What do you think?
Rate this book
Antarctica on a Plate
"Antarctica on a Plate" is a joyful account of a career woman who lobbies shamelessly to get to Antarctica - despite her utter unsuitability for the job. The book captures her sheer exuberance at finding herself on a continent that defies description. It's the story of three short months on a blue-ice runway where the accommodation is basic but the food is five star. Armed with an old cookbook, Alexa attempts to create three-course meals with no electricity or running water and struggles to defrost meat in the coldest place on Earth. Life in a thin mylon tent in the company of scientists, explorers and eccentrics soon begins to take on extraordinary dimensions. As 75-mile-an-hour winds blow and tensions rise, friendships - and love - are forged in this frozen neighbourhood.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
1 person is currently reading
102 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 2, 2023
„Ich stehe an der Tür und muss schlucken angesichts des Panoramas aus Eis und Schnee. Bergketten im Süden lassen mich vor Ehrfurcht erbeben. Kein Buch über die Antarktis, das nicht erklärte, sie sei am höchsten, am flachsten, am trockensten, am kältesten ... Ich wusste, es ist ein Land der Extreme, und doch ist es das eine darüber zu lesen und etwas gänzlich anderes, diese überragende, erstarrte Vollkommenheit mit eigenen Augen zu sehen“
„Ist es das, was die Abenteurer lockt? Die Sehnsucht, sich an Orten heimisch zu fühlen, die von Legenden und Geheimnissen durchwebt sind? Oder ist es das Gefühl der Exklusivität? Ich jedenfalls kann nicht anders, als selbstgefällig fröhlich zu genießen, dass nur wenige Menschen je zu sehen bekommen, was ich gesehen habe.“
Welch scheußliches Cover, was Antarktis-Fans aber nicht von diesem Buch abhalten sollte. Eine gewisse Faszination für die Bedingungen im (leider nicht ganz so) Ewigen Eis sollte man schon mitbringen, sonst könnten die Beschreibungen und der meist ähnliche Ablauf langweilig werden.
Alexa wagt sich recht naiv, aber abenteuerlustig, nach Blue One, einer Art provisorischem Flughafen in der Antarktis, von wo aus Forschungsstationen (welche feste Gebäude beinhalten in denen die Arbeitenden leben) angeflogen werden und die hauptsächlich beruflich Reisenden kurzzeitig versorgen (je nach Wetterlage auch mal länger).
Das heisst man erfährt viel über die Arbeit in so einer winzigen Küche mitten in extremen Wetterlagen und wie der Tagesablauf in Blue One ist. Gleichzeitig geht es auch sehr viel um die Personen welche dort arbeiten oder auch nur für eine gewisse Zeit Blue One als Zwischenstation ihre Heimat nennen.
Alexa empfand ich irgendwie als sympathisch, kann aber auch verstehen wenn sie nicht bei jedem gut ankommt, aber in vielen Situationen konnte ich mich in sie hineinversetzen. Dass hier einige das Buch abwerten, aufgrund der „moralischen Verfehlung“ zum Ende des Buches kann ich persönlich nicht nachvollziehen. Aber da habe ich vielleicht auch eine andere Meinung zu dem „Thema“ als die Mehrheit. Am Ende des Tages macht es die Autorin für mich authentisch und nahbar. Getreu dem Motto: „Wer ohne Fehler ist, werfe den ersten Stein“ ;)
Ich mochte ihre Landschaftsbeschreibungen und den ein oder anderen Gedanken, welchen sie zu Papier bringt habe ich mir markiert, weil sie mir einfach gefallen haben.
Ansonsten ist das Buch kein riesiges Lesehighlight, aber als Antarktis-Fan hatte ich Lust immer mal wieder dazu zu greifen und in die doch besondere Welt von Blue One einzutauchen.
„Ist es das, was die Abenteurer lockt? Die Sehnsucht, sich an Orten heimisch zu fühlen, die von Legenden und Geheimnissen durchwebt sind? Oder ist es das Gefühl der Exklusivität? Ich jedenfalls kann nicht anders, als selbstgefällig fröhlich zu genießen, dass nur wenige Menschen je zu sehen bekommen, was ich gesehen habe.“
Welch scheußliches Cover, was Antarktis-Fans aber nicht von diesem Buch abhalten sollte. Eine gewisse Faszination für die Bedingungen im (leider nicht ganz so) Ewigen Eis sollte man schon mitbringen, sonst könnten die Beschreibungen und der meist ähnliche Ablauf langweilig werden.
Alexa wagt sich recht naiv, aber abenteuerlustig, nach Blue One, einer Art provisorischem Flughafen in der Antarktis, von wo aus Forschungsstationen (welche feste Gebäude beinhalten in denen die Arbeitenden leben) angeflogen werden und die hauptsächlich beruflich Reisenden kurzzeitig versorgen (je nach Wetterlage auch mal länger).
Das heisst man erfährt viel über die Arbeit in so einer winzigen Küche mitten in extremen Wetterlagen und wie der Tagesablauf in Blue One ist. Gleichzeitig geht es auch sehr viel um die Personen welche dort arbeiten oder auch nur für eine gewisse Zeit Blue One als Zwischenstation ihre Heimat nennen.
