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Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a Disappearing Land
The bitter cold and three months a year without sunlight make Antarctica virtually uninhabitable for humans. Yet a world of extraordinary wildlife persists in these harsh conditions, including leopard seals, giant squid, 50-foot algae, sea spiders, coral, multicolored sea stars, and giant predatory worms. Now, as temperatures rise, this fragile ecosystem is under attack. In this closely observed account, one of the world's foremost experts on Antarctica gives us a highly original and distinctive look at a world that we're losing.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 18, 2012
21 people are currently reading
783 people want to read
About the author
James McClintock
10 books13 followersJames B. McClintock is one of the world’s foremost experts on Antarctica, and currently the Antarctic Marine Biologist Professor of Polar and Marine Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. McClintock has appeared on local, national, and international public radio, CNN news, and the Weather Channel. He has been quoted in National Geographic Magazine, Discover Magazine, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Wall Street Journal, and others. McClintock Point, a piece of land on the north side of the entrance of Explorer’s Cove on the Scott Coast of the Ross Sea, Antarctica, was named in honor of his research.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 12, 2013
Lost Antarctica: Adventures in a Disappearing Land opens up an amazing world for readers, especially beneath the sea surface. You’ll meet bright orange “sea butterflies,” which can change sex from male to female, and read how scientists filmed soft corals actually walking from one place to another.
Many readers will know that scientists from around the world come to Antarctica to study its unique environment, but we don’t often get to read about how they do that science and what the results mean. This engaging book delivers all that.
The unique creatures that live in Antarctic waters have already been found to produce compounds that could fight cancer, AIDS, and influenza. Their body chemistry shows promise for new antibiotics. But if change continues at the current rate, all these species may be gone before we have a chance to understand them.
How can a continent of more than 5.4 million square miles be “lost?” How could it disappear? Global warming is the answer. Antarctica is more than ice, so the land itself will never completely vanish, but the southernmost environment as we know it is already changing fast, and in ways that have drastic implications for the future of all life on earth. McClintock uses interesting descriptions and down-to-earth language to explain the situation for non-scientists.
Take krill, for example—tiny crustaceans that form the majority of zooplankton near the bottom of the food chain. Juvenile krill feed on algae that grow on the underside of pack ice. With less and less pack ice each year, there are fewer and fewer krill. So what, you might be thinking—why should I care about krill? What eats krill? Bigger crustaceans, jellyfish, anemones, penguins, fish, seals, you name it. Even the largest animal on earth—the blue whale—depend on this food source.
You’ll find out how more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere means more acidic ocean water, and how more acidic water means all shelled creatures are in danger of extinction.
But this book includes more than just the results of experiments and their associated dire predictions. McClintock gives us a peek into the lives of the researchers. You’ll learn about living on board research ships and the fear and frustration of being tossed about in ferocious katabatic winds. McClintock describes how researchers camp out on ice shelves and challenge 1000-pound leopard seals for diving rights. The book details an invasion of king crabs and provides an explanation of “seal finger,” an injury that can be fatal. There’s even a warning of how the Norwegian delicacy, lutefisk, can permanently damage sterling silver (and possibly your insides).
Professional scientists may want to know more about the various tests and methodology McClintock describes, so the author has thoughtfully included a Notes section, as well as a good Index. Unless you’re already familiar with the layout of Antarctica, you’ll be frustrated by the lack of a map in this book. Find or print out your own so you can follow along as McClintock describes the fascinating geography and the challenges of working in this rapidly vanishing environment.
Many readers will know that scientists from around the world come to Antarctica to study its unique environment, but we don’t often get to read about how they do that science and what the results mean. This engaging book delivers all that.
The unique creatures that live in Antarctic waters have already been found to produce compounds that could fight cancer, AIDS, and influenza. Their body chemistry shows promise for new antibiotics. But if change continues at the current rate, all these species may be gone before we have a chance to understand them.
How can a continent of more than 5.4 million square miles be “lost?” How could it disappear? Global warming is the answer. Antarctica is more than ice, so the land itself will never completely vanish, but the southernmost environment as we know it is already changing fast, and in ways that have drastic implications for the future of all life on earth. McClintock uses interesting descriptions and down-to-earth language to explain the situation for non-scientists.
Take krill, for example—tiny crustaceans that form the majority of zooplankton near the bottom of the food chain. Juvenile krill feed on algae that grow on the underside of pack ice. With less and less pack ice each year, there are fewer and fewer krill. So what, you might be thinking—why should I care about krill? What eats krill? Bigger crustaceans, jellyfish, anemones, penguins, fish, seals, you name it. Even the largest animal on earth—the blue whale—depend on this food source.
You’ll find out how more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere means more acidic ocean water, and how more acidic water means all shelled creatures are in danger of extinction.
