Aventura en el ártico, mi vida en los hielos del norte

by Peter Freuchen

Hardcover Halycon House; First Printing edition (1938) B00GF2RS8E

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Adventure, Travel, Memoir, Survival

672 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1935

About the author

Peter Freuchen, born Lorenz Peter Elfred Freuchen was a Danish explorer, writer and traveler.

He spent many years in Thule, Greenland, living with the Polar Inuit. He worked with Knud Rasmussen, crossing the Greenland icecap with him. In 1935, Freuchen visited South Africa, and by the end of the decade, he had travelled to Siberia.

In 1938 he founded The Adventurer's Club (Eventyrernes Klub in Danish), which still exists. They later honoured his memory by planting an oak tree and creating an Eskimo cairn near the place, where he left Denmark for Greenland back in 1906.

He was also employed by the movie industry as a consultant and scriptwriter, specializing in Arctic-related scripts. Most notably MGM's Oscar winning Eskimo/Mala The Magnificent starring Ray Mala. In 1956, he won $64,000 on The $64,000 Question, an American TV quiz-show on the subject "The Seven Seas".

During World War II, Freuchen was actively involved with the Danish resistance movement against the Germans, despite having lost a leg to frost bite in 1926. He was imprisoned for a time by the Germans.

Reviews

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freuchen spent years exploring the Arctic in the early 1900's, living with Eskimos, & gives a first hand account of his adventures. Some of them are quite memorable since our technology was quite new to many of them. Others tell us about the remarkable hardships & resilience of humans. Some customs & events had me laughing to hard to read further for minutes at a time. A truly wonderful book filled with humor & passion.

If you like it, check out his second wife's book, Adventures in the Artic. Basically the same tale, but told by her. She wasn't there, but she knew him & heard his stories. There are some additional stories & details that add a lot of depth to this entire adventure, but it lacks the humor & insight of Peter's story..

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much better than I expected it to be. Te author was a friend of my Danish great grandfather, so I was given a copy of the book at a family gathering. The lives of the Greenland Eskimos and their families are fascinating, and despite being written in a less than "Politically-correct" age (1940s) the writing is surprisingly sensitive and respectful. I read with fascination about the authors many near-death experiences crossing expanses of glacial ice cap or sea ice, and about the daily lives and rituals of the native people with whom he assimilates. You read about things like women washing their hair in stale urine, or female sled dogs giving birth while running over the ice, as the rest of the pack, starving, snatch up the babies and swallow them as they mush along...it's a crazy crazy world in Greenland... But totally riveting to read about.

[Eva Mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Una aventura inolvidable! Peter Freuchen, intrépido explorador danés, sabe cómo llevarnos a través de palabras a revivir su experiencia en el Ártico que empezó cuando tenía tan solo 19 años. Con pasión nos hace sentir el frío polar y fascinarnos con la lucha por la supervivencia. Todas las descripciones son tan atrayentes que no he encontrado el tedio durante esta lectura helada de más de seiscientas páginas; algunas experiencias pueden resultar desagradables, revolverte el estómago, pues la finalidad de Freuchen no es maquillar sus vivencias, la vida en el Ártico es dura y fría, las condiciones extremas en las que vivían justificaban muchas de sus costumbres, y así lo quiere transmitir.
Situaciones realmente angustiosas en las que la muerte le acechaba, pero siempre confiaba en su capacidad de adaptación frente a un agente perturbador o estado adverso, y no se resignaba a ella. La resiliencia llevada al límite. Admirable.
Las fotografías hechas por Freuchen que acompañan a sus palabras en esta edición dotan de atractivo la experiencia lectora. En mi humilde opinión, un mapa impreso sobre Groenlandia en algunas páginas, para no perdernos entre tanta nieve, hubiera enriquecido mucho más esta aventura polar.
Me ha encantado conocer a Freuchen, salgo impresionada de sus páginas; lo echaré de menos, pero volveré a él para poder disfrutar de una segunda lectura. Cinco estrellas para que siga brillando.