Alexa empfand ich irgendwie als sympathisch, kann aber auch verstehen wenn sie nicht bei jedem gut ankommt, aber in vielen Situationen konnte ich mich in sie hineinversetzen. Dass hier einige das Buch abwerten, aufgrund der „moralischen Verfehlung“ zum Ende des Buches kann ich persönlich nicht nachvollziehen. Aber da habe ich vielleicht auch eine andere Meinung zu dem „Thema“ als die Mehrheit. Am Ende des Tages macht es die Autorin für mich authentisch und nahbar. Getreu dem Motto: „Wer ohne Fehler ist, werfe den ersten Stein“ ;)
Ich mochte ihre Landschaftsbeschreibungen und den ein oder anderen Gedanken, welchen sie zu Papier bringt habe ich mir markiert, weil sie mir einfach gefallen haben.
Ansonsten ist das Buch kein riesiges Lesehighlight, aber als Antarktis-Fan hatte ich Lust immer mal wieder dazu zu greifen und in die doch besondere Welt von Blue One einzutauchen.
February 6, 2017
If you’re looking for a memoir about exploring, ice and braving the extremities of Antarctica, then Alexa Thomson’s Antarctica on a Plate is not for you. Yes, there’s ice but the focus is on the challenge of cooking large quantities of food on a small stove, and the fact that in Antarctica you never run out of freezer space.
Thomson, completely ‘under-experienced’ as a cook in extreme conditions, scores a job at Blue 1, a seasonal Antarctic base that’s used as a stopover point for research expeditions and tourists. Thomson was living in Sydney and had a successful office-based career but was dissatisfied, so applied for a position in Antarctica (never expecting to actually get a job). Much is made of trading stilettos for snow-boots but the real interest is in the odd details – the fact that in such a cold climate you lose your sense of smell, and that the most time-consuming task of the day is melting ice for water.
There’s not as much in this memoir about cooking as the blurb implies. Novelties, such as the Russians growing tiny pots of tomatoes and cucumbers, are interesting but the focus is on the people Thomson meets during her time in Antarctica and the landscape, notably its “…unknowable simplicity…”. I particularly liked the mention of her reading choice and its context (coincidentally I started War and Peace at the same time I started this book) –
"I am toiling through War and Peace. I am reading it with relish and satisfaction. Tolstoy is so dense and encompassing that Antarctica’s blankness is the perfect place to immerse myself in such Russian intrigue.”
Personally, I detest the cold. And ice and snow? Don’t even go there. The thought of ice-camping for three months and having to crawl into two sleeping bags is completely untenable. Thomson talks about feeling the difference between -30°C and -10°C (both f*cking awful IMO) and a particular day when the group traveled from Blue 1, where it was -20°C, to another station, where it was a zero degrees – “…it’s like stepping from a fridge into a pottery kiln.” Positively balmy.
There’s a bit toward the end of the memoir that some reviewers have labelled “morally questionable”. Yeah, whatever. I say don’t judge until you’ve walked a mile in someone else’s snow boots. And that it takes two to tango.
3/5 Don’t expect a gritty memoir.
“It’s become a ritual at Blue 1. Whoever mixes the g’n’ts also has to traipse out to the virgin ice and chip away with the ice axe and fill a bowl full of ice shards. The gin is poured over great chunks of it with thick slices of lemon and tonic. Our Antarctic g’n’ts are hands down the best I’ve tasted. The ice pops and spits from air bubbles being released. It’s like putting an ear to a seashell. Some of the air has been trapped in the ice for centuries – throwing it in our drinks seems almost sacrilegious.”
Thomson, completely ‘under-experienced’ as a cook in extreme conditions, scores a job at Blue 1, a seasonal Antarctic base that’s used as a stopover point for research expeditions and tourists. Thomson was living in Sydney and had a successful office-based career but was dissatisfied, so applied for a position in Antarctica (never expecting to actually get a job). Much is made of trading stilettos for snow-boots but the real interest is in the odd details – the fact that in such a cold climate you lose your sense of smell, and that the most time-consuming task of the day is melting ice for water.
There’s not as much in this memoir about cooking as the blurb implies. Novelties, such as the Russians growing tiny pots of tomatoes and cucumbers, are interesting but the focus is on the people Thomson meets during her time in Antarctica and the landscape, notably its “…unknowable simplicity…”. I particularly liked the mention of her reading choice and its context (coincidentally I started War and Peace at the same time I started this book) –
"I am toiling through War and Peace. I am reading it with relish and satisfaction. Tolstoy is so dense and encompassing that Antarctica’s blankness is the perfect place to immerse myself in such Russian intrigue.”
Personally, I detest the cold. And ice and snow? Don’t even go there. The thought of ice-camping for three months and having to crawl into two sleeping bags is completely untenable. Thomson talks about feeling the difference between -30°C and -10°C (both f*cking awful IMO) and a particular day when the group traveled from Blue 1, where it was -20°C, to another station, where it was a zero degrees – “…it’s like stepping from a fridge into a pottery kiln.” Positively balmy.
There’s a bit toward the end of the memoir that some reviewers have labelled “morally questionable”. Yeah, whatever. I say don’t judge until you’ve walked a mile in someone else’s snow boots. And that it takes two to tango.
3/5 Don’t expect a gritty memoir.
