reaches of the Earth. In this pursuit, these explorers were forced to overcome unimaginable hardships as well as the unknown, and many were lost or left buried in desolate graves of ice and snow; upon mountain tops; deep within equatorial jungles. Though many explorers took up the quest in order to achieve personal glory or financial gain, others explored for the sake of pure discovery. They learned lessons from their fallen predecessors, building upon the experiences of previous generations in order to earn success. They performed science along the way: taking measurements, classifying animals, recording observations; adding to a body of knowledge that inexorably grew with each new expedition; knowledge building upon knowledge. The public was fascinated and enthralled by these explorers, cheering on the valiant regardless of nationality; excoriating the weak or the timid or the imposters of success.
great inroduction
This is a fine book with a fine introduction. Peary may have been a racist who said he took African American Matt Henson with him because he said "I did not feel called upon to share the honors that might occur with any other man", but this is still an interesting read even if Peary never actually reached the pole.

Do not use my review for the AUDIO TAPE!
Amazon? Earth to Amazon? Come in please. My review was for a book with a bad introduction, not for an audio tape of the actual classic sans negative introduction. Oh, well.Read more

Subjects:  1. (Robert Edwin),    2. 1856-1920    3. Arctic regions    4. Discovery and exploration    5. Expeditions & Discoveries    6. History - General History    7. North Pole    8. Peary, Robert E    9. Peary, Robert E.    10. Polar Regions    11. Travel    12. Geographical discovery & exploration    13. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. 1889-1966    2. Antarctica    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Does, Willem van der,    5. Personal Memoirs    6. Polar Regions    7. Travel    8. Travelers    9. Voyages and travels    10. Whaling    11. Arctic regions    12. Travel writing   

Editorial Review

What do you do after you canoe from Winnipeg, Canada to the Amazon? Paddle a kayak from Hudson Bay 3,000 miles through the Northwest Passage, of course.The author of Paddle to the Amazon sets out on another epic and crazy adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Sad old man mooches & thieves his way across the arctic
This book is like a train wreck. You want to do the decent thing and turn away but the gore is too compelling. This is a poorly written journal of an egotistical fool that mooched, sponged and thieved his way across the arctic. There was no-one that this creep wouldn't use, and when he's quite justifiably refused "good samaritan" help, he rants and raves about how unfair it all is.
a fools account
With in the first chapter i was ready to put the book down. I admite reading this book is like seeing a bad accident, horrifying, yet i had to read on to see what tom foolery was next. At points it occured to me that this may have been a comedy. But no, this is the account of a determined, driven man with no common sense.
A good example of what NOT to do in the arctic, or in life
Another reviewer thought this tale was presented without whining; I must wholeheartedly disagree.The author continually bemoans his chosen fate, actually saying things like 'when oh when will this end?'He went up there three times with insufficient experience & no guidance; continually misreads the terrain and the weather; then is surprised when it's a really hard trip.He has little to say about any beauty he might have encountered along the way because he's only paying attention to the schedule.
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Subjects:  1. Canoeing    2. Essays & Travelogues    3. Kayaking    4. Special Interest - Adventure    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation    7. Travel - General    8. Sports & Recreation / Kayaking   

Editorial Review

The work of Myron Arms represents the best qualities of literary science writing; his intelligent,curious mind spins lyrical accounts of natural phenomena and the world around us. During a 1991 sailingexpedition off the coast of Labrador, the author is blocked by a surprising and frustrating mass of ice--anunusual event occurring out of season and during a particularly warm summer. Read more

Reviews (10)

I'd have to agree with the skeptical reviewers.
There's just not that much here.As a travelogue, Arms does not have a whole lot to say, either about sailing or about the places he visits.It's not clear why he took the trip at all -- some sort of scientific investigation -- other than to see Greenland.If you want to read about a visit to the coast of Greenland and Labrador, I would recommend Rowing_To_Latitude, by a woman (whose name eludes me) about rowing these and other coasts.As for the science in Arms' book, there's not enough of that to satisfy, either.He's talked to some interesting people with interesting research, but there's about enough there to fill a long magazine article.He uses the device of jumping back and forth from the sailing trip to his discussions with scientists, but this feels forced, and eventually calls attention to the fact that his trip doesn't seem to advance the science at all.As another reviewer noted, his characterization of his fellow travelers makes them seem one-dimensional, at best, and if you read the afterword you'll see that there were two other people on board -- including his wife -- whom he omitted altogether.