Dicen que «su mente limpia de todo prejuicio crea un relato donde todo es ternura e inocencia, lo que contribuye aún más a la grandeza épica de sus vivencias». Lo corroboro.

Libro recomendable para almas que no temen a las aventuras.

[Ina Steinke · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. This man deserves a series of movies made about him... but at the same time, no movie could make him justice. Brilliant, brilliant book that everyone should read!!!

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well written and utterly fascinating. Life in Greenland at the turn of the 20th century is so different from anything I've encountered before and I felt I had been transported to another world. Whether it washing hair and clothes in human urine, wife swapping or the cuisine (as a vegan I found some of the meal descriptions stomach turning but at the same time I could fully understand that that was what they needed to eat - it was that or starvation!) I found Freuchen's descriptions intriguing and there was certainly never a dull moment. The courage and resilience of the people shone clearly throughout the book and I admired them immensely. Their lives certainly were not easy.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about different cultures, likes to study human character or just enjoys a good adventure story. At times I found it very hard to put down and it certainly was never boring.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Freuchen wrote Arctic Adventure: My Life in the Frozen North. His second wife, Dagmar, wrote this book which follows his closely, but gives her take on it. While much is the same, we get another POV of the famous explorer. Sometimes it's more flattering, others less so, but certainly different & there are other pieces of his story that come to light. I rated his book with 5 stars & this one deserves one less. Not only is there a lot of repetition, but Dagmar doesn't have the same insights into human nature, the warmth or the humor that Peter did. Still, it's a good read & with copies of these books as scarce as they are, if you can find either one, don't stop to count your blessings, just grab it.

[Mihai Matei · Rating 5 out of 5]

O mie de povești despre umanitate într-o singură carte scrisă acum aproape o sută de ani. O carte scrisă simplu, onest, fără orgoliul literar al autorului modern și mai ales fără prejudecăți, de parcă ar fi scrisă de un copil care vede pentru prima oară lumea. Este povestea aventurilor autorului jn Groenlanda si Alaska, alături de Knud Rasmussen, pe vremea în care ținuturile nu erau încă complet descoperite, dar este mai ales povestea băștinașilor eschimoși care trăiau acolo acum o suta de ani. Sunt sute de povesti despre viața eschimoșilor, despre modul in care vânau și se deplasau, despre comunitățile lor, despre sistemul de comerț, despre moarte, despre canibalism, despre sistemul lor de credințe si valori și interacțiunea (amuzanta) cu misionarii danezi, despre sex si moralitate si multe altele, dar mai ales despre fine dining. Deși este o carte despre trecut nu am putut să nu mă gândesc la modul în care vedem și judecăm lumea în prezent, prin lentile cu zeci de straturi dintre care o mare sunt artificiale și inoculate. E o carte absolut fabuloasă!

[Alex Sin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This remains one of my favorite books.

[Mischa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Puh weiß gar nicht wie ich dieses Buch bewerten soll. Würde am liebsten 2.5 Sterne geben, aber runde mal auf.

Teilweise hochgradig spannende Erzählungen über Abenteuer in der Arktis sowie ein Einblick in die komplett fremde und leicht primitive Kultur der Inuit. Überwiegend interessant geschrieben mit Humor, wilden und skurrilen Kurzgeschichten (Inuitkinder erhängen sich als Zeitvertreib (?)) und mit Bilder untermalt (nicht diese Geschichte). Man bekommt Einblicke in die Essenskultur, das tägliche Leben, die Liebesbeziehung und das Frauentauschen, sowie eine gewisse Allgemeinbildung über Iglos, Hundeschlitten und Eis. Die Expeditionen, die der Autor unternahm sind geprägt von Hindernissen und Problemen und zeigen eindrucksvoll das schwierige Leben in der Arktis auf, wo jeder Tag ein Kampf ums Überleben ist und man nicht weiß ob der nächste überhaupt angetreten werden kann. Die starke Abhängigkeit von der Natur aber auch die Stärke und das Durchhaltevermögen eines Menschen werden hier besonders deutlich.