“It’s become a ritual at Blue 1. Whoever mixes the g’n’ts also has to traipse out to the virgin ice and chip away with the ice axe and fill a bowl full of ice shards. The gin is poured over great chunks of it with thick slices of lemon and tonic. Our Antarctic g’n’ts are hands down the best I’ve tasted. The ice pops and spits from air bubbles being released. It’s like putting an ear to a seashell. Some of the air has been trapped in the ice for centuries – throwing it in our drinks seems almost sacrilegious.”
did-not-finish
October 2, 2018I tried and tried with this one, but just couldn’t get into it.
September 13, 2010
Having been to Antarctica myself, albeit via NZ to McMurdo rather then via Chile or South Africa and working for a US Government contractor rather then a for-profit, I find this book odd. Part of it is because she's explaining an entirely foreign experience to me. ANI (now ALE) is generally hard to fathom for United States Antarctic Program regulars at McMurdo, South Pole, Scott Base, and elsewhere. The happenings of ANI/ALE is pretty much out of the realm of what we even consider on a day to day basis. The USAP is entirely devoted to science, which although is not logistically true as--like any support pyramid--there are far more non-scientist then scientist. What's more this devotion to science comes from the Antarctic Treaty, which limits government's objectives in Antarctica to science and excludes military and mineral extraction.
In this way my conception of Antarctica is driven by science, the various national bases, and the research that is going on. My time on the Ice was dominated by the interventions of science, the scientists, and the logistics to make science happen. Alexa gives the impression that the comings and goings of various clients is a normal way of thinking. Somehow this is slightly baffling. Not to say it's not true, but it's just not what an USAP person would think of a normal Ice experience. In this I enjoyed the book as it's challenges my perspective on Antarctica and reminds me it's a vast continent with a fair number of other international bases, and USAP being the largest Ice researching program, isn't the only experience people have.
On second thought I have to concede that the landscape dominated my mind as it is simply so striking, followed by what I previously said dominated my time. In this Alexa reflected my memory, as the challenge, beauty, starkness, and vastness of the continent continues to be repeated throughout the book. However, even in conveying the striking nature of Antarctica, this book feels more whiny and gossipy then unique. Yes people did gossip and whine while I was in Antarctica, indeed gossip was the news of the town as it was big enough for news to happen, but small enough not to need a daily conveyance of news. Yet to me, Alexa spends an inordinate amount of time pissing and whining about her situation, about the uncertainty with and lack of confidence about her situation in Blue 1. This strikes me as daft, as most people going to Antarctica for the first time, had no idea of what to really expect about going to the ice. This in spite of research on the conditions, which Alexa seemed to do very little of.
In her defense, setting up camp in Antarctica is rather different from living at a permanent base and shares small similarities with your camp in the woods. Antarctica makes you adhoc and troubleshoot due to the rough nature of it, but a field camp on the Ice is a very different civilization. I find it rather amazing that they sent her as a FNG to a field camp as the cook and put her in charge of logistics for the meals. Field experience as a trekker and cook would have been rather necessary experience I would assume, and she did manage rather well in spite of this if her telling is accurate.
I realize that it's odd to critique a book that's talking about the 00-01 season, when my Ice time was 05-06 and it's now 2010. I realize also that people may not like the "morally questionable" with Ewan, however I have to say that this is not an uncommon experience for the USAP side. Dating on the ice, including normal singles, is a strange experience more akin to combat romances then to normal life given the cooped up proximity, isolation from normal civilization, and distinctness from an otherwise normal life.
If you read this, read some of of the other blogs, books (like Big Dead Place: Inside the Strange and Menacing World of Antarctica), and watch the Antarctic videos (like Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World) to add to your Antarctic life notions.
In this way my conception of Antarctica is driven by science, the various national bases, and the research that is going on. My time on the Ice was dominated by the interventions of science, the scientists, and the logistics to make science happen. Alexa gives the impression that the comings and goings of various clients is a normal way of thinking. Somehow this is slightly baffling. Not to say it's not true, but it's just not what an USAP person would think of a normal Ice experience. In this I enjoyed the book as it's challenges my perspective on Antarctica and reminds me it's a vast continent with a fair number of other international bases, and USAP being the largest Ice researching program, isn't the only experience people have.
On second thought I have to concede that the landscape dominated my mind as it is simply so striking, followed by what I previously said dominated my time. In this Alexa reflected my memory, as the challenge, beauty, starkness, and vastness of the continent continues to be repeated throughout the book. However, even in conveying the striking nature of Antarctica, this book feels more whiny and gossipy then unique. Yes people did gossip and whine while I was in Antarctica, indeed gossip was the news of the town as it was big enough for news to happen, but small enough not to need a daily conveyance of news. Yet to me, Alexa spends an inordinate amount of time pissing and whining about her situation, about the uncertainty with and lack of confidence about her situation in Blue 1. This strikes me as daft, as most people going to Antarctica for the first time, had no idea of what to really expect about going to the ice. This in spite of research on the conditions, which Alexa seemed to do very little of.
In her defense, setting up camp in Antarctica is rather different from living at a permanent base and shares small similarities with your camp in the woods. Antarctica makes you adhoc and troubleshoot due to the rough nature of it, but a field camp on the Ice is a very different civilization. I find it rather amazing that they sent her as a FNG to a field camp as the cook and put her in charge of logistics for the meals. Field experience as a trekker and cook would have been rather necessary experience I would assume, and she did manage rather well in spite of this if her telling is accurate.