But this book includes more than just the results of experiments and their associated dire predictions. McClintock gives us a peek into the lives of the researchers. You’ll learn about living on board research ships and the fear and frustration of being tossed about in ferocious katabatic winds. McClintock describes how researchers camp out on ice shelves and challenge 1000-pound leopard seals for diving rights. The book details an invasion of king crabs and provides an explanation of “seal finger,” an injury that can be fatal. There’s even a warning of how the Norwegian delicacy, lutefisk, can permanently damage sterling silver (and possibly your insides).
Professional scientists may want to know more about the various tests and methodology McClintock describes, so the author has thoughtfully included a Notes section, as well as a good Index. Unless you’re already familiar with the layout of Antarctica, you’ll be frustrated by the lack of a map in this book. Find or print out your own so you can follow along as McClintock describes the fascinating geography and the challenges of working in this rapidly vanishing environment.
October 25, 2023
Interesting and earnest. Perhaps McClintock is used to spoon feeding students and so does not believe anything can be too obvious, however, there are times when less explanation would be just fine. Does the term "white out" in reference to winter weather really need to be explained? (Perhaps my Canadian bias is showing).
Basically, the editing could have been better. Some of these basic terms (a "trawl" net is dragged behind a ship) could just have been subtly explained through context. The location "New Harbor" is explained twice within 4 pages. And so on.
Also, anyone today writing about Antarctica needs to be very careful about comparing themselves to explorers such as Shackleton in the so-called golden age. Being stuck in the ice today for a few days or a month is not "just the same" as Shackleton's ordeal. Imagine Shackleton without any satellite phones or no prospect of help.
McClintock talks a lot about climate change, which indeed is most evident at the poles, but never once deigns to mention the heavy carbon footprint involved in polar research. At times, there are daily helicopter commutes to the diesel fuel heated dive huts. Commuting by helicopter to do research into the effects of burning fossil fuels is just a tiny bit ironic, is it not?
Basically, the editing could have been better. Some of these basic terms (a "trawl" net is dragged behind a ship) could just have been subtly explained through context. The location "New Harbor" is explained twice within 4 pages. And so on.
Also, anyone today writing about Antarctica needs to be very careful about comparing themselves to explorers such as Shackleton in the so-called golden age. Being stuck in the ice today for a few days or a month is not "just the same" as Shackleton's ordeal. Imagine Shackleton without any satellite phones or no prospect of help.
McClintock talks a lot about climate change, which indeed is most evident at the poles, but never once deigns to mention the heavy carbon footprint involved in polar research. At times, there are daily helicopter commutes to the diesel fuel heated dive huts. Commuting by helicopter to do research into the effects of burning fossil fuels is just a tiny bit ironic, is it not?
July 21, 2017
A lot if info but not into the author writing it from a 1st person perspective
July 13, 2023
This was a real 'wax and wane' read for me - thoroughly engaging in some parts and mind-numbing in others. A good read overall and a generously rounded up to 4 star rating (from 3.5).
September 22, 2012
super book -- if you want to read the longer post, click on through.
Thanks to Palgrave Macmillan for the ARC.
James McClintock, Professor of Polar and Marine Biology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, is a scientist with thirteen research expeditions to Antarctica under his belt. His research interests lie in "invertebrate chemical ecology, reproduction, nutrition and physiology, particularly in marine invertebrates," according to his website at UAB. His book offers readers brief glimpses into the various types of research that are going on in Antarctica, some of his own experiences while working there, and a number of observations he has made over the course of several years, most importantly the "ecological impacts of rapid climate change on the marine life of the Antarctic Peninsula," which, as he notes, are "inseparably linked with the environment and geography." In Lost Antarctica, Dr. McClintock simultaneously presents some of the wonders he's discovered in working on this continent and provides a very readable, easily understandable narrative about the present realities and possible future effects of climate change.
McClintock notes that his observations in Antarctica have served as a "wake-up call to a rapidly changing climate." He notes that by the end of the century, the disappearance of the sea ice of the central and northern areas of the western Antarctic peninsula will lead to the disappearance of the Adélies and krill, the food on which so many species are dependent, will be gone as well. The "seafloor organisms" will be in jeopardy from the crab invasions and the acidification of the oceans. The chemicals that are these creatures' first line of defense will also be affected negatively, which could mean a loss of biomedical research potential in treatment of diseases.
Lost Antarctica is an interesting look at Antarctica and the work that is going on down there; it's also a fine introduction to the hazards of rapid climate change. Sadly, I think that although it's quite good, it's going to be another example of preaching to the choir. If you're already on the skeptic side of the global-warming fence, it may not change your mind, but if you're one of those people who want to skip the heavily-jargoned and technical stuff and get right to the point of the potential effects, this book is a great place to start.
Thanks to Palgrave Macmillan for the ARC.