Aber der Schreibstil wäre auch eine meiner größten Kritikpunkte an dem Buch: durch diese Art mit den "Kurzgeschichten" ist es teilweise schwierig dem übergreifenden Plot zu folgen, es werden ein Haufen Namen genannt, die nach 2 Seiten nicht mehr relevant sind, nur um dann später nach weiteren 150 Seiten wieder aufgegriffen zu werden (dabei sind es Inuit Namen wie Uvisanavsik, die unheimlich schwer zu merken sind). Darüber hinaus sind Thematiken oder Motivationen einzelner Personen sowie von Peter Freuchen selbst, oftmals nicht nachvollziehbar dargestellt, sodass man nie ganz im Bilde ist. Ein weiteres Problem ist, dass einige der Kurzgeschichten schlichtweg uninteressant und langweilig sind. Es wird seitenlang beschrieben, wie einer der Händler sich Lügengeschichten ausdenkt und sich betrinkt oder über Tänze, dass sie die ganze Nacht gingen und dass es viele waren und viele Leute da waren etc. Eine Geschichte, die sich mir in diesem kontext eingeprägt hat, war, als sie ein Haus von Peary besucht und wieder aufgebaut hatten. Diese Geschichte ging grob über zwei bis drei Seiten. Am Ende hatte sie keine Relevanz, es ist nichts spannendes passiert und den Grund, warum dieses Haus jetzt wieder aufgebaut wurde, habe ich immer noch nicht verstanden (war es Forschung, Langeweile, Zeitvertreib, eine Hommage ????). Da hätte ich lieber mehr über die Abenteuer erfahren oder über die Kultur der Inuit.
Eine weitere, diesmal extremst spannende Geschichte ging darüber, wie der Autor zu Fuß aus der einen Siedlung in die andere gehen musste, mit einem verfaulten Bein, dabei im Schlamm versunken ist und fast verhungerte. Vor Start dieses Unterfangens wurde gesagt, er müsse die Schlitten da lassen und könne sie nicht nutzen. Warum das so ist, wurde nicht erklärt. Und ich glaube dies fasst meine Kritik ganz gut zusammen. Aufgrunddessen musste ich dieses Buch auch mehrmals weglegen und wieder aufnehmen und habe mehrere Monate gebraucht, um es zu lesen.

Meine anfängliche Frage an das Buch, wie die Inuit diese schlimmen äußerlichen Bedingungen und Herausforderungen täglich überstehen und meistern wurde darüber hinaus kaum bis gar nicht beantwortet (außer dass sie über alles lachen, okay 👍🏽). Aber ich denke das ist eher meine Erwartungshaltung an das Buch gewesen und hat nichts mit der Qualität zu tun.

[Abdullah Almuslem · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reviews on this book were so good and raised my expectation a lot. However, I was disappointed after reading it. Not sure why, maybe I read too many books about arctic exploration and had high expectations. The story had its charm in many parts. So, let me summarize:

Peter Freuchen is a Danish explorer who was born on 1886. He started his life by studying to be a doctor. However, an incident that happened during his study altered his whole life. While working in the hospital, an accident happened, and the victim was brought in and was thought to be dead. However, his heart was still beating but was thought by the doctors to be hopeless case. After six months of treatment, the guy survived and was turned out to the world. Peter watched him walking out of the hospital crossing the street. A car was passing (one of the first in Denmark) and ran him down and killed him immediately. This event made Peter feel impotent fury and he decided to leave his career as a doctor and left school immediately.

This is when the story starts. He joined an expedition to Greenland and established with a friend a trading station with the (Eskimos or Inuits) in that land (this was in 1910). He stayed there away from the civilization till 1924. He married an (eskimo women) and had kids. Later his wife would die as result of the Spanish flu. He was away from the mess of WWI as he was busy living in Greenland. Peter learned the manners of the polar peoples and spoke their language. He went through crazy expeditions and events losing one of his legs as a result being frozen in of his expeditions.

