Cold: Extreme Adventures at the Lowest Temperatures on Earth

by Ranulph Fiennes

There are only few human beings who can adapt, survive and thrive in the coldest regions on earth. And below a certain temperature, death is inevitable. Sir Ranulph Fiennes has spent much of his life exploring and working in conditions of extreme cold. The loss of many of his fingers to frostbite is a testament to the horrors man is exposed to at such perilous temperatures. With the many adventures he has led over the past 40 years, testing his limits of endurance to the maximum, he deservedly holds the title of 'the world's greatest explorer'. Despite our technological advances, the Arctic, the Antarctic and the highest mountains on earth, remain some of the most dangerous and unexplored areas of the world. This remarkable book reveals the chequered history of man's attempts to discover and understand these remote areas of the planet, from the early voyages of discovery of Cook, Ross, Weddell, Amundsen, Shackleton and Franklin to Sir Ranulph's own extraordinary feats; from his adventuring apprenticeship on the Greenland Ice Cap, to masterminding over the past five years the first crossing of the Antarctic during winter, where temperatures regularly plummeted to minus 92°C. Both historically questioning and intensely personal, Cold is a celebration of a life dedicated to researching and exploring some of the most hostile and brutally cold places on earth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Adventure, Travel, Autobiography, Mountaineering, Survival

496 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2013

About the author

Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, 3rd Baronet, OBE, better known as Ranulph (Ran) Fiennes, is a British adventurer and holder of several endurance records.

Fiennes has written books about his army service and his expeditions as well as a book defending Robert Falcon Scott from modern revisionists. In May 2009, aged 65, he climbed to the summit of Mount Everest. According to the Guinness Book of World Records he is the world's greatest living adventurer.

Reviews

[Lee Prescott · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot wrong with this book - the 1st chapter bored me, there's a lot of filler about previous explorers and expeditions, its repetitive (how many times must we be told about fluid viscosity or what sastrugi are?), the narrative doesn't aid imagining of the terrain very well and in some places I had to get the atlas out to see where Fiennes was. To add to that, there aren't many interesting anecdotes or people met along Fienne's adventures. In spite of all of that, I thought this a great read. I think primarily because it comes over as authentic - there isn't much new to say about another gruelling day of hauling a sled through a whiteout where the day's conversation amounts to a misheard 'what?' It makes the smattering of Fienne's deadpan dark jokes even funnier when he throws them in. On top of that is the actual achievements in the book, which are simply incredible. Recommended for anyone interested in polar expeditions of any sort.

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I somehow really enjoy reading and learning about people exploring dangerous places and pushing their bodies to the extreme. But I do not have any wish to do that myself, I'm a very cozy couch potato. Just liked I'd hoped this was a very interesting read, maybe not the best written book. But a very intriguing and fascinating book nevertheless

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic book! Sir Fiennes provides an enthralling biography of himself, while interweaving it with a history of cold exploration. I cannot recommend highly enough what a great read this was, and what a truly heroic man Fiennes is. I want to read so much more about Arctic and Antarctic exploration now, and have certainly found myself in awe of this remarkable man.

[Jed Leishman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would love to buy this man a crafty and hear about his life. A factual Indiana Jones who has explored some of the most uninhabitable places on earth, many times over and well into an age he could have rightly transitioned to lawn bowls.
Hell of a read.

Some tidbits I picked up:

Antarctica is the biggest glacial area in the world, contains 90% of our ice and 70% of our fresh water. The largest of these is the Lambert-Fisher which is 65 kilometres wide and 510 kilometres long.
Glaciers can threaten settlements, traveling at up to 300 yards per day with similar excavating power of a large river.
One such glacier in the Antarctic was so heavy it depressed the land underneath it to 2500m below sea level.
The ice age known as Pleistocene began 2.5 million years ago and is still here today. World temperatures vary. In glacial ages glaciers advance and in interglacial periods they retreat. We are currently in an interglacial period since 1850.
Polar bears can weigh 500kg, can be 8 foot long or 12 feet when standing, and can run at 35mph!

Cheyne stokes breathing can occur in high altitudes due to respiratory alkalosis causing apnoeas and resultant hyperventilation. This commonly occurs in the initial stages of sleep when breathing is governed by chemoreceptors.
Acetalozamide works for this and other altitude related problems as it prevents rebasorption of bicarb, making the blood more acidic and causing less vasoconstriction, central apnoeas.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it took me a chapter or so to fully get into it (some judicious editing throughout the whole book would not have gone amiss) I did enjoy it. Fiennes has a sangfroid style of writing which reflects his outlook on life and the various challenges he has subjected himself to.