James McClintock, Professor of Polar and Marine Biology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, is a scientist with thirteen research expeditions to Antarctica under his belt. His research interests lie in "invertebrate chemical ecology, reproduction, nutrition and physiology, particularly in marine invertebrates," according to his website at UAB. His book offers readers brief glimpses into the various types of research that are going on in Antarctica, some of his own experiences while working there, and a number of observations he has made over the course of several years, most importantly the "ecological impacts of rapid climate change on the marine life of the Antarctic Peninsula," which, as he notes, are "inseparably linked with the environment and geography." In Lost Antarctica, Dr. McClintock simultaneously presents some of the wonders he's discovered in working on this continent and provides a very readable, easily understandable narrative about the present realities and possible future effects of climate change.
McClintock notes that his observations in Antarctica have served as a "wake-up call to a rapidly changing climate." He notes that by the end of the century, the disappearance of the sea ice of the central and northern areas of the western Antarctic peninsula will lead to the disappearance of the Adélies and krill, the food on which so many species are dependent, will be gone as well. The "seafloor organisms" will be in jeopardy from the crab invasions and the acidification of the oceans. The chemicals that are these creatures' first line of defense will also be affected negatively, which could mean a loss of biomedical research potential in treatment of diseases.
Lost Antarctica is an interesting look at Antarctica and the work that is going on down there; it's also a fine introduction to the hazards of rapid climate change. Sadly, I think that although it's quite good, it's going to be another example of preaching to the choir. If you're already on the skeptic side of the global-warming fence, it may not change your mind, but if you're one of those people who want to skip the heavily-jargoned and technical stuff and get right to the point of the potential effects, this book is a great place to start.
October 11, 2012
I am a firm believer in climate change and its impacts on the world. That might sound like a strange thing to say, but I am constantly shocked by how many people deny or downplay the effects humans are having on the environment. Antarctica is also a dream destination of mine, and I look forward to the day I am finally able to visit the continent.
I got this book from the publisher as a contest winner and eagerly read it. It is, indeed, full of fascinating stories detailing changes occurring in Antarctica - the rise in acidity of the waters, the noticeable changes in the marine ecosystem, the fragility of the current balance between different animals. James McClintock is clearly an expert with a level of experience few can match.
However, I found the book to be unfocused and was often puzzled by its organization. Despite the many interesting stories, it felt like they were sometimes strung together without structure and I was left waiting for some sort of "punchline" that made me go, "Ah, I see why those stories fit in that chapter."
This is not to say that it isn't a good book; in fact, the stories really are fascinating. However, if the point of the book is to educate the public and inspire us to become eco-warriors, the book falls short. On the other hand, if the book is merely to entertain, then I could have done without some of the more science-heavy anecdotes.
Personally, I was hoping for a more textbook-like tome, and was left wondering exactly what it was I read. I'm slightly disappointed, but I do want to praise James McClintock for his work and for sharing what he's seen and done over the course of his career.
I got this book from the publisher as a contest winner and eagerly read it. It is, indeed, full of fascinating stories detailing changes occurring in Antarctica - the rise in acidity of the waters, the noticeable changes in the marine ecosystem, the fragility of the current balance between different animals. James McClintock is clearly an expert with a level of experience few can match.
However, I found the book to be unfocused and was often puzzled by its organization. Despite the many interesting stories, it felt like they were sometimes strung together without structure and I was left waiting for some sort of "punchline" that made me go, "Ah, I see why those stories fit in that chapter."
This is not to say that it isn't a good book; in fact, the stories really are fascinating. However, if the point of the book is to educate the public and inspire us to become eco-warriors, the book falls short. On the other hand, if the book is merely to entertain, then I could have done without some of the more science-heavy anecdotes.
Personally, I was hoping for a more textbook-like tome, and was left wondering exactly what it was I read. I'm slightly disappointed, but I do want to praise James McClintock for his work and for sharing what he's seen and done over the course of his career.
June 26, 2014
This book is not written or organized well.
There's a lot of valuable information in it, though. One interesting thing McClintock talked about at length was the acidification of oceans. It was an interesting topic, but the experiments conducted to see how animals would survive in a more acidic oceans seemed reeaallly unscientific. A lot of the experiments cited here seemed like something a ten-year-old would do at a science fair, actually. But I'm not a scientist, so maybe I'm wrong.
Speaking of scientists, I've noticed, in the other Antarctica books I've read, they often come off as territorial dicks. Apparently they can be hostile to newbies on the ice. Blah. Thankfully, the ones mentioned in this book seemed like fairly normal people.
McClintock focused almost entirely on the wildlife in Antarctica rather than the land or ice. Mostly marine life, like tiny zooplankton and shellfish and stuff. But he did talk about seals and penguins. I'm glad the author wasn't like, PENGUINS ARE SO AMAZING AND CUTE!!! I hate penguins, really I do. I'm a horrible human being, whatever.
It's pretty much impossible to talk about Antarctica without mentioning climate change. And the evidence gathered in Antarctica alone is pretty much incontrovertible. That doesn't mean it's not annoying when scientists talk about how climate change is damaging the continent.
Anyway, Antarctica is way more interesting than James McClintock makes it seem.