It was interesting to read about how the polar people reacted to the new civilized people they had to interact with. For example, one eskimo was taken to New York and then went back to talk about what he saw there. He told them about people living in houses on top of each other and how he talked through a device to another person living far away from him. He was taken as a liar by the eskimos and was never believed afterward. Another case is when Peter took his wife to Denmark and her shock that there was sun shining in the middle of winter which is something unheard of in the polar region.

There were other interesting stories about the believes of those people, cannibalism, ghosts and spirits and other incidents here and there.

Overall, not a bad book but a bit long.

[Reading Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me remember why I fell in love with reading. When I was a child, every book I read widened my thought horizon and I discovered new worlds and learned how other people lived and felt.
I could never understand why people would voluntarily leave the comforts of modern (well, almost modern – the action begins in 1910) life and go to places where just to stay alive is a struggle, but I do admire them.

See my full review: https://readingbadger.club/2018/02/28...

Who should read this biography

This Reading Badger recommends this autobiography book to anyone. It’s that simple. It’s an easy read, delectable characters (they are real life characters), a ton of fun anecdotes and some serious exploring.

[Oana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't read about the mistreatment of dogs during those harsh times. I can appreciate the writing and the interesting anecdotes about the life in the Arctic, but the passages about dogs being beaten and killed for food after they served their masters is too off putting. What topped it off for me was when Feuchen's child stabbed a fork into a dog's eye after he had already tormented the poor dog playing "hunting" probably because he was never thought to have empathy and respect for animals.

[Nicola Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely marvellous adventure story that is absolutely true! He had me hooked from the first page, thanks to the immediacy of his tone and his sense of humour. I had to remind myself that the year was 1907. Plus, I defy you not to be seduced by the reason he gave up being a doctor.

Basically, this is fifteen years in the life of Dane Peter Freuchen, covering his residence in the arctic, including his marriage to an Inuit woman. How had I never head of him before? He is a warm and solid introduction to the way of the Inuit, telling story after story about their history and culture. A lot of it is gossipy and irreverent but it is all true and, for me, beats any academic study. One treat for me, in particular, as a Titanic buff, is his describing what he is doing at 3am on 14 April 1912 ... less than twenty-hours later the ship would be the bottom of the Atlantic.

Dog lovers may experience some difficulties with the memoir, Freuchen has no reason to embellish or hide the cold, hard facts about arctic life. The passages about wolves and Polar Bears are terrifying as are the accounts of infanticide. His necessary sledge journeys are page-turning thrillers as time and time again, you believe that he must be at death's door, forgetting that if he did succumb to starvation and freezing temperatures, the book wouldn't exist. Equally absorbing is his portrait of his compatriot and pal, Polar explorer Knud Rasmussen. They were fascinating characters, with almost super-human qualities, and always reliable in the most horrendous situations while always looking for the next party and new friends to make. I'm going to miss reading this book!

[Lothrandir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una lectura subyugadora que te transporta a las tierras salvajes de Groenlandia en los albores del siglo XX y de la exploración europea, danesa en este caso, de ese reino helado. Con una inocencia sorprendente el autor nos transporta a la lucha por la supervivencia del día a día en la vida de los inuits groenlandeses. No escatima detalles crueles, pero sin emitir juicios morales, siempre con un toque de perplejidad y asombro, que acaba siendo de franca admiración por los habitantes de esa tierra despiadada. De una honradez encantadora, no oculta sus fracasos y equivocaciones en la exploración de la isla y la cercana Canadá, ni cuando su imprevisión y temeridad le sitúa al borde de la muerte. En esas ocasiones no se abandona a la desesperación, sino que con espíritu deportivo acepta el combate con las fuerzas naturales, y se esfuerza siempre hasta el último aliento.
Solo señalar una pega al siempre sensacional trabajo de la editorial Interfolio, a la que tantos relatos de la expedición polar debemos: se echa de menos un mapa de Groenlandia, y un índice de las ilustraciones, aunque esto último es menos importante.
En resumen, un magnífico relato de la exploración ártica y la sociedad inuit, de manos de un testigo excepcional. Lo recomiendo.

