A Short History of Polar Exploration

by Nick Rennison

An absorbing history, bringing explorers' tales vividly to life   Apsley Cherry-Garrard, one of the men who went to Antarctica with Captain Scott, said "Polar exploration is at once the cleanest and most isolated way of having a bad time that has ever been devised." Yet there has never been a shortage of volunteers willing to endure the bad times in pursuit of the glory that polar exploration sometimes brings. This compelling book tells the memorable stories of the men and women who have risked their lives by entering the white wastelands of the Arctic and the Antarctic, from the compelling tales of Scott, Shackleton, and Amundsen, to lesser known heroes such as Fridtjof Nansen and Robert Peary. This history also looks at the hold that the polar regions have often had on the imaginations of artists and writers in the last 200 years examining the paintings, films, and literature that they have inspired.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, History

160 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2013

About the author

Nick Rennison is a writer, editor and bookseller. His books include Sherlock Holmes: An Unauthorised Biography, Robin Hood: Myth, History, Culture, The Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide and 100 Must-Read Historical Novels. He is a regular reviewer of historical fiction for both The Sunday Times and BBC History Magazine.

Reviews

[Isabel Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is useful as an overview of polar exploration to guide further reading, but the timeline is a little confusing as the Antarctic and Arctic are dealt with separately. I was also somewhat disappointed that Inuit history of Arctic exploration is omitted, particularly regarding the voyage of the Karluk. We know the name of Inuit hunter who travelled with Bartlett (Kataktovik), and he should be referred to by name when many other people with similar importance in the history are named.

[Hilton Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the title suggests, it's a short history so don't expect huge story lines here. A good jumping off point for further investigation though

[Autumn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Laura (Reading is a Doing Word) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to polar history and exploration. Covers the Arctic and Antarctic and all the major players in their history. A great who's who and bibliography also.

[Pihla · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting glance at the history of people not afraid of cold or harsh weather in benefit of scientific discovery and personal fame, or notoriety in some cases.