There's a lot of valuable information in it, though. One interesting thing McClintock talked about at length was the acidification of oceans. It was an interesting topic, but the experiments conducted to see how animals would survive in a more acidic oceans seemed reeaallly unscientific. A lot of the experiments cited here seemed like something a ten-year-old would do at a science fair, actually. But I'm not a scientist, so maybe I'm wrong.
Speaking of scientists, I've noticed, in the other Antarctica books I've read, they often come off as territorial dicks. Apparently they can be hostile to newbies on the ice. Blah. Thankfully, the ones mentioned in this book seemed like fairly normal people.
McClintock focused almost entirely on the wildlife in Antarctica rather than the land or ice. Mostly marine life, like tiny zooplankton and shellfish and stuff. But he did talk about seals and penguins. I'm glad the author wasn't like, PENGUINS ARE SO AMAZING AND CUTE!!! I hate penguins, really I do. I'm a horrible human being, whatever.
It's pretty much impossible to talk about Antarctica without mentioning climate change. And the evidence gathered in Antarctica alone is pretty much incontrovertible. That doesn't mean it's not annoying when scientists talk about how climate change is damaging the continent.
Anyway, Antarctica is way more interesting than James McClintock makes it seem.
September 17, 2012
You don't have to be a scientist to enjoy this book! This is the first time I have ever had anyone explain global warming in a way that I could follow without making me feel inadequate, befuddled, frustrated, and overwhelmed. This is an exciting, fast-paced read! It contains the most colorful, beautiful scientific descriptions I have ever read--a bit like reading the travel journal of Lewis and Clark or one of the turn-of-the-century naturalists. I like the first-person stories best. There is enough Indiana Jones in this book to keep the average armchair traveler like me entertained, and the science is impeccable, of course, as one would expect from this world-renowned scientist/author. This book merely states the facts in an anecdotal way with first-hand observations over a lifetime of Antarctic research, sums up the meaningful scholarship for the reader without getting bogged down, and lets the reader draw his or her own conclusions. I spent the weekend curled up with this book--time well-spent.
November 6, 2022
I found the information about the ecosystems in Antarctica very interesting, but (perhaps because I am not a scientist tasked with informing the public about climate change, or perhaps because my goal in picking up the book was to learn about the continent, not about climate change, or even perhaps because I already know that climate change is real), I felt that the author was beating me over the head with his message about climate change. His message is as follows:
1) Climate change is real
2) Climate change is bad
3) Antarctica is experiencing climate change at a more rapid rate that the rest of the world, and therefore can show us how the natural world reacts to our horrible mistakes
4) Also (shoehorned in), there are a lot of molecules and compounds produced by Antarctic life that have the potential to cure diseases. Since they could go extinct before we study then, we should care about global warming
I found this very obvious.
1) Climate change is real
2) Climate change is bad
3) Antarctica is experiencing climate change at a more rapid rate that the rest of the world, and therefore can show us how the natural world reacts to our horrible mistakes
4) Also (shoehorned in), there are a lot of molecules and compounds produced by Antarctic life that have the potential to cure diseases. Since they could go extinct before we study then, we should care about global warming
I found this very obvious.
December 13, 2012
pretty much, total, full on nat hist porn here:
Written by one of the most informed researchers in land way, way down under. Fascinating, written for the nonscientist and autodidacts both, mcclintock has spent 30 years in Antarctica and even has a point named after him. Good pics, and maps (though needs more of both) and endnotes and further reading list. An almost overwhelming amount of anecdotes, research discoveries, history, and speculations about the future of the continent (and globe) during climate change. One neat thing is that the sponges, some of the slowest growing, but biggest, and turns our oldest sponges on earth, grow on the western shelfs (1500+ years old) and well I’ll stop with the trivia lists, but suffice to say, all one would ever need to be up, in a pop sci way, on all things Antarctica
Written by one of the most informed researchers in land way, way down under. Fascinating, written for the nonscientist and autodidacts both, mcclintock has spent 30 years in Antarctica and even has a point named after him. Good pics, and maps (though needs more of both) and endnotes and further reading list. An almost overwhelming amount of anecdotes, research discoveries, history, and speculations about the future of the continent (and globe) during climate change. One neat thing is that the sponges, some of the slowest growing, but biggest, and turns our oldest sponges on earth, grow on the western shelfs (1500+ years old) and well I’ll stop with the trivia lists, but suffice to say, all one would ever need to be up, in a pop sci way, on all things Antarctica
September 11, 2019
I didn’t care for the first-person narrative, not because as a rule it was bad, but the way it was employed, mostly in talking in utmost specificity of how to conduct science experiments in this remote land. That being said, if one could get past this narration, one clearly written by a scientist and not a writer, there’s quite a bit to learn about the fragile ecosystem recoiling in Antarctica, a region more affected by climate change than the rest of the world, and one that has remained almost a constant temperature for millions of years.