[Morgan Lupton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best nonfiction reads I've experienced in a long time. Peter Freuchen was a disenchanted medical student who set sail for Greenland at a young age to partake in an early Danish expedition mapping out the then unclaimed northern parts of Greenland. After returning back to Copenhagen, Peter finished his degree but later decided that he yearned for the arctic. He eventually moved back to Greenland, set his roots there and lived among the native peoples in Thule for much of his life.

This book is an excellent insight into Greenlandic society at the time, as well as Greenland's position as a Danish territory during the golden age of arctic exploration. Towards the end, it also covers Peter's explorations into Hudson Bay, Baffin Island and other portions of the Canadian arctic which was an unexpected bonus for me.

Highly recommend this read for anyone curious about Greenland or the native peoples of the arctic in general. I also suggest watching the 1933 movie that Peter Freuchen stars in called "Eskimo," it has real footage of some hunting excursions and its also a bit funny to see him playing the bad guy considering how embedded into native society he was in real life.

[Ana-Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Se amuza cineva pe internet scriind ca Peter Freuchen este tatal lui Chuck Norris... si dincolo de gluma si de inacuratetea biologica a faptului, trebuie sa fiu de acord intru totul. Un explorator - supravietuitor- antropolog - cercetator -aventurier si erou, toate acestea la un loc si inca ceva pe deasupra: un om condus de un simt etic deosebit si o capacitate uimitoare de adaptare la orice conditii.
Cartea aceasta, dincolo de valoarea documentara despre viata si obiceiurile inuitilor ( eschimosii din Groenlanda), este o marturie despre ce poate indura corpul omenesc: frig, foame, durere, alimentatie preistorica, auto-mutilare; in acelasi timp este o marturie despre spiritul omenesc: dorinta de a descoperi, de a oferi stiintei, de a ajunge dincolo de limite, empatie, prietenie, dragoste, familie.
Cred ca lumea descrisa de Freuchen nu mai exista astazi: nici viata eschimosilor, nici a animalelor salbatice de pe calota artica nu mai este la fel. Dupa 100 de ani, povestea lui Freuchen socheaza, inspira si redimensioneaza problemele vietii cotidiene.
Este o carte extraordinara pe care o recomand fara ezitare.

[Corey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books starts with Freuchen telling stories about his time as a journalist and showman where he all but admits that an interesting story is better than a true one. He also condemns men who told tales of the arctic that weren't true. I kept both these facts in mind as I read short (some only a paragraph) story after short story told almost in a letter to an old friend style about a young man's adventures with Inuit people of Greenland. This book woke my wanderlust and provoked my impending midlife crisis while reminding me that life for the natives was not fun, but often deadly. That being said, Freuchen finds joy and conveys customs and beliefs of the native people in comparison to his own in what will certainly be a "have you ever read this" book in my home library for years to come.

[Steve McGlone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compilation of all of the incredible stories of arguably the world’s most interesting explorer. Above that, Peter just happens to be an excellent writer. I was enthralled by every single page and picture. I highly recommend finding an early print version as I’ve read that the modern versions omit the original photographs which add so much context to this amazing book. Easily a top 5 book for me and I will absolutely read this again.

[Tom Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What it is to be human; to love and respect others; what "family" means.
I bought a first edition (1935 pub. date) with all the photos, a decent reader, no dj but at $20 I could care less. To miss the photos is to miss so much of the man's story.
I am amazed that an icon of the first edition hc is not available
His wife, Navarana, what a joy and blessing she was to Peter.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent mind-opening documentary of two young men exploring a vastly different culture of Greenland in the 1930s. Peter Freuchen, a native Dane wrote of his adventure himself in English describing his life exploring a land and culture that is largely unknown and hard to understand even today.