As well as recounting his hair raising Polar expeditions he also provides a potted history of exploration to those regions. One of the scariest parts of one his North Pole treks was when after reaching the magnetic north pole Fiennes and his travelling companion slogged back south as far as they dared over sea ice and then hopped onto an ice floe (on which they lived for about three months) to drift further south to await pick up from their ship. As they floated down the floe broke up into ever smaller pieces and they had to also stave off inquisitive and hungry polar bears.

Anyone interested in any further reading on Polar explorers, which includes some truly 'insane' excursions, could do no better than to read the writings of Fergus Fleming, Francis Spufford and Fiennes' own magisterial biography of Captain Scott which goes a long way in rightfully refuting his maligned reputation. Fiennes also took up mountaineering late in life as well as marathon running and has become in this age of tedious celebrity someone who has achieved many goals through dint of perseverance and sheer will power.

[Jamie Bowen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ranulph Fiennes clearly loves adventure, and this book captures the thrill, the excitement, the drama, the planning and the danger involved. Because the book covers around fifty years of polar adventure, we also see the impact of climate change through the years. This book is not just about Ranulph's adventures, it also covers the history of polar exploration, a lot of it I never knew much about.

[O R · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I could rate Rannulph's adventures they would definitely be 5*. But this book did not do them justice, in my opinion. There are only so many ways that one can describe the cold and freezing conditions of the poles, and considering the majority of this book is about just that I oft found it becoming dull and dragging.

The most interesting parts were when he would describe the relevant history of the areas of which he was travelling through - a real shame that this was what stuck out, rather than the adventuring.

I also think he's mad. To have been extremely fortunate and to have survived his first major expedition, you would think that he'd count his lucky stars and call it a day. I was rather impressed by his Mount Everest attempt, though. Yet the fact that this was such a small section of the book was disappointing.

[Martin Bull · Rating 4 out of 5]

A kind of "Explorerography" from today's greatest living Explorer, mixed in with historical overviews of similar feats. I was unaware just how much Fiennes had achieved (and attempted and not achieved). It is mind-blowing. The book is imbalanced in terms of the detail covered in different expeditions, but it doesn't change the overall impact that comes through: of an Explorer achieving things against the odds but always on the look out for further challenges. Here is somebody who suffers vertigo who decided, on the basis of a mere two years' training, to take on the North Face of the Eiger (having conquered Everest after three attempts). And anyone who thinks that the so-called romantic (read "dangerous") era of Polar travel finished with Scott et al. should read Fiennes' accounts of his various Polar journeys.

[Peter Perhac · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book. Found it hard to give it just three stars. It reads well. It's full of interesting stories and facts. This Ranulph guy is an interesting figure. He accomplished some amazing feats. He had to back out of a few expeditions, and this is, on one hand admirable - he just failed, so what? - on the other hand, the series of failed attempts described in the latter parts of the book were a little disappointing to me as a reader. Still, big respect to Ran, he did his best, tried his hardest, and accomplished what no-one else ever managed to accomplish. The book is good. 7 of 10.

[Ty-Orion · Rating 3 out of 5]

Не много добре написан, но интересен разказ за митканията на този неуморен, неспокоен, вечно състезаващ се със себе си и с околните истински старомоден приключенец. Да не ти е в къщата, както се казва, но не може да не изпиташ уважение към тази свръхчовешка издръжливост и хъс. С ръка, от която са ти останали само чуканчета на пръстите, да тръгнеш да изкачваш Еверест с благотворителна цел - не знам какво точно е това, но бих искала поне малко от същото. Научих интересни неща за полярния студ и за други исторически експедиции към полюсите, така че съм доволна.

[L.M. Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adventure! Derring-do! This man climbed Everest as an OAP. He removed frost-bitten finger ends by himself (while at home in England). He spins arresting tales of crotch-rot, fatigue, arduous exploits and loss, while including comparative tales of yester-year explorers. Bascially - what's not to like?

You think you've been cold? Read this and find out...

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am in complete awe of the extreme lengths that Ran went to in this series of adventures in the cold. I actually felt stressed out by the magnitude of problems he faced, but the sheer amazement kept me gripped and reading on. There was a lot of extra detail about past explorers and other expeditions - some interesting, some not so much. I liked the extra details about the Inuits and polar bears to get a realistic picture of how others survive in this extreme environment. Some of Ran’s expeditions were recalled in great detail and others quite brief. I would have liked to learn more about Ran personally, especially his motivations and background/ childhood which the book didn’t cover. Perhaps that is in a different book. I recommend this one purely for the complete and utter amazement at his bravery, courage and perseverance. He is an astounding individual.

[Kenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ranulph Fiennes is as old school British as must currently exist - not difficult to imagine him either conquering or administrating a large chunk of Empire. But in more prosaic times, he's off round the planet doing something...well, somewhere between barking and suicidal. In case the title's not a give away, this recounts his 'cold' adventures.

If you're looking for someone that will give chapter and verse on their 'inner journey' and florid prose to describe the icy locations then this isn't for you. He's far too British and sensible to do any of that emotional stuff, he's exploring the South pole, not himself (and probably disapproves of those who do: good on him...). When he does, it's in the most stereotypically British way possible - blink and you miss it, often understated, but powerful (two simple sentences when he had to abort one expedition simply noted "Dyson raised £1.5m for charity. If I had completed it, it would have been a lot more". I liked this approach.

There's plenty of detail about his various expeditions in matter of fact prose - right down to the numerous horrific things that tended to be happening to his and his party's bodies. Fair play.

This was the first of his books I've read, and it felt a bit like it was collating some stories that had been recounted before - and was for me just a little long in places. It can be unforgiving on the reader - a technical but important concept may be explained once, then you just have to keep up (while on the other side others are continually re-introduced - Cherry Garrard is "Scott's man Cherry Garrard" throughout - the slightly inconsistent approach made me wonder if it was edited together. He's no fan of Norwegians either (although one press article alleged that his polar expedition was taking prostitutes with them while the Norwegians were far more honourable. Female members were Mrs Fiennes...)

Anyway, after reading a lot of travel books, you kind of think I could try that - even (especially?) some of the polar residents. At no point did I think anything remotely similar reading this. As his age begins to seriously limit his expeditions (aye, as climbing Everest at 65 was nothing...) you realise that there are both fewer places left to have a 'first' nor perhaps the same type of character who would decide that this wasn't just something for a one off, but a to base a life around. Good on him.

[Wendy Unsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long been an admirer of Feinnes and his adventures and very much enjoy reading about how such people pit their delicate bodies against the forces of nature.

I enjoyed a previous book 'Mind over Matter' which told the story of his crossing of Antarctica. In 'Cold' Feinnes recaps through all his cold journeys.

The first major expedition that he organised and led himself was the Transglobe expedition travelling around the globe via the poles and begins with the huge obstacles presented getting such a journey approved and sponsored. That is a daunting task in itself and years in the making. Very ably teamed with his late wife, Ginny, the two set about the huge task of making the expedition happen. What comes through time and again is how these solo or small team expeditions can't happen without the help and expertise of a lot of people. Feinnes emphasises this at every turn. But when the expedition finally happens it's the grit and tenacity (and a little bit of luck -or sometimes a lot) of the expeditions members that win the day.

Feinnes and the people he had worked with certainly do have grit in huge measures. His account of his attempts to summit Everest and his subsequent success in that endeavour are also a grim reminder of the many people who have failed and paid the ultimate price. Many have died in places beyond any hope of rescue and their bodies remain.

The book is also a wonderful history lesson of earlier explorers and their missions to map the world. I found myself going back and forth to remind myself of some of that history as Feinnes talked about his modern-day journeys. His stories of hardship and the sheer effort for humans to survive in the world's cold places make for illuminating reading and, of course Ranulph Feinnes has made millions for charities along the way.

[Trevor Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit to being in two minds about Fiennes. This is the first book of his that I've read and pretty early on began to have the feeling that it was a book 'thrown together' by him in order to raise subsistence funds. Later, he admits as much, that his books have often been his only source of income. On the other hand, it has to be said that he has raised millions of pounds for charity and very often, has raised sufficient funds for expeditions, leaving nothing for himself.

It would have been very useful if he had given me as a reader, a path through the book, a raison d'etre if you will, but alas, I'm left to navigate alone, no chapter headings, few maps, and often few explanations of technical terms for the layman.

I admit to having been irritated by Fiennes' poor regard for Norwegians. I would have expected him to be a gentleman and not rubbish their expeditionery efforts because say, they lacked scientific research. Fiennes knows, along with the rest of us, that scientific research from expeditions is a 'nice to have' - that the main goal of the expedition is rather different, such as reaching a pole first. I'm also struck at times, by Fiennes' amateur approach to some issues, such as spending only two days in training with kites, when several weeks were warranted.