I realize that it's odd to critique a book that's talking about the 00-01 season, when my Ice time was 05-06 and it's now 2010. I realize also that people may not like the "morally questionable" with Ewan, however I have to say that this is not an uncommon experience for the USAP side. Dating on the ice, including normal singles, is a strange experience more akin to combat romances then to normal life given the cooped up proximity, isolation from normal civilization, and distinctness from an otherwise normal life.
If you read this, read some of of the other blogs, books (like Big Dead Place: Inside the Strange and Menacing World of Antarctica), and watch the Antarctic videos (like Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World) to add to your Antarctic life notions.
January 20, 2016
This is the true story of a girl who, disenchanted with her life as a web designer for an investment bank in Sydney, talks her way into a job as a cook for a season at an Antarctic base camp. It's a job that she is admittedly unqualified for, but she spends much of the book complaining about the cold and the cooking she has to do. During the weeks when there are only a few people living at the camp, she goes on about how their habits annoy her and how the constant closeness causes them to get on each others' nerves. However, when the camp has many international visitors, she complains about the work she has trying to keep them all fed. Of course, that was the job for which she signed on. Toward the end of the story, one of the scientists there tries to start a romantic relationship with her. For a while, she is appalled by this, as he is a married man, and she feels this would be very wrong. Then suddenly, without further thought of his wife or explanation, she does get involved with him, and they decide, as the book culminates, to continue their liason even after leaving the icy land.
When I picked this book up. I thought I would be regaled with some funny stories about this adventurous episode in the author's life. Instead I grew tired of her constant self-absorbed whining. However, she did have an appreciation of the interesting landscape, and her descriptions of those made me want to read other books about Antarctica, just not by her.
When I picked this book up. I thought I would be regaled with some funny stories about this adventurous episode in the author's life. Instead I grew tired of her constant self-absorbed whining. However, she did have an appreciation of the interesting landscape, and her descriptions of those made me want to read other books about Antarctica, just not by her.
May 15, 2009
The storyline of this book was pretty interesting. It's not every day a civilian gets to go live and work in Antarctica, so it was really cool seeing the environment and living conditions through her eyes. However, I just found the main character so annoying and moody that it sort of ruined the whole experience. I found myself feeling terribly sorry for the poor folks trapped on Antarctica with her and wondering what they would have to say about her pithy observations. At the end of the book Thomson does something that I found very morally questionable, and she's not a good enough writer to defend or explain herself. So, thumbs down for me, unless you are reading your way through every book set in Antarctica.
November 12, 2023
These sum up the author: “I feel the all too familiar sensation of wishing I’d paid closer attention to the practicalities of the situation instead of veering off onto more ridiculous scenarios.”
“As usual, I hadn’t anticipated this change of plans. It seems I never learn”
“the fury of a four year old having a tantrum “
She came across as really spoilt and self-centred. She didn’t like in it when there weren’t many people to cook for, then she didn’t like in it when there were! By the way, it was her job to cook regardless, so why didn’t she plan etc. properly?
Too many people drifted in and out of the camp. Given I hated the author for the above reasons, I couldn’t be bothered to remember who was who. The information on Antarctica itself wasn’t sufficient for me to rate this higher.
“As usual, I hadn’t anticipated this change of plans. It seems I never learn”
“the fury of a four year old having a tantrum “
She came across as really spoilt and self-centred. She didn’t like in it when there weren’t many people to cook for, then she didn’t like in it when there were! By the way, it was her job to cook regardless, so why didn’t she plan etc. properly?
Too many people drifted in and out of the camp. Given I hated the author for the above reasons, I couldn’t be bothered to remember who was who. The information on Antarctica itself wasn’t sufficient for me to rate this higher.
October 27, 2019
When you love to read about Antarctica, you just do.
February 27, 2014
Suffering from something like an early mid-life crisis, Alexa Thomson makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to apply for a job as a cook at an Antarctic base camp for a summer season. Having no previous polar experience, and having worked in mass-catering for a few years, she is unprepared and understandably anxious when she finally lands the job and preparations begin for her journey to the south.
The first real problem for me with this book was the lead up to reaching Antarctica - sure, it was interesting to read about the preparations, Alexa's nervousness and meeting other polar adventurers, but it was the main reason it took me so long to get into the swing of the book.
For the most part, I could understand how Alexa felt and coped with the situations that she found herself in, such as needing the toilet in your tent during a blizzard, or finding 20 hungry men in your dining tent at 5:30am demanding a full English breakfast, but at other times I found her to be quite negative about her experiences and if she was the chef in my camp I would have had a few choice words to say to her!
The most controversial part of Alexa's story is towards the end of the book, when she makes a very questionable moral choice which some readers simply won't like - and it's not expounded on enough to make readers at least understand the choice that she made.
Overall I enjoyed this book - Alexa isn't an intrepid, brave explorer - she is an average woman who finds herself in an extraordinary situation and copes admirably for the most part.
My favourite line from the book: ''I am toiling through War and Peace. I am reading it with relish and satisfaction. Tolstoy is so dense and encompassing that Antarctica's blankness is the perfect place to immerse myself in such Russian intrigue.'' I'm certain there's a lot of quality reading time to be had in Antarctica - after all, what else is there to distract you except loads of ice!
The first real problem for me with this book was the lead up to reaching Antarctica - sure, it was interesting to read about the preparations, Alexa's nervousness and meeting other polar adventurers, but it was the main reason it took me so long to get into the swing of the book.