[Brent McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most interesting books I've read to date. An older man loaned it to me when i worked at the railroad. I want my own copy, but it's a little hard to find.

[Megan Miller]

This is the best adventure novel, well, writing, that I have ever experienced. What strength and courage. What clever men. What strong dogs.

[Gary Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Great read -incredible life in an extreme environment with even more incredible diverse people-we are a very soft lot nowadays.

[Ann Repetto · Rating 4 out of 5]

He's a very good writer. Almost 100 years old and the humor is still fresh.

[Bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

No greater book exists

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was inspirational, heartbreaking and even at times traumatic to read. It is a true life adventure book.

[Sabbath · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Aventura arctică” este o lectură care m-a cucerit mai mult prin atmosfera impecabil construită decât prin povestea în sine. Cartea are acel tip de aer rece și tăios care te face să simți că ai închețat odată cu personajele, iar descrierile peisajelor arctice sunt, fără exagerare, punctul forte al romanului.
Totuși, dincolo de cadrul excelent, povestea are momente în care se împiedică de propriile ambiții. Autorul pare hotărât să transforme fiecare capitol într-o demonstrație de suspans, ceea ce uneori funcționează, alteori diminuează credibilitatea. Există câteva situații în care pericolele apar prea convenabil, doar pentru a împinge acțiunea înainte, iar asta rupe puțin iluzia realismului.
Personajele sunt simpatice, dar nu memorabile. Cel puțin două dintre ele par create doar pentru a bifa tipologii – liderul stoic, specialistul introvertit – fără ca romanul să le ofere suficient spațiu pentru a evolua organic. Cu toate acestea, dinamica grupului, chiar dacă previzibilă, este suficient de bine dozată încât să susțină tensiunea generală.
În ciuda acestor imperfecțiuni, cartea rămâne o experiență foarte plăcută. Are ritm, are atmosferă și știe să-și țină cititorul atent. Iar atunci când autorul nu forțează nota, aventura chiar este captivantă, cu câteva secvențe excepțional de reușite.

În concluzie: „Aventura arctică” nu e un roman perfect, dar e unul care își face treaba: te poartă într-un univers înghețat, te ține cu respirația tăiată și îți oferă câteva momente memorabile.

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting first-hand view of the temerity of the arctic adventurers. Freuchen adapts to the Inuit and Eskimo cultures across his journeys, finding himself more at home in the Arctic than in his native Denmark.

The first part is interesting, but the second part really picks up and engages you. By the end, it was amazing to see how the story played out. He seems a reliable narrator, both mentioning his high points and his low points, which make his tale even more extraordinary.

I listed on Audible, and the narrator, Bobby Brill, does a fine job, keeping the story moving but also finding inflection to re-engage when needed. The editing of the audio could be improved - there are a few places where the editing clicks are still heard, and some sentences are repeated. But that's minor. Overall, a good listen.

[Dawn Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somebody shared this photo on IG-- and it was enough to make me find this now out-of-print book. The book does not disappoint. He lived an unimaginable life of adventure, but his superb writing brings both his adventure and his giant personality into beautifully descriptive focus.

HOWEVER, I am a quitter. I did not finish this book for the very same reason that I've never read Call of the Wild or White Fang by Jack London. I can't handle dog abuse. If you like history and adventure, and you can stomach dog pain, you will really like this book.

[Andrew Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredible, true, first person narrative of one of the most impressively adventurous, rugged, and outdoorsy northern explorers of all time. The guy is like a real-life “most interesting man in the world” from the Dos Equis commercials. Only down side is it’s written like his journal and read, not performed. This makes some of these incredibly harrowing tales rather dry. If this book was picked up by Hollywood for a script or rewritten/performed by an author and a different narrator, it would have us all on the edge of our seats for the entire thing…which I hope happens. Worth the read, but think “journal” instead of “novel.”