The mysterious frontier of Antarctica is no longer isolated but rather under attack by climate change. McClintock goes through the effects of rapidly retreating ice shelves (and what that does to the krill underneath that rely on them for home, as well as the dams they remove by falling into the ocean. Glaciers are thus more susceptible to flow into the Arctic sea.
McClintock’s true passion lies in the biodiversity of species in the Antarctic and how each of these species are affected by climate change and the cascading effects it has up the food chain. Taking even one species out of the equation or adding one by creating warmer waters (as in the case of the invasive king crabs) can throw everything off, not just for life in the water, but also for land creatures.
Meanwhile, penguins are also taking a big hit, with wetter, snowier seasons that bury and freeze their eggs. The cloudier skies also affect the light filters that need photosynthesis; higher winds push plankton deeper away from the sunlight. And salps, pretty much worthless creatures, take their place. Acidifying oceans slowly destroy the shells of oysters and clams, making them easy targets for predators.
As we lose this biodiversity, as species are unable to adapt at such a rapid rate, we lose not only wildlife but also keys to some diseases like cancer. If the Antarctic ice sheet melted, our oceans would rise 200 feet. But there is hope. Ending with a long take on the Montreal Protocol, McClintock argues that we have the tools to address the complex challenges of greenhouse gas emissions. Perhaps what’s happening in the Antarctic will be a wake-up call for the rest of the world.
The mysterious frontier of Antarctica is no longer isolated but rather under attack by climate change. McClintock goes through the effects of rapidly retreating ice shelves (and what that does to the krill underneath that rely on them for home, as well as the dams they remove by falling into the ocean. Glaciers are thus more susceptible to flow into the Arctic sea.
McClintock’s true passion lies in the biodiversity of species in the Antarctic and how each of these species are affected by climate change and the cascading effects it has up the food chain. Taking even one species out of the equation or adding one by creating warmer waters (as in the case of the invasive king crabs) can throw everything off, not just for life in the water, but also for land creatures.
Meanwhile, penguins are also taking a big hit, with wetter, snowier seasons that bury and freeze their eggs. The cloudier skies also affect the light filters that need photosynthesis; higher winds push plankton deeper away from the sunlight. And salps, pretty much worthless creatures, take their place. Acidifying oceans slowly destroy the shells of oysters and clams, making them easy targets for predators.
As we lose this biodiversity, as species are unable to adapt at such a rapid rate, we lose not only wildlife but also keys to some diseases like cancer. If the Antarctic ice sheet melted, our oceans would rise 200 feet. But there is hope. Ending with a long take on the Montreal Protocol, McClintock argues that we have the tools to address the complex challenges of greenhouse gas emissions. Perhaps what’s happening in the Antarctic will be a wake-up call for the rest of the world.
February 23, 2019
McClintock recently spoke to the delegates at the Episcopal Diocesan Convention of Alabama, during which my husband Smokey got a chance to chat with Dr. McClintock. Smokey brought me a signed copy of this book. I'm so glad he did! Dr. McClintock is one of the world's foremost experts on Antarctica and is currently the Endowed University Professor of Polar and Marine Biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His book explains the ecology and geography of Antarctica in a form easily understandable by a general audience. Topics covered include the small organisms, invasions of king crabs, the devastating decline of penguin populations, and irrefutable and extensive proof of the anthropogenic nature of current climate change. Sometimes heartbreakingly sad, sometimes breathtakingly beautiful, this book is one I highly recommend to anyone who is concerned about what the future holds, not only for Antarctica, but for the world and all its inhabitants.
June 25, 2025
Įspūdinga autoriaus patirtis vykdant mokslinius tyrimus Antarktidoje, apimanti daugybę gyvūnijos, nuo smulkiausių vėžiagyvių iki pingvinų ar jūrų leopardų. Bet mažoka nuoseklumo. Labiau atrodo kaip aštuonios atskiros esė viena tema, o ne nuosekli knyga.
Tikrai buvo įdomu sužinoti apie tai, kaip narai ruošiasi darbui vienuose šalčiausių ir atšiauriausių pasaulio vandenų, kaip vykdomi keistų organizmų tyrimai, kaip stebima karališkųjų krabų invazija.
Bet tam pakaktų kelių straipsnių serijos kokiam nors mokslo populiarinimo portale, knyga nebūtina. Be to, reikia pripažinti, kad veikiausiai yra kiek pasenusi. Deja, knygos apie klimato pokyčius konkrečiame regione pasmerktos greitai tapti nebeaktualios. Autoriaus meilė vieninteliam nuolatos neapgyvendintam kontinentui akivaizdi, bet nesu tikras, ar autoriui ja sėkmingai pavyksta užkrėsti ir skaitytoją.
Tikrai buvo įdomu sužinoti apie tai, kaip narai ruošiasi darbui vienuose šalčiausių ir atšiauriausių pasaulio vandenų, kaip vykdomi keistų organizmų tyrimai, kaip stebima karališkųjų krabų invazija.
Bet tam pakaktų kelių straipsnių serijos kokiam nors mokslo populiarinimo portale, knyga nebūtina. Be to, reikia pripažinti, kad veikiausiai yra kiek pasenusi. Deja, knygos apie klimato pokyčius konkrečiame regione pasmerktos greitai tapti nebeaktualios. Autoriaus meilė vieninteliam nuolatos neapgyvendintam kontinentui akivaizdi, bet nesu tikras, ar autoriui ja sėkmingai pavyksta užkrėsti ir skaitytoją.
July 20, 2022
A must-read for those that enjoy experiencing the wonder of nature. The accounts of natural scientists are often appreciated in retrospect, but through this book we have the ability to look now at the wonder of Antarctica and it’s immediate threats. Having had the privilege to have Dr. McClintock as a professor, I am grateful for his beautiful, entertaining, and (maybe most importantly) honest accounts of Antarctica.
December 28, 2023
I read this upon recommendation of a friend who knows the author. I had no idea such a well known expert on this topic lives in my community - great read!
December 20, 2024
A very readable book of the author’s adventures in Antarctica. Lots of interesting science on the animals and climate. I really did enjoy it.
September 26, 2025
3.5. Very interesting read. Overall a scary outlook
November 26, 2012
James McClintock is, according to this short but nicely-packed book's "jacket", one of the world's foremost experts on Antarctica, marine biologist division, and the stories he tells here seem to back that up, both because of his obvious experience in the field--he's been going to the continent on a regular basis since I think was 1987--as well as the range and depth of his knowledge about the creatures who call it home, from the microscopic (krill, phytoplankton, crazy-ass sea butterflies) to the medium (fur seals, chinstrap penguins) to the massive (elephant seals, humpback whales). As such, McClintock knows tons of cool things: about how those aforementioned sea butterflies (which aren't at all butterflies by the way) are all born male, have sex as males, THEN all turn female to fertilize the sperm, so they're FORCED to have gay sex, by GOD!); about how those also-aforementioned elephant seals can weigh 11,000 pounds and hold their breath for 80 minutes; about how leopard seals ("leps" in street-wise Antarctica lingo) are vicious beasts with shark-like rows of teeth. And there are lots of interesting facts about how science is done in such a remote location, logistically (how you get there; where you stay when you do), and financially (did you know one company has the government contract for supplying all necessary material for an exhibition, and these days it's Lockheed Martin?). There's also a description of how to build a diving-hole house in/on the ice, and what to do when a Weddel seal decides to make the hole its own. And the part about armies king crabs invading the ice shelf as the water gets warmer is creepy in its own way. And, of course, there are plenty of alarming facts about the increasing rapidity of climate change, and the acidification of the oceans, which he calls the "other CO2 problem" because it gets less press than the global-warming CO2 problem. Here's the thing though: because McClintock is, first and foremost, a scientist, he is always measured in his tone, and refuses to "jump" to conclusions, no matter how obvious they may be, which makes stretches of Lost Antartica not boring exactly, but frustrating, because you know what's coming, but have to sit through the methodology to get there. Also: no need to spend pages trying to convince me each time that the extinction of a single species, no matter how small, is something to be avoided. And the conclusions? Basically, we have to change now, today, and drastically, or we're fucked. The world did it with Montreal Protocol of 1978, and stopped the ozone from breaking up any further (and, in fact, recent studies suggest the ozone is regenerating itself... which, now that we're choking on greenhouse gases, might actually be a BAD thing); but in the face global greed and a value system which places vast amounts of money for the few above all else, I personally have my doubts that "we" can do it again, before it's too late. Fingers crossed.
August 31, 2016
To tell the truth, I was disappointed when I first received this book, but only because I was expecting something a little different. You know that expression about how a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, I was expecting a bunch of glossy color photos, and could hardly wait to see them. Well, there are some pictures, but they aren't glossy, and they aren't in color, either. Instead, the author relies on his words to paint mental images. Fortunately, he does it quite well.
McClintock, the world's foremost expert on Antarctica, became an expert through decades of scientific studies and research trips. He obviously loves and has a healthy respect for the icy continent, and his descriptions will make his readers love and respect it, too. Enormous colorful icebergs, the roar of giant chunks of ice breaking off and crashing to the sea, the biodiversity of life... from the seabirds, to the sea critters, both massive and minute, to the seaweeds and algae... his descriptions will make it all come alive. You'll practically feel and hear the tremendous winds, and smell the fishy breath of the seals.
Because of all his years of visiting the continent, McClintock is in a uniquely qualified position of authority when it comes to the changes he's seen there, and the changes he and his students have quantified through their research. Climate change isn't a nebulous possiblity to him; it's already happening. The temperature of the sea is rising. The ice is melting. The water is growing more acidic. And all of these changes are affecting the ecosystem, threatening the balance of nature, and possibly endangering the survival of some species.
You could say this book is a wake-up call, especially to the nay-sayers who deny the reality of climate change. It's already here. And what affects Antarctica today will affect the rest of the world, too.
But fear not. All is not lost. He also offers solutions.
The style of this book varies between professorial to anecdotal, and is much like what you'd find in a scientific journal or a magazine like "Scientific America." And it's just as packed with information.
McClintock, the world's foremost expert on Antarctica, became an expert through decades of scientific studies and research trips. He obviously loves and has a healthy respect for the icy continent, and his descriptions will make his readers love and respect it, too. Enormous colorful icebergs, the roar of giant chunks of ice breaking off and crashing to the sea, the biodiversity of life... from the seabirds, to the sea critters, both massive and minute, to the seaweeds and algae... his descriptions will make it all come alive. You'll practically feel and hear the tremendous winds, and smell the fishy breath of the seals.
Because of all his years of visiting the continent, McClintock is in a uniquely qualified position of authority when it comes to the changes he's seen there, and the changes he and his students have quantified through their research. Climate change isn't a nebulous possiblity to him; it's already happening. The temperature of the sea is rising. The ice is melting. The water is growing more acidic. And all of these changes are affecting the ecosystem, threatening the balance of nature, and possibly endangering the survival of some species.
You could say this book is a wake-up call, especially to the nay-sayers who deny the reality of climate change. It's already here. And what affects Antarctica today will affect the rest of the world, too.
But fear not. All is not lost. He also offers solutions.
The style of this book varies between professorial to anecdotal, and is much like what you'd find in a scientific journal or a magazine like "Scientific America." And it's just as packed with information.
November 7, 2012
I'll try to remember to link to the full review when it is published:
McClintock succeeds beautifully at sketching the rich web of Antarctic life and the human-caused changes that challenge it, as well as the ways researchers work to understand these things, but he has neglected to web together a coherent narrative. So "Lost Antarctica" is no page turner: it reads like a series of short, fascinating articles, each ending on the same dire climate change warnings.
This lack of an overarching narrative is no reason for most readers to deny themselves the pleasures of this book, one of which is delightful description. Here's an example from a brief narrative about diving in Antarctica: "Descending first through six feet of sea ice and then, once below the ice, to a depth of about twenty feet, I paused to take in my surroundings. The sea ice above me glowed, filtering sunlight to the depths. I was drifting as if just below the ceiling of a magnificent building whose floor lay eighty feet below me. I was struck by the same sense of awe one experiences entering the Sistine Chapel, only instead of Michelangelo's paintings, I was gazing at a ceiling aglow and adorned with intricate platelets of ice."
The reader interested in Antarctica; in the front lines of the science of climate change; or in the intricate dance of life on Earth will be amply rewarded. McClintock's`articles' offer moments of alternating loveliness and careful, cogent explanation that together allow the reader to feel she has sampled something of the intricacy and wonder of life in Antarctica -- and force her to question whether Antarctica is a harsh place or simply a heartbreakingly vulnerable one.
McClintock succeeds beautifully at sketching the rich web of Antarctic life and the human-caused changes that challenge it, as well as the ways researchers work to understand these things, but he has neglected to web together a coherent narrative. So "Lost Antarctica" is no page turner: it reads like a series of short, fascinating articles, each ending on the same dire climate change warnings.
This lack of an overarching narrative is no reason for most readers to deny themselves the pleasures of this book, one of which is delightful description. Here's an example from a brief narrative about diving in Antarctica: "Descending first through six feet of sea ice and then, once below the ice, to a depth of about twenty feet, I paused to take in my surroundings. The sea ice above me glowed, filtering sunlight to the depths. I was drifting as if just below the ceiling of a magnificent building whose floor lay eighty feet below me. I was struck by the same sense of awe one experiences entering the Sistine Chapel, only instead of Michelangelo's paintings, I was gazing at a ceiling aglow and adorned with intricate platelets of ice."
The reader interested in Antarctica; in the front lines of the science of climate change; or in the intricate dance of life on Earth will be amply rewarded. McClintock's`articles' offer moments of alternating loveliness and careful, cogent explanation that together allow the reader to feel she has sampled something of the intricacy and wonder of life in Antarctica -- and force her to question whether Antarctica is a harsh place or simply a heartbreakingly vulnerable one.
October 15, 2012
I was really pleased to receive this book as a 'First-Read'. As a North American, I have an appreciation for climate change in the polar north but was mostly unaware of the changes occuring in Antartica. I was unaware that Antarctica is affected by change to a greater degree and earlier than other regions. This book is an eye-opener and a wake up call to anyone concerned about climate change. Information in the book is presented in an engaging manner and McClintock's love for the area shines through. He doesn't preach but presents information based on detailed scientific research and leaves it to the reader to draw conclusions. He provides compelling evidence of the threats to a delicate ecosystem from the smallest creatures to the penguins and seals and ultimately to all life on this planet. While covering all of the scientific research, McClintock also provides a fascinating look at the lives of those conducting the research in a harsh environment, the personal sacrifices they make and many entertaining as well as tragic stories. I would highly recommend this book. As a very small note, if I was making one change to the book, I would include a map.
March 27, 2014
Received this book as a First Reads giveaway and my only complaint is that I could have read 300 more pages. For a scientist by trade, McClintock is an adept author who brings the wildlife of the last true wilderness on Earth to us in all its splendor and color. I was fascinated by his descriptions of the myriad species of plants and animals living in the freezing water beneath the ice sheets of Antarctica, as well as the results of research involving marine mammals and birds. He doesn't talk down to the reader but is able to make complex experiments and concepts relate-able to those of us who don't carry PhD's in marine science.
It also terrified me to realize how serious the problems facing the Antarctic ecosystems are and just how rapidly the situation is deteriorating. This is a must read for anyone who currently lives on this plant and plans to be here for at least another few decades.
It also terrified me to realize how serious the problems facing the Antarctic ecosystems are and just how rapidly the situation is deteriorating. This is a must read for anyone who currently lives on this plant and plans to be here for at least another few decades.
June 4, 2014
Going into this book, I wanted to read about the adventures in Antarctica. That continent has always fascinated me so I finally decided to see what I could find. Of the books I found in the book store, this appeared to be the most promising.
That said, this book is not what I expected. Maybe only about 10% of it satisfied my original mission. Mr. McClintock's stories are very interesting though and I became trapped in the read. A lot of the book talks about the impacts of global warming that he's seen on the continent and how it's expected to progress. It's very eye opening and somewhat scary what we've done to this planet. The best chapter is the last one, which finalizes all his research and what scientist's have accomplished to help stop the trend of global warming. What comes next? Only time will tell.
This book is well worth reading, especially if you know virtually nothing about Antarctica.
That said, this book is not what I expected. Maybe only about 10% of it satisfied my original mission. Mr. McClintock's stories are very interesting though and I became trapped in the read. A lot of the book talks about the impacts of global warming that he's seen on the continent and how it's expected to progress. It's very eye opening and somewhat scary what we've done to this planet. The best chapter is the last one, which finalizes all his research and what scientist's have accomplished to help stop the trend of global warming. What comes next? Only time will tell.
This book is well worth reading, especially if you know virtually nothing about Antarctica.
December 14, 2012
A great book on a truly remarkable place, Antarctica. The level of writing was perfect for the story and the research behind the story was impressive. I learned much about the biology, climate and history of this amazing continent. I was carried along with the story as each chapter progressed and I felt a connection with the author and his fellow researchers and agreed with their concerns. In this book, author James McClintock states that it is his role to inform people about what the problems facing Antarctica concerning climate change are, not to steer people’s decisions. It is my hope that the information contained in this book speaks to people of the Earth and they act on the global problems facing this world.
October 8, 2012
If you're uncertain about the consequences of climate change, these accounts provide a clear timely and over time perspective on how the most southern continent has been changing. Perhaps the most compelling section is on penguins and how some species are experiencing population declines because warm weather has destroyed their breeding grounds and others are experiencing population increases because these warmer regions now suit their breeding habits.
March 5, 2014
Part travelogue, part scientific white paper, LOST ANTARTICA: ADVENTURES IN A DISAPPEARING LAND is great if you, like McClintock, long to be at "the ice". His observations of our changing climate are presented without hysteria and alarm, but as observations, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. I recommend this book if you are traveling to Antarctica, it will certainly prepare you for the sub-zero days and dark nights.
I received this book via a giveaway from goodreads.com.
I received this book via a giveaway from goodreads.com.
April 25, 2014
A lot of interesting information but not well written. The book is primarily a disconnected bunch of observations and comments, often very poorly organized. The author does not seem to understand how to construct a proper paragraph (rule #1, make sure the paragraph is actually about the topic sentence of the paragraph). This is more of a memoir than a science book and should be read as such if you intend to get through it.
January 28, 2015
This was a book which evoked mixed emotions: I delighted in McClintock's tales of what is like to be a marine biologist, but the book of course is about the largely detrimental impact climate change is having on the Antarctic. It was fascinating to read about how all the research has been accomplished, and just about the vast, strange land. He writes in a personable style too, drawing you in and making it easy to imagine all these experiences.
July 31, 2015
Many authors find climate change a tough topic to make interesting. McClintock does so easily, with personal observations from this time as an Antarctic scientist, as well as engaging stories about life and work in Anartica. This book flew by and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in life "way down under". You don't have to be a scientist to understand his message.
February 15, 2013
I picked up this book hoping that it'd be a little more figurative, but was pleasantly surprised when it included many climate change studies done in the Antarctic region. I could have done without the personal anecdotes in the beginning and at the end. Also sometimes I felt like I was reading some CV with all the references, but overall an enlightening read.
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