For the most part, I could understand how Alexa felt and coped with the situations that she found herself in, such as needing the toilet in your tent during a blizzard, or finding 20 hungry men in your dining tent at 5:30am demanding a full English breakfast, but at other times I found her to be quite negative about her experiences and if she was the chef in my camp I would have had a few choice words to say to her!
The most controversial part of Alexa's story is towards the end of the book, when she makes a very questionable moral choice which some readers simply won't like - and it's not expounded on enough to make readers at least understand the choice that she made.
Overall I enjoyed this book - Alexa isn't an intrepid, brave explorer - she is an average woman who finds herself in an extraordinary situation and copes admirably for the most part.
My favourite line from the book: ''I am toiling through War and Peace. I am reading it with relish and satisfaction. Tolstoy is so dense and encompassing that Antarctica's blankness is the perfect place to immerse myself in such Russian intrigue.'' I'm certain there's a lot of quality reading time to be had in Antarctica - after all, what else is there to distract you except loads of ice!
August 13, 2012
I agree with many others here. A very whiny tone and not much sympathy for the author. I still don't understand why she wanted to go there frankly. She doesn't really think very broadly about the experience.
May 21, 2014
Got to track 6/38 - She's only just arrived at the Antarctic camp and the author is already annoying me too much.
August 22, 2022
I'll be honest, when I first saw this in the Books & Music Oxfam in Durham, I didn't realise it was on the subject of a polar chef. I only really saw the "Antarctica" and became instantly interested; I love things like polar expeditions, mountain climbing stories and cold, snowy, sparse landscapes in books.
However, this wasn't really what I wanted it to be.
Alexa Thomson is a privileged, upper class Australian web designer who, upon realising she is bored of her life at home and in need of change, applies to become a polar chef for a seasonal camp called Blue 1 in Antarctica. She manages to land the job and before she knows it, she's flown away for 3 months, providing meals for the staff and the visitors at the camp.
I wouldn't necessarily say not to read this, but if you want something that isn't based around mainly negative, emotional experiences; an affair; and the author complaining about the job she applied for, then I would say there's much better books out there.
Because if there's one thing that I noticed, it's that Thomson must have had a really laid back, entitled life before coming out to Antarctica. The privilege just seeps through the pages of the book. On page 54 this she states:
I'm sorry, girl - what? nor is there a complimentary champagne to mark my arrival?? You're there to work, you're not there to put your feet up, get a full spa treatment, and drink champagne. At this point, I knew I was in for a treat with this one and you can bet it doesn't get any better.
I'm not sure if there's a link between privilege and being fashion conscious, but that's another personality trait Thompson seems to check off the list.
On page 71, Thomson writes:
I don't know what to tell you about what this tells us about her. She's already self conscious, but now she feels like she's been called out which makes the situation worse.
On the next page, she comments about how she dislikes Lisa because of her vegetarian lifestyle that she doesn't like, even though it's her job, making a separate meal for.
Does Thomson even know why she's vegetarian? and why is she so mad about someone not condoning violence towards animals? I know this was 2000/2001 and allergies/intolerance weren't as considered but Lisa could have had adverse effects to meat and/or dairy products. Thomson might describe her as "righteous" with a bite of a perfectionist, but is she not considerate and sympathetic? I used to be vegetarian, I was vegetarian for three years and we were always made to look like the "bad" guys. Someone even asked me if I was "going to the dark side". Surely the ruthless slaughtering of animals is the dark side? I can understand hunting for your food for survival, but how meat is processed today isn't hunting for survival.
I feel like Thomson paints people in one light only; they're either good or bad, she likes them or she doesn't. They aren't allowed to have any redeeming qualities if she doesn't like them, and they're not allowed to have any personality flaws.
Looking back through my notes, I didn't realise how many times I've written "selfish" and tagged certain pages.
Pg.116 - a fellow explorer is in need of rescue due to injury and lack of resources and you're happy that the initial rescue mission was unsuccessful so you could gawp in aware at the landscape.
Pg.132/133 - her attitude to aforementioned explorer is horrendous.
Not to mention the amount of times she mentions that he's going home to failure and embarrassment as it's unlikely he'll be able to return for another shot (maybe I'll find the references for this later. They're too spaced out throughout the book).
But she does mention later that she feels bad about her treatment and attitude towards him and rightly so. I know this is an honest account of her time in Antarctica, but sometimes she's blatantly rudely honest.
Pg.133 -
P.134 -
and:
Besides the fashion self consciousness, the selfishness, the rudeness and the inconsiderate personality she is also incredibly whiny. She really must have thought she was going to be in for a relaxing spa trip because every time she's asked to lift a finger to help out, she whines. When she has to help land the plane, she whines.
The worst thing about this encounter is the fact that she seems to take nothing out of this, it doesn't change her views on anything in anyway, she just ends up getting involved with a married man and living with him when she ends her contract. I hope no one reads this thinking she's a brave role model, it's one of the worst messages I've ever come across in a book.
If you want to read a PDF version of the book, you can do so here. But that's me done with the book, over and out.
However, this wasn't really what I wanted it to be.
Alexa Thomson is a privileged, upper class Australian web designer who, upon realising she is bored of her life at home and in need of change, applies to become a polar chef for a seasonal camp called Blue 1 in Antarctica. She manages to land the job and before she knows it, she's flown away for 3 months, providing meals for the staff and the visitors at the camp.