So I'm left admiring the man in some ways, and being disappointed in him in other ways. I profoundly disagree with his assessment of Scott as the world's greatest polar explorer, his disparagement of the Norwegians, his criticism of Roland Huntford's books, and his belief that manhauling is the most efficient form of polar travel. I'm glad I read the book but I shan't pick up another of his.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A frustrating account of impressive expeditions by a vainglorious and jingoistic man. There's no doubt that Fiennes' determination, endurance and ambition are truly impressive, but as a narrator he constantly requires the reader to endure his almost hilarious personal opinions and biases.

He is adamant, for example, that Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach the South Pole by sheer luck alone (and Fiennes is also antagonised by his 'unsportsmanlike' behaviour) and that Captain Scott, who lead his entire team to death in an ill-advised attempt to defeat the better-prepared Amundsen, only 'lost' because of bad luck with the weather.

While Amundsen's 'luck' is proof that he wasn't a truly great explorer, Fiennes himself constantly rides his luck and in particular seems to derive great pleasure from ignoring the expert advice of locals. On his first expedition in Norway, he and his team ignore warnings from locals not to take a particular route, and survive bad decision after bad decision by blind luck alone. Fiennes learns nothing from the experience and it becomes clear after a few chapters that he only values the opinions of British experts. Canadian Inuit are in particular not worth listening to, and his personal vendetta against any and every Norwegian he comes across is by the end quite disconcerting.

Some of the book's most enjoyable passages are when Fiennes gives condensed accounts of Polar exploration through the ages. Some of the stories are among the greatest accounts of human endurance and achievement and even if Fiennes focuses primarily on the British and Irish explorers, the sections are a welcome diversion from his frequent humblebragging.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book gives a brief but fascinating history of polar exploration intertwined with the authors own record-breaking efforts. There are three of the authors' expeditions that are covered in detail; a circumnavigation of the globe along the prime meridian; a trans Arctic crossing and an unsupported man-haul trans Antarctic crossing. Each of expeditions takes years in the planning and execution, with details and extracts from diaries that give insights into the mental toughness of the explorers and the challenges that they face.

The book makes many references and is a useful gateway to discovering other authors and classic texts on exploration. The book also includes short sections on the various flora and fauna and climate change.

Having read his autobiography, there is some recycled material that is common to both books but I nonetheless enjoyed it immensely.

Ranulph Fiennes is surely one of the greatest explorers alive today; in my opinion he is in the same league as Scott, Amundsen and Peary.

[Carmen Thong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating subject matter that scores points for the book on the get go, but it could have been structured better. It reads too much like a memoir, not in a sense where we get too much of the author (we get relatively little of him percentage wise but what little he includes seems really jarring), but in a sense where the narrative is structured chronologically and the organising locus is the author rather than the Arctic or Antarctica itself. As such, my sense of these places are fragmented by the author's piecemeal exploration, which makes sense if he wanted to focus on the intricate experience of the explorer... but he is doing neither one or the other. I would have preferred if he signposted his places better, or went the other way and gave us more details as to his linear struggles trying to get these expeditions running. That would have been interesting too. When he adds in historical information of past expeditions as well, everything gets a bit muddled.

[Oggie Ramos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ran Fiennes's adventures were incredible, the telling was not. There were a lot of unnecessary historical and information fillers, particularly towards the last two chapters. Some of the historical references used were strangely similar, both in usage and writing, to those used by Sarah Wheeler in her book, Terra Incognita, published about 15 years before this book by Fiennes.

Perhaps, Fiennes took fellow Antartica traverse peer, Will Steger's, more straightforward view of polar expeditions too seriously over the romanticized perspective of wilderness writer, Barry Lopez. Maybe, he did it rightly so because the expeditions he took were indeed unromantic slogs through desolate landscapes and seascapes. However, the book could've been shorter, more interesting, and more elegantly written in the hands of a better writer and editor. Perhaps, the views of an earlier reviewer about this book feeling and reading like it was rushed to meet funding deadlines is correct.

[Georgie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. For the most part this book is a really interesting narrative of Fiennes' adventures in the Polar regions, supplemented by numerous facts and stories about the history, environment, and nature of these areas. The latter 5th of the book moves to Everest and Eiger, and felt rushed and unnecessary - you can tell that Fiennes' true passion lies in the Polar challenges, and not in these later conquests, and the narrative reflects that. Would recommend his autobiography before this Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know , and not one after the other as information is repeated between the two volumes, although he has achieved much since this earlier book was published.

