If you are preparing for or dreaming of a trip to Antarctica or the Arctic, are already there, or are simply interested in the polar regions, these books should be on your reading list.
True North: Travels In Arctic Europe - Gavin Francis
The stark, vast beauty of the remote Arctic Europe landscape has been the focus of human exploration for thousands of years. In this striking blend of travel writing, history and mythology, Gavin Francis offers a unique portrait of the northern fringes of Europe. His journey begins in the Shetland Isles, takes him to the Faroes, Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard and on to Lapland. Following in the footsteps of the region’s early pioneers, Francis observes how the region has adapted to the 21st century, giving an observed insight into the lives of people he encounters along the way. As with all the best travel writing, True North is an engaging, compassionate tale of self-discovery, whilst blending historical and contemporary narratives in the tradition of Bruce Chatwin and Robert Macfarlane.
Adventure Coordinators review - well researched and a good read about the furthest reaches of Europe. Some of these areas I have travelled to, which made some of his adventures recognizable. 7.5 out of 10
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Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica - Sara Wheeler
This is a book about the call of the wild and the response of the spirit to a destination that exists perhaps most vividly in the mind. Sara Wheeler spent seven months in Antarctica, living with its scientists and dreamers. No book is more true to the spirit of that continent--beguiling, enchanted and vast beyond the furthest reaches of our imagination. Chosen by Beryl Bainbridge and John Major as one of the best books of the year, recommended by the editors of Entertainment Weekly and the Chicago Tribune, one of the Seattle Times's top ten travel books of the year, Terra Incognita is a classic of polar literature.
Adventure Coordinators review - loved this book. Funny at times, spiritual at others, insightful and honest throughout. 9 out of 10.
Arctic Dreams - Barry Lopez
A must read for travellers to the far north, Arctic Dreams is as much a beautiful work on the natural history as it is a meditation on how the landscape can influence our deepest desires, imaginations and dreams. A classic of modern literature, the prose is as pure as the landscape it is set in.
Adventure Coordinators review - Barry Lopez is insightful and at times poetic. 9 out of 10
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - Alfred Lansing
In January 1915, after battling its way for six weeks through a thousand miles of pack ice and only a day's sail short of its destination, the Endurance became locked in an island of ice. For ten months the ice-moored Endurance drifted before it was finally crushed. But for Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men, the ordeal had barely begun. It would end only after a miraculous journey through more than 850 miles of the South Atlantic's heaviest seas to the closest outpost of civilization.
In Endurance, the definitive account of Shackleton's fateful trip, Alfred Lansing brilliantly narrates the harrowing voyage that has defined heroism for the last century.
Adventure Coordinators review - wonderful book, hard to put down. A great read when you are on an Antarctic cruise. 8.5 out of 10
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In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette - Hampton Sides
In the late nineteenth century no one knew what existed beyond the fortress of ice rimming the northern oceans. National glory would fall to whoever could plant his flag upon its shores.
James Bennett, the eccentric and wealthy owner of The New York Herald, had recently captured the world's attention by dispatching Stanley to Africa to find Dr. Livingstone. Now he was keen to re-create that sensation on an even more epic scale. So he funded an official U.S. naval expedition to reach the Pole.
And so a team of 32 men sails deep into uncharted Arctic waters. Two years into the harrowing voyage the Jeannette sank and the men found themselves marooned a thousand miles north of Siberia with only the barest supplies. Thus began their long march across a frozen hell in the most lonesome corner of the world.
Adventure Coordinators review - good read showing some of the daft ideas that made people travel into oblivion. 8 out of 10
Join us for a special presentation on Journeys to the Polar Regions
Tuesday December 8th, 2020, 7 pm Click here to register