I wouldn't necessarily say not to read this, but if you want something that isn't based around mainly negative, emotional experiences; an affair; and the author complaining about the job she applied for, then I would say there's much better books out there.
Because if there's one thing that I noticed, it's that Thomson must have had a really laid back, entitled life before coming out to Antarctica. The privilege just seeps through the pages of the book. On page 54 this she states:
I can't stand up in my tent, there's no ensuite with bathtub and heated floor, nor is there a complimentary champagne to mark my arrival.
I'm sorry, girl - what? nor is there a complimentary champagne to mark my arrival?? You're there to work, you're not there to put your feet up, get a full spa treatment, and drink champagne. At this point, I knew I was in for a treat with this one and you can bet it doesn't get any better.
I'm not sure if there's a link between privilege and being fashion conscious, but that's another personality trait Thompson seems to check off the list.
On page 71, Thomson writes:
I was mortified in Punta when all of us had our gear checked. Lisa went through mine and declared I would be the best-dressed female down there. That accolade was perfectly acceptable back in fashion conscious Sydney but did I detect a sting in the words when spoken by Lisa?
I don't know what to tell you about what this tells us about her. She's already self conscious, but now she feels like she's been called out which makes the situation worse.
On the next page, she comments about how she dislikes Lisa because of her vegetarian lifestyle that she doesn't like, even though it's her job, making a separate meal for.
Lisa is a vegetarian. I have conflicting feelings about this, which is a polite way of saying it pisses me off. I’m a cook and I’ve never denied myself the pleasures of the palate for ethical motives. And besides, I’m lazy. I don’t want to be cooking two separate meals, day in, day out, because someone won’t eat meat.
Does Thomson even know why she's vegetarian? and why is she so mad about someone not condoning violence towards animals? I know this was 2000/2001 and allergies/intolerance weren't as considered but Lisa could have had adverse effects to meat and/or dairy products. Thomson might describe her as "righteous" with a bite of a perfectionist, but is she not considerate and sympathetic? I used to be vegetarian, I was vegetarian for three years and we were always made to look like the "bad" guys. Someone even asked me if I was "going to the dark side". Surely the ruthless slaughtering of animals is the dark side? I can understand hunting for your food for survival, but how meat is processed today isn't hunting for survival.
I feel like Thomson paints people in one light only; they're either good or bad, she likes them or she doesn't. They aren't allowed to have any redeeming qualities if she doesn't like them, and they're not allowed to have any personality flaws.
Looking back through my notes, I didn't realise how many times I've written "selfish" and tagged certain pages.
Pg.116 - a fellow explorer is in need of rescue due to injury and lack of resources and you're happy that the initial rescue mission was unsuccessful so you could gawp in aware at the landscape.
My ears prick up with glee when Blair tells him that due to a lack of fuel and the weather closing in, they can’t locate Severin. They will be coming home without him. I attempt to feel chastened as a big grin spills across my face.
Pg.132/133 - her attitude to aforementioned explorer is horrendous.
‘Take Severin with us?’ My mind is searching for a reason, any reason not to ask him.
‘Yeah, why not? He’s been cooped up here and I’m sure he’d love to explore a bit with the two of you.’ Severin isn’t in the tent at this point and I look at Charlie who simply shrugs and raises his shoulders in an I-don’t-know gesture.
‘But…’ But what? I have no real justification not to invite him along.
Not to mention the amount of times she mentions that he's going home to failure and embarrassment as it's unlikely he'll be able to return for another shot (maybe I'll find the references for this later. They're too spaced out throughout the book).
But she does mention later that she feels bad about her treatment and attitude towards him and rightly so. I know this is an honest account of her time in Antarctica, but sometimes she's blatantly rudely honest.
Pg.133 -
Suddenly I feel awful about what has occurred. I have forgotten that Severin is a client and has paid thousands of dollars to be here. And I begrudge him his every move.
P.134 -
And I feel guilty about Severin. He easily could have accompanied us.
and:
This flight is a scouting excursion and in a sense I’ve already been on one when we flew out to pick up Severin. Still, today it was the luck of the draw; I happened to be the first one out of the sleeping bag so I got the trip. I have no intention of being generous and offering the trip to Lisa.
Besides the fashion self consciousness, the selfishness, the rudeness and the inconsiderate personality she is also incredibly whiny. She really must have thought she was going to be in for a relaxing spa trip because every time she's asked to lift a finger to help out, she whines. When she has to help land the plane, she whines.
The worst thing about this encounter is the fact that she seems to take nothing out of this, it doesn't change her views on anything in anyway, she just ends up getting involved with a married man and living with him when she ends her contract. I hope no one reads this thinking she's a brave role model, it's one of the worst messages I've ever come across in a book.
If you want to read a PDF version of the book, you can do so here. But that's me done with the book, over and out.
February 6, 2018
Interesting that I liked this book a lot more than most Goodreads reviewers. Having been to Antarctica in the usual manner (as a tourist on a small cruise ship) it was interesting to read the experience of a woman who - with little preparation - signs up as a cook at a commercial venture in Antarctica. (I had no idea there were any programs other than scientific ones with permanent bases sponsored by countries that are part of the Antarctica Treaty. As a matter of fact, this temporary base may no longer be in existence) It was interesting to read about the challenges of living in a tent! and cooking for anywhere from 5 to 75 people and I even found the gossipy tone enjoyable. But I especially enjoyed the author's explorations (limited though they were) of the landscape, scenery, weather challenges, and the shear beauty of her surroundings.