Pretty Dry
Myron Arms' "Riddle of the Ice" includes a collection of the most current theories used to try to explain the creation, movement, and distribution of ice in the Arctic, and not much else. For those looking for an adventure story, look elsewhere. If you're interested in the personal lives of the crew and the skipper, what you'll find is Arms' reflections on his own caustic nature and a few references to his encounters with shipmate "Blue," which convieniently lend Arms an avenue, as most of the rest of his accounts of contact with the shipmates do,to show the reader how, while he's gruff and abrasive, his propensity for always being right usually is justified in the end. As for the science behind "Riddle of the Ice," Arms left it up to the real scientists, providing the reader with a decent book report at best.

Pretty Dry
Myron Arms' "Riddle of the Ice" includes a collection of the most current theories used to try to explain the creation, movement, and distribution of ice in the Arctic, and not much else. For those looking for an adventure story, look elsewhere. If you're interested in the personal lives of the crew and the skipper, what you'll find is Arms' reflections on his own caustic nature and a few references to his encounters with shipmate "Blue," which convieniently lend Arms an avenue, as most of the rest of his accounts of contact with the shipmates do,to show the reader how, while he's gruff and abrasive, his propensity for always being right usually is justified in the end. As for the science behind "Riddle of the Ice," Arms left it up to the real scientists, providing the reader with a decent book report at best. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arctic regions    2. Climatic changes    3. Environmental Science    4. Environmental Studies    5. Essays & Travelogues    6. Icebergs    7. Polar Regions    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Sea ice    11. Science / Environmental Science   

Reviews (1)

Thirteen Norwegians and One Accordion
"Being the Record of a Voyage of Exploration of the Ship Fram 1893-96 and of a Fifteen Months' Sleigh Journey by Dr. Nansen and Lieut. Johansen ... with an Appendix by Otto Sverdrup, Captain of the Fram".
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Subjects:  1. Discovery And Exploration (General)    2. Earth Sciences - Geography    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. Expeditions & Discoveries    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Polar Regions    8. Science    9. Voyages And Travels    10. Arctic regions    11. Geographical discovery & exploration    12. Travel writing    13. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (11)

Great read
This is an outstanding little book.Worsley, who was part of the adventure, writes in the first person and keeps the reader on the hook.Of course, Shackleton's adventure is well known and well covered by authors.However, Worsley's being there and telling stories of the crew is unique.If you are into Polar adventures, this book is a must read.

Fascinating first hand account
This book is well written.I've read a great deal about Shackleton and seen videos, movies, DVDs and Hurley film.But this book provides detail where the second hand accounts do not.If you like sailing, you will especially love this book.The testament also highlights some areas of disagreement between Sir Ernst and Worsley, not of much import, but also not often discussed.Overall a required addition to any Expidetion library.But most of all, perhaps of the the greatest adventures ever told.

Buy this book!!
I have read several books on Shackelton's expedition and this is by far the best.Worsley's wonderful description of the journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia will keep you turning the pages.Don't hesitate, buy it.You won't be disappointed!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography/Autobiography    3. Expeditions & Discoveries    4. Historical - General    5. History - General History    6. Polar Regions    7. Antarctica    8. Geographical discovery & exploration    9. History of specific subjects    10. Travel writing   

Reviews (2)

LOGBOOKS OF A GREAT ADVENTURER IN HIS LAST ADVENTURE
Sir Peter Blake was a great adventurer and seaman.He was part of the team that won the America's Cup in 1995 and lead the defense of the title in 2000 for New Zealand, where he is a national hero.
Plenty of factual information about the regions
If it's a large-size hardcover gift edition you seek celebrating adventure expeditions in general or the achievements of Sir Peter Blake in particular, make it Alan Sefton's editing of Blake's logbooks, The Last Great Adventure Of Sir Peter Blake. The text is drawn directly from Blake's logbooks as he journeys from the Antarctic to the Amazon, with fine color photos and paintings adding the visual delay which sets The Last Great Adventure apart from biographical memoirs alone. Plenty of factual information about the regions Blake explores, from animals to flora, make this an informational guide above and beyond its adventure biography theme.
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Subjects:  1. 1948-2001    2. Biography    3. Blake, Peter,    4. Boating - General    5. Environmental Conservation & Protection - General    6. Essays & Travelogues    7. New Zealand    8. Sailing - General    9. Sailors    10. Seamaster (Yacht)    11. South America    12. Sports    13. Sports & Recreation