[Walter Van Praag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hands up if you like adventure! I was given this book to read by a good friend. and did not want to give up reading. The first hundred or so pages were a little dry and drudgerous ... but the adventure rating is extreme so I read on. As Ran describes and writes his adventures in the Arctic and Antarctic regions he slowly starts skimming over events. The first adventure was painfully detailed and the last few, especially the climbing ones, all too brief!
Overall a fantastic read of a fantastic life where Ran contributed significantly to science and charity through teeth chattering epic travel. This book is a great example where you read about the terrible misfortunes, deaths and disasters, where a blessed adventurer like Ran gets off with just losing a few rules and fingers, and still manages to inspire people to go out there and do it for themselves!

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, I loved it ✴️✴️✴️✴️*️⃣

I was lucky enough to be on a webinar with Sir Ranulph and he’s a very motivational guy. So I bought his book. It’s a fascinating read. Accounts of walking across the Arctic and the Antarctic, circumnavigating the world. Climbing Everest and the North Face of the Eiger. He’s truly Britain’s greatest living explorer!

This is a very well presented book. I read the hard back version, first edition, with polar maps inside the covers and colour plate pages showing some beautiful (and some gruesome) photographs of adventures on his journeys. A thoroughly interesting read spanning several decades of expeditions. At the end is a historic summary of every polar expedition from ancient times to recent times quoting names such as Scott, Shackleton and Amundsen; Sir Ranulph Fiennes ranking amongst the greats.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Mike Stroud's book on Survival of The Fittest I felt compelled to read more about our capacity to survive in extreme conditions. Fiennes' writing isn't as good as Stroud's but I get the impression Fiennes is a great planner and leader for expeditions in very cold places. His tales of determination and surviving the most inhospitable conditions on the planet are amazing. He also provides a great narrative on the development of technology during his many trips, and with each new expedition how surviving became easier due to the newer technologies available (although Mother Nature still has the upper hand!).

[Alamgir Khan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compelling and often astonishing book. Gripping tales of total heroic madness. I probably can't understand why human beings would put themselves through this, but from the comfort of my warm home, I cannot stop admiring the fact that some people are prepared to do so. The author not only describes his adventures and those of his colleagues at both poles and climbing some the highest and treacherous mountains in the world, he also puts it into the context of previous explorers. I would recommend this book whole-heartedly. The author's matter-of-fact writing style adds to, rather than detracts from, the sense of constant danger and excitement.

[Ginni Brinkley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ran Fiennes is clearly mad! He just tosses out casually hacking off the dead ends of his fingers with a hacksaw, and there are really gross pictures of said digits and his emaciated body after one of his dreadful treks. What really comes out though is what an incredible adventurer he is too, doing things I have no wish to do, but I'm glad they've been done and more information has been added to what we know of extreme environments. I like books about adventures, so this one ticked the boxes, and you can't help but admire the guy. Definitely worth a read.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cracking good read as one would expect from our man.

A book laced with the history of polar exploration and the Transglobe Expedition makes up for one of the most interesting reads I have had for a while. The beauty of it is, the guy is still alive...dont know how.. but thankful that he is. It makes you ask the question... where have all of the heroes gone in today's politically correct world. Maybe suffocated by elf' and safety!

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

It feels more like a taster session than a proper log of his adventures. Sir Ran has done many remarkable things in his life and I have utter respect for the man. This book is a good overview of his achievements, but for people who are serious about studying the trials of survival at extreme cold temperatures may feel short changed. Personally, I now plan to read some of his books devoted to specific challenges.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decided to read this during our UK heat wave, certainly made me feel very cold and NOT want to be an artic explorer but hats of to Ranulph and his co explorers for having the determination and loss of fingers and toes. Really enjoyed all the nuggets of information in this book, little facts that made me think and go explore on google, so I learnt a lot about polar exploration both historical and recent. A little gem of a read.

[Nola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinating how someone could keep going back into the ultimate cold to achieve, I was slightly disappointed that I didn't really get to know Ran Fiennes. His first wife Ginny featured hugely in his life and organising his adventures, plus Bothi the Jack Russell, he writes that Ginny dies of cancer in 2003 and that's it. I realise this is a book mainly about his exploits however Ginny and Bothi were ever present in this book.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another entertaining read

Really enjoy Ran's books. He has a great way of detailing his adventures that keeps the reader entertained and also educates on the various aspects of the challenges, in this case all cold based ones. The appendix gives a blunt insight into the effects of global warming and climate change based purely on Ran's long experience in cold regions.