September 3, 2023
I love this lady!!! Very down to earth and relatable!! I think it’s easy for adventure memoirs to be exclusive and pretentious and condescending, but this one felt like me and Alexa were having a big gossip together over a cup of tea
Omg and I just read some reviews and everyone is complaining that she is whiny? Like yes that’s why it is amusing and relatable. As if you would not complain about stuff- you would be lying if you were stoic and poetic and grateful all the time
Omg and I just read some reviews and everyone is complaining that she is whiny? Like yes that’s why it is amusing and relatable. As if you would not complain about stuff- you would be lying if you were stoic and poetic and grateful all the time
July 4, 2020
Listened to as an audiobook. As some say there isn't a lot about Antarctica in this book but for anyone that has been stuck working on an island or in a remote location you will recognise a number of the stories in this book.
Revolves around the main character who is a cook at an Antarctic airport for a summer season. A quick story and was a good road trip audio book for tween+ families.
Revolves around the main character who is a cook at an Antarctic airport for a summer season. A quick story and was a good road trip audio book for tween+ families.
July 19, 2022
An enjoyable memoir, reading this ahead of my parents’ trip to Antarctica later this year.
It felt like it ended abruptly but that’s also how Alexa felt her trip ended so it was bittersweet.
I would have liked a bit more detail about her life immediately after she left and not just the brief explanation in the epilogue.
Also struggling to find anything online about Alexa which is a shame.
It felt like it ended abruptly but that’s also how Alexa felt her trip ended so it was bittersweet.
I would have liked a bit more detail about her life immediately after she left and not just the brief explanation in the epilogue.
Also struggling to find anything online about Alexa which is a shame.
June 22, 2019
This is a quick, light read about an amazing and unique experience told by a capable writer. I’m glad I read it, but I doubt I’ll read it again (as someone else evidently decided because I got it at a secondhand shop).
July 4, 2020
I enjoyed this, a somewhat self-indulgent account (in the way of most travelogues) of a few months spent in a tent in Antarctica cooking for people. Easy reading and a good insight into life in an icy place.
December 5, 2019
Enjoyed. A nice light read.
January 22, 2022
Audio book was fun. Not your typical Antarctic book. More about the challenges of cooking for people in Antartica. Can be tricky to defrost your food!
January 6, 2026
I was excited to read an account of someone maybe a little like me chucking it in to go live in Antarctica, because who hasn't occasionally had that idea? And there were times where the descriptions of the ice and the lifestyle where genuinely interesting.
However, this was offset by two issues. The first is just how dramatically Alexa responds to anything and everything. This includes things such as people going home or being expected to cook (her literal job for the summer). The other is that she makes a morally objectionable choice towards the end that is not well dealt with. She originally objects and then changes her mind without any real explanation, justification, or even reflection on the consequences that her actions have on others. This made it very hard to maintain a connection to the author or her story.
However, this was offset by two issues. The first is just how dramatically Alexa responds to anything and everything. This includes things such as people going home or being expected to cook (her literal job for the summer). The other is that she makes a morally objectionable choice towards the end that is not well dealt with. She originally objects and then changes her mind without any real explanation, justification, or even reflection on the consequences that her actions have on others. This made it very hard to maintain a connection to the author or her story.
February 24, 2016
I've been looking all over for anything I can find related to Antarctica and this is one of the books that came up. It first interested me as it seemed like something I could relate to, a lot of the other stories about people spending time in Antarctica are historical accounts and they seem a bit dry.
I enjoyed this story, it was fun to read about Alexa's time in Antarctica, a true honest account. I learnt more about the weather and what to expect from a place as remote as this which was very interesting.
It made me hungry! Reading about all those delicious meals she prepared for the staff and clients. I liked to hear about how she managed day to day life and the things she noticed.
** Spoiler Alert **
I liked that she included so much about the other people she worked with and got to know. I found the part where she was being hit on by client a bit hard to take. At first I agreed with her actions, he was a married man and she made it clear she wasn't going to reciprocate his feelings. Then for reasons beyond me she went ahead with the affair. I don't like to judge people and their actions, I wasn't there and I didn't feel what they felt. I don't think the story should change, after all it's an account of events not fiction. I did feel, however, it took away from the story and it's all I've been able to focus on once finishing the book. I wanted to hear about her finding herself and really changing her life, not falling into another relationship.
I enjoyed this story, it was fun to read about Alexa's time in Antarctica, a true honest account. I learnt more about the weather and what to expect from a place as remote as this which was very interesting.
It made me hungry! Reading about all those delicious meals she prepared for the staff and clients. I liked to hear about how she managed day to day life and the things she noticed.
** Spoiler Alert **
I liked that she included so much about the other people she worked with and got to know. I found the part where she was being hit on by client a bit hard to take. At first I agreed with her actions, he was a married man and she made it clear she wasn't going to reciprocate his feelings. Then for reasons beyond me she went ahead with the affair. I don't like to judge people and their actions, I wasn't there and I didn't feel what they felt. I don't think the story should change, after all it's an account of events not fiction. I did feel, however, it took away from the story and it's all I've been able to focus on once finishing the book. I wanted to hear about her finding herself and really changing her life, not falling into another relationship.
January 30, 2011
Alexa Thompson blagged her way to a job as cook on a commercial unit in Antarctica. Tired of her life in Sydney and with some expirence as a summer camp cook a few years earlier, she has no real idea of what she is undertaking. She certainly hadn't bargained on living in a tent! This is the story of Alexa's 3 months in Antarctica, cooking for both small and large groups of people, the challenges of cooking in such conditions, and living with expirenced polar adventurers. At the beginning Alexa slightly undersells her ability as a cook (to the reader) whereas she obviously knows her way around a kitchen pretty well, her only real problem is the numbers/speed /amounts she has to cook on a couple of occaisions. Alongside her adventures as a cook and the story of the relationships that develop, is the story of a weekend trip to the Russian base, a walk in the wilderness alone, and an emotional Christmas day.
A thoroughly enjoyable travel memoir, that gives us a glimpse of how it is to live and work in the most inhospitable place on earth. The thought of living under canvas in Antarctica - I shivered for Alexa many times while reading this - and yet there are times when Alexa professed to feeling warm.
A thoroughly enjoyable travel memoir, that gives us a glimpse of how it is to live and work in the most inhospitable place on earth. The thought of living under canvas in Antarctica - I shivered for Alexa many times while reading this - and yet there are times when Alexa professed to feeling warm.
December 22, 2014
My two stars are mainly for the information about her experience that was shared. I enjoy reading about the planning, preparations and sensations of travelling in a freight plane for example. However if it was not for that sheer novelty of the Antarctic experience I would have struggled to rate this with a one star. Like others I for the life of me could not relate to the author. I know from emailing regular logs home when on my own adventures, the negatives somehow dominate the narrative. To the extent that when meeting people who read or have heard of them I will be quizzed about my experiences with statements like "oh my god, you must have hated that" or "your experience sounded horrific" etc. Meanwhile I am bemusedly going what are you talking about, I had an amazing time, can't wait for the next ocean/hike/trip. So to me this bears out what the author mentioned early in the book. Don't write a book about your experiences just because your family tells you to. If she could only have balanced out the telling if her story better. Because yes every extreme adventure is mostly a tale of hardship, fear, desperation and even tragedy sometimes but the story only works when we want to cheer you on to get through.
October 20, 2015
The book is the true story of a woman that takes a job as a cook for an Antarctic mission. She is unprepared for what she is about to experience, which makes her narration all the more exciting to the reader, as we (most of us anyway) are also unprepared for the travails and dangers of such travel. I felt her fear and wonder for the alien and dangerous world as she tells her story. The book is read in a heavy Australian accent and was a bit hard to follow at first, but I got used to it very quickly. Antarctica is a fascinating place, and I was well pleased to be able to visit through the book.
March 19, 2015
"Imagine you are a young woman with a stellar career but an increasing dissatidfaction with life. How do you shrug off your growing ennui? Simple. You apply for the position of cook in the coldest place on earth: Antartica."
This is a fun read. I thought she had a major overreaction to Ewan's kiss & the lady doth protest.. & all that, but I bet being isolated & cooped up with the same people for so long could lead to the odd irrational outburst. I wonder how they'd handle a winterover - now that would be a test of sanity.
This is a fun read. I thought she had a major overreaction to Ewan's kiss & the lady doth protest.. & all that, but I bet being isolated & cooped up with the same people for so long could lead to the odd irrational outburst. I wonder how they'd handle a winterover - now that would be a test of sanity.
April 21, 2012
Talking book ISBN 9781740938464 read by Caroline Lee. First CD finished, a bit whiney so far. One of those books as though the author first decided to write a book then looked for something to write about.
Ok finished it. It seemed to be a bit of a roller coaster ride going from interesting to almost girlie. Maybe it would best be described as a light introduction to the Antarctic for readers of the womens weekly. I would have liked more information on why people are there in the first place and what they do.
Ok finished it. It seemed to be a bit of a roller coaster ride going from interesting to almost girlie. Maybe it would best be described as a light introduction to the Antarctic for readers of the womens weekly. I would have liked more information on why people are there in the first place and what they do.
April 13, 2009
This is the story of an Australian executive type who takes a job as a cook at a camp in Antarctica. I liked the story more than I should have considering that not much happens. At the end however, she starts shacking up with a married guy. That was a bit of a downer for me as I usually like to keep the married people out of the shacking up.
June 27, 2008
I'm not quite half-way done with this book, and I don't know if I'll finish it. It has not been as compelling as other either cooking books or adventure books - it's kind of missing the mark both ways. We'll see how it turns out, maybe.
5/28 - well, I've abandoned this book. It's too bad there's no "didn't finish" shelf, I'll file this as "read" although I'll feel guilty since it's really only "half-read." Waste of an Audible credit and my time. Bummer.
5/28 - well, I've abandoned this book. It's too bad there's no "didn't finish" shelf, I'll file this as "read" although I'll feel guilty since it's really only "half-read." Waste of an Audible credit and my time. Bummer.
June 9, 2013
Thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of life on the continent with close to no creature comforts, as well as the author's interactions with people from other countries/outposts. However, the relationship development for me arose abruptly and there was little to no explanation of the fallout as a result. However, overall I was fascinated by the life of a "working person" in this environment and not just a scientist or adventurer.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews