South Pole Station: A Novel

by Ashley Shelby

Do you have digestion problems due to stress? Do you have problems with authority? How many alcoholic drinks do you consume in a week? Would you rather be a florist or a truck driver? These are some of the questions used to determine if you have what it takes to survive at South Pole Station, a place with an average temperature of -54 F and no sunlight for six months a year. Cooper Gosling has just answered five hundred of them, and her results indicate that she's abnormal enough for Polar life. Cooper's not so sure that's an achievement, but she's got nothing left to lose, so she decides to accept a one-year assignment to the National Science Foundation's Artists & Writers Program in Antarctica. There, she encounters the Polies, a group of misfits that only have in common their conviction that they don't belong anywhere else. But when a fringe scientist arrives-claiming that climate change is a hoax-his presence rattles the already imbalanced community, bringing them to the center of a global controversy an

Genres: Fiction, Travel, Literary Fiction, Contemporary, Adult, Audiobook, Adventure

Audio CD

First published July 4, 2017

About the author

Ashley Shelby is novelist, short story writer, and former environmental journalist. She is the author of Honeymoons in Temporary Locations (2024), South Pole Station (2017), and Red River Rising: The Anatomy of a Flood and the Survival of an American City (2004).

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll keep this one brief. Did you read and enjoy Fobbit? Put it in Antarctica with scientists (subtract war) and voila, you have South Pole Station.

I did not care for Fobbit, but I mildly enjoyed South Pole Station. It is mostly funny, dark but humanely funny. The South Pole takes less precendence than one might expect: it's focused on Cooper Gosling and her connections with her fellow FINGYs (fucking new guys) and the various individuals and tribes working and carving out lives at the bottom of the earth. But it can get somewhat jargon-y in terms being very science heavy in ways that can sometimes disrupt the main narrative, as it moves from a workplace comedy to climate change denial to a political standoff.

It's a bit weird for the sake of being weird. I'd recommend this to people who like dark workplace comedies and skewering somewhat strange situations, and will highlight its intelligence and wit and humor. And though I really did not connect with (or care to) the characters or plot or resolution in South Pole Station, the reading passed by quickly and easily enough and I wasn't bored and the writing was good. Note that if you are obsessed with all things Arctic or Antarctic like I am, this really isn't a novel that will add much satisfaction for your obsession. Solid writing and funny nature meant it was enough to round up from 2.5 stars to 3 stars: wasn't for me, but can see why others might like this.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I'm biased, but I do know that five stars-worth of effort went into the book. Its literary value I will leave to others to determine.

[Jenny (Reading Envy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a first novel and it shows somewhat - one weird pacing decision and a few startling flashbacks (too infrequent to make much sense,) too much infodumping with science at times, and it could have been shorter and told the same story - but overall I enjoyed this story about Polies working at "Pole." It starts out focused on Cooper, an artist who has been given a grant, working a the South Pole in hopes it will inspire her art after the death of her brother. Sometimes the focus shifts to another character and the tone changes to how that character thinks, and I enjoyed those parts, although I felt they could have been more methodically spread throughout the book. There is some commentary here on art vs. science, climate change, but more than anything I liked getting to know the types of characters you would find in such an isolated, difficult place.

Thanks to the publisher for providing early access through NetGalley.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

“South Pole Station” by Ashley Shelby is silly, yet a bit academic. The story takes place in the real Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica (decommissioned in 2008), although Shelby took some liberties with her story. Shelby places nerdy and society misfits in the Station to study climate change. Not only are there academic scientists at the Station, but there are building and inter-structure support staff as well. To qualify for a position at the Station, the applicant must answer questions such as: Would you rather be a florist or a truck driver? True or false: I like to read about science; Sometimes I feel like killing myself; Voices tell me to hurt people; I am an important person.

The silliness comes from those who are selected to work at the Station. It’s a zany place with oddball characters that make the reader chuckle. It’s a romp of a read.

It gets a bit heady when the scientists disagree on climate change. The majority of scientists believe that climate change is a result of humans and their love for climate unfriendly energy. Yet, there are the climate change denialists, who believe that the climate is changing as part of the solar system evolving. Shelby painstakingly writes the theories behind each argument. It is difficult to follow at times. Thankfully, Shelby adds ridiculous scenes with these quirky and lovable characters that keep the reader involved.

It’s a clever story of eccentric people getting along with equally eccentric characters in a tiny place in frigid conditions. It’s enjoyable reading about impassioned people living with their individual quirks and living (or trying to live) in harmony.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for a fair review.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise seemed so interesting, especially since I know nothing about Antarctica. I keep waiting for the story to start. I kept reading, and reading, and reading, and it never did. Was the blurb towards the end about them refusing to leave the big plot story? Boring. This book was boring. The author would introduce characters (like the Swedes), or settings (like the bar) or plot lines (like the kitchen and the younger chef making delicious food and messing with the senior chef, or the whole process of selecting your winter-over spouse) and then BAM! she just stopped writing about them. It almost felt like short stories that could have/should have been intertwined. I just couldn't figure out the point.

And the brother's ashes....the author made it seem like there was some big secret behind these ashes, and she kept trying to weave this complex story, but as soon as I read dead brother/ashes in necklace/and they used to pretend play about being explorers, well, it was no secret what the plan was for the ashes and I couldn't figure out what the big secret was.

I hope someone tells me that the copy of the book I got was missing pages. I hate to be so negative because Ms. Shelby has done more than I could ever hope to do by even writing a novel, but there it is. Sorry.

[William Liggett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover and beginning of the book suggest a light-hearted devil-may-care account. Instead, I found the story growing deeper and darker the further I read. I found the descriptions of life at the South Pole credible in terms of the harsh physical setting and the quirky interplay among the personnel working there. I found the main character ill-equipped for what she was getting into and blame the flawed assessment process for allowing her to be selected. Once there, however, she had to experience her own demons and work through them to emerge somewhat undamaged and wiser by the end. The damage done to the pursuit of science by politically-biased federal agencies came through clearly. The book was well-written—just not a light read.

[Melissa Landis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't like it at first but by the time I finished it I was having a hard time putting it down. The characters grew on me and it's an interesting idea of science and art alive at the South Pole. It's people living their lives and learning who they are.

[Monica Edinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having just been relatively near the South Pole, (that is, a few thousand miles at Cape Horn,) I came across this on Edelweiss and was intrigued. I ended up enjoying it very much --- it is smart, complex, and riveting. Like the main character and her father I've always found Pole stories fascinating, especially that of Scott's failed expedition and Shackleton's brilliant save. Will be really interested to see the response once it is out. (Have to say, I cringed at the mention of tourists who hadn't taken their life-vests off. That was certainly us on Cape Horn! Streams of us in orange. Though in defense, we only took them off when told to by the ship folk. They were incredibly serious about our travels to and from the ship. Quite understandable, but still....:)

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe interesting to you if you care what Bernadette might have done when she was in Antarctica.

[Nahid Rachlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

South Pole Station is both engaging and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this novel.

[Dede (Deirdre) W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a galley of this book in a non-Goodreads giveaway and finished the book last week. I've only now had a chance to sit down to write a review. Where to begin? Imagine a place set at the most remote point of human habitation, the size of a nursery school, and filled with carpenters, cooks, astrophysicists, tech geeks climate researchers, artists, and construction workers. Now imagine them all packed into this research station in the middle of Antarctica, for months and months on end. Go further, and try to imagine what kind of person would freely choose to do this kind of work. If the word "misfit" comes to mind, you're on the right track.

I am a fan of character-driven fiction set at "exotic locations," and South Pole Station certainly fits the bill. The book revolves around Cooper Gosling, a gifted but failing visual artist who is grappling with a brutal family tragedy and who decides to flee to the bottom of the earth on a National Science Foundation artist grant. Like many of us, she thinks she can escape her troubles by changing location--and Antarctica is about as far away from civilization as you can get. She quickly realizes her expectations of the place are going to be upended. We meet a lively cast of characters right away, including the South Pole doctor, whose past included working with New York streetwalkers, a brilliant astrophysicist who seems to have his eye on Cooper, a young cook who wants to take over the kitchen from the veteran cook and who will stop at nothing to accomplish this goal. Also, the head of construction and his "ice-wife," a sociologist, the station manager who is the only gay man at the station (as well as being the only black person at the station), a group of artists, and more. Cooper gets entangled in this interesting social situation right away.

But the book really starts rolling once a climate change denier named Frank Pavano shows up to do research at the climate research site. The book is set in 2004, when climate denial was in full swing, so I found the historical context fascinating (Bush administration, Big Oil, etc, etc). Anyway, you can imagine how well it goes over with the climate researchers to have a skeptic in their ranks. Cooper seems to be the only one to befriend him, and that decision results in a major "situation" that engages the entire U.S. government!

Anyway, this is a witty, fun read that also has some really satisfying emotional moments. There are passages that contain climate science or astrophysics (theories of the beginning of the universe) and although I think the author did try to make these passages understandable, I still found myself a little lost and I admit I skimmed a few paragraphs. But overall, I truly enjoyed the read and found myself thinking about the characters after I'd finished the book, wondering what they were doing. To me, that's the hallmark of a good book!

[Amy Haimerl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put this book down. I actually turned date night with my husband into "reading books at the bar" because I had to see how South Pole Station ended.
The thing I love most about this book is the way Ashley brings her characters to life. With such a large cast, Ashely could have have easily written caricatures or two-dimensional characters to inhabit this world. But she didn't. Even bit players get fully realized.
At the end of every book I read, I always wonder: Which character would I want to have a drink with and get to know better. My answer kept changing chapter by chapter. And in the end, it's not her protagonist that I want to meet.
In fact, the interpersonal drama between them is when I think this book is at its strongest. South Pole Station is excellent at exploring the questions around human nature in difficult environments. How do we form groups? What makes someone an "us" vs. a "them."
She also has a light hand with the science, making that plot line sail in a way that it might not with another author.
I highly recommend this book.

[Dorine · Rating 4 out of 5]

SOUTH POLE STATION by Ashley Shelby plops an artist into a scientific community without an escape hatch. Eccentric hilarity abounds.

Cooper Gosling earns a fellowship as part of an artists and writers program to create a portfolio while living at the South Pole Station. Her father has always been obsessed with the South Pole, which rubbed off on Cooper and her twin brother David. Now she has the chance to live their dreams.

It doesn’t take Cooper long to realize there isn’t much to draw or paint when you’re looking at all white scenery. The people intrigue her. We meet a fascinating group of strange individuals who embody the spirit of exploration in a place near inhabitable for most life forms. Artists mingle with Scientists which is crazier than it sounds.

Cooper isn’t perfect either, which is why she was chosen for the program. It takes a certain type of individual and mental stability to endure these conditions. Even though Cooper is still dealing with her brother’s suicide, his mental condition part of the blame for his actions, the powers-that-be believe she’s stable enough to work through this.

There were time shifts in this novel that made me falter in my reading, mostly at the beginning and the end. They didn’t deflect my overall reading pleasure, but I did wonder why they were there because the transitions weren’t as smooth as I expected. This may be more of a fiction style that I’m not used to because I just didn’t get it sometimes.

The science detail is rampant and exquisite but I didn’t understand half of it without a formal science background. I related more to the artist. Cooper spoke to me and I connected with her heart and soul. Even though the science jargon was overwhelming at times, the characterization was so good that it drove me forward, anxious for their eventual happiness.

I laughed a lot at these characters. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure I’d finish this book because of the sexual connotations that sounded more like a man thinking than a woman. The contradiction made it difficult to understand the point and it often irritated me. But, the characters are quirky and fun, something I love, so I kept reading.

Now that I look back at the first few chapters, I don’t understand why I had such a rough time understanding this book in the beginning. The second time I restarted the book I felt it should have started at 4 percent in the digital format. This is one of those types of novels that’s so deeply researched that if you’re not a fan of this subject, then you’re going to be confused. Just go with it, because the overall affect is well worth it.

I’m glad I persevered through what made me question and some of the over-the-top technicalities that had me ponder what was going on. There were some overly vivid situations that made me wonder what surprise the author had for us next. I can’t say I enjoyed all of them, but it was riveting. I did love the alternative theories about how the world began and the debate on climate change, which will make this book something to discuss with your friends. It’s the eccentric group of people working in the worst conditions who make light of their intelligence and abilities that make this novel a keeper.

I highly recommend SOUTH POLE STATION by Ashley Shelby to all quirky individuals. You will find something familiar to laugh at and enjoy the eccentricities that make each of us so unique. Ashley Shelby is a gifted writer with enthusiasm for the geek within us.

Review by Dorine, courtesy of The Zest Quest. Digital copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review.

[Jamie Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The style is a bit strange, but I rather liked this. It’s a novel about an artist who spends a year at the south pole as part of the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists and Writers program. (I was dubious about this, but google tells me it’s a real thing.) The South Pole Station is populated with an assortment of odd personnel (scientists, construction workers, cooks, artists, etc.) doing darkly amusing things in an extraordinarily restricted environment.

The resident scientists are upset when a new researcher arrives whose aim is to disprove anthropogenic climate change. This plot thread is a bummer if, like me, you get enough of the politics of climate change in the news and don’t appreciate the topic invading your fiction.

The book is strongest when it stays with Cooper’s point of view. Several times the narrative strays into the lives of the other characters, and these segments seem to belong to a different novel.

This left me wanting to read more about life at the south pole. In the acknowledgments the author lists Big Dead Place, by Nicholas Johnson; and Dr. Jerri Nielson’s memoir Ice Bound (she’s the doctor who had to self-treat her breast cancer at the Station); and The Worst Journey in the World by Apsley Cherry-Garrard, which is mentioned throughout the novel. She implies that, like the novel’s main character, her own father is an expert in Antarctic literature.

[Jerrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed the core story line and the writing, this book was just too cluttered with tangential material. There are long sections detailing backstory of certain characters that distracted from the main story. Without this, the book would have been 4⭐️s for me. It was a great look at life at South Pole and a critic of the politicization of science.

[Roxy]

*Snooze*

*Head hits desk, shakes self awake*

*Snooze*

I guess this book is a no go for me....

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just. Wow. I was only twenty pages in and I knew this was going to be a wild ride. Beautifully written, multiple points of view, comedic and serious- this is a MUST READ OF 2017!

[EDIT]

Follows an artist grieving her twin brother's suicide to the South Pole- a shared dream of theirs since they were little was to visit, and she finally makes the journey. This story was so wonderful and there is lots of discussion of global warming as she is at a scientific research station on an arts grant. Give this novel a chance - it's such a different kind of story and has lots of diversity!

[Arlene · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because sometimes I’m just in the mood for something different. This novel included just a bit about everything... global warming.... ummmm I mean climate change, South Pole, Family tragedies, artistic interpretation, homosexuality, political interests... I could go on. One thing I will note, I didn’t really connect with any of the characters, but I don’t think that was the author’s intention.

[Suzanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a slow burn—it took me almost 200 pages to get a grip on the characters and feel like they were real people but I’m glad I stuck with them to the end.

[Cherei · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading, "South Pole Station". And, recommend it to anyone who wants to read a book that is written by someone who is steeped in the knowledge and culture of the Polies!

The main character is a young lady who gets an opportunity to go down to the South Pole Station to paint. She is there with a program for artists. When she gets there.. a young man takes a liking of her.. and doesn't treat her like a fingy. (newbie). He tells her that he's there to take ice samples as he wants to prove that global warming caused by man does not exist. He's a skeptic.

As you can imagine.. every scientist at the station is resentful of Frank. They treat him like he's wasting space and time.. and more importantly.. funding. What they cannot seem to grasp.. is that he has the backing of several Congressmen. So, whenever the polies do something that he totally expects them to do.. intervention happens.. and the Polies find out.. that everything they do to hinder Frank's work comes with a steep price.

The part that cracks me up the most.. is the psychologist who is there.. to monitor and record the Polie's actions. This is a must read novel for anyone who wants to be informed of the real culture that exists at the South Pole Station. All of the rituals they perform. How they live. And, how they get along with one another. To want to be down there.. is craziness. To really go.. one MUST be weird. As long as they're physically fit.. and can adapt to the loneliness.. they're a viable candidate. But, no one really speaks of their mental state. Maybe they should! :)

[Linda G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many parts of this book left me very confused because I am not a science oriented person. However
I will remember this story as it is different from any other that I have read. At the Amudsen-Scott scientific site in Antarctica l learned what the day to day regimen is. Getting dressed for the extreme weather, eating in the cafeteria, pursuing your various jobs or professions, coping with distinct and weird personalities of your fellow inhabitants are just a few of the ongoing difficulties. Reality sets in after hours with the drinking ,banter, scientific arguments, ice sex, and entertainment.

Cooper, the protagonist, is a painter who won a grant to work on the ice field, along with other artistic candidates. She is trying to recover from a personal tragedy as are most of the other inhabitants.

The serious scientific experiments are large during the story. You would do well to have an understanding of astrophysics, and the Big Bang theory to really appreciate this book.

[James Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really wanted to like this, but its artifice is too visible, its devices too obvious.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the author (and main character), I, too, grew up hearing stories about polar explorations and I've read many books about South Pole explorers. So I read this in that context. While I was hoping for some glimpse of the beauty of the Pole, the claustrophobic encounters with "Polies" and their various foibles kept me reading. Though this place is seen by some as diabolical, and by others as paradise, it is also clearly a place where a collection of people can be driven a bit batty. Having to pee in a pot, getting repeated eye infections, being limited in resources of various kinds, having to face one/s demons--it's an interestingly different slant that I appreciated learning about.

How it was delivered may drive a reader a bit batty too, however. Our stoic main character does all the right things that eventually help right wrongs, win over people, and result in her ability to put her demons aside and get the guy in the end. As for the other characters, they're hard to keep straight--too many without enough depth and differentiation, sometimes as means to an end for our hero. Along with odd changes in narrative as well, and a someone predictable plot related to climate change politics, it becomes something of a crazy quilt. Nonetheless (note all the qualifications and hedging here), if you're interested in polar explorations of the personal kind, and interested in quirky characters, this may just work for you.

[Chaitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

More 3.5 stars, rounded up. What I liked: Antarctica. Polies. In fact, everything about the dysfunctional people who end up in the coldest continent, and worse, choose to winter over year after year. Ashley Shelby does a great job describing these characters, and the circumstances they find themselves in.

All the science, I didn't bother with. I'm not up on what they're speaking of, and I really don't care who's sponsoring the anti-climate change brigade. For me it's simple enough - even if man made climate change isn't a thing, why not invest in finding energy that is cleaner and less a burden on the earth? It can't possibly do any harm. But okay, it's a thorny subject that I think the book handled well enough.

While the climate change skeptic is funded by big oil, he himself has no convictions. He's just there to make money and ruffle feathers. And feathers do get ruffled. But he has a friend in Cooper, and he's an interesting character. My other unlikely favorite happened to be the senator from Tennessee, a climate change denier in theory. Now these are characters who support ideologies I wouldn't stand behind. But they're written compellingly.

What I did not like was Sal. Sal is a true believer on the opposite end of the spectrum, which is just as horrid as the other. But worse, he's a douchebag. I loved Cooper, I thought she had a meaningful relationship with everyone, but Sal. He does have growth towards the very end of it, but too little too late.

It could have been tighter, and there needn't have been a Sal. But it's a fine book nonetheless.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book and read it while on vacation (I like to keep cool in the heat by reading books set in cold climates). I agree with the reviews that say some of the flashbacks were oddly placed making pacing somewhat awkward but I really liked Cooper and Sal and Bozer and Denise and there was a feel that I was getting a pretty accurate feel for the "polies". The climate change science plot line seems so right on point now and the author had some interesting points to make. I recommend this if you are interested in Antarctica, life at the pole, politics v. sciene.

[Tracey · Rating 2 out of 5]

40% done.
I really wanted this book to be good, and it just is kinda there and I'm losing interest.
It's a novel without a clear plot with some vaguely interesting characters.
It has the feel of a memoir, makes me think of Orange is the New Black, and if it was I think it would be interesting because it would a least have the fact that it was a true story going for it.

90% done
WHY AM I STILL READING?? I'm so bored. I think I just like the background noise of the audiobook
I've never heard the word "pith" used so much.

[Pat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt like I needed a degree in science while reading this book, or that I should have earned one when I finished. I liked the characters but there was so much science jargon (as another reviewer wrote) that I was lost most of the time. I looked up an explanation of this book online when I was done and that seemed to help connect some of the dots that somehow weren’t connected by themselves as most books are at their conclusion.

[Don · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had trouble really getting into the book. While the writing, in terms of ease of reading, was good, the pacing felt off. Also, the characters seemed excessively eccentric, and it was often hard to keep track of all the individuals and their peculiarities and purpose to the plot. Which, really, is just to say that the book wasn't for me, it was just okay.

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story reminds me of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, but it's not near as entertaining. l read this book for a book club, otherwise it would not have been my choice of reading matter.

[Carin · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started this job last year, this book jumped out at me, but I didn't have time to read it just then. But when I went to Antarctica myself over the holidays, you better believe I made time!

Cooper is an artist, and she's applied for a position as artist-in-residence at the Scott-Admunsen Station at the South Pole. (Unlike other stations scattered across the continent, this one is actually at the real South Pole. And yes, they have a pole, and yes, they move it every year as the actual south pole shifts.) For this position, not only does your art have to pass muster, but you have to pass a series of psychological tests as it's very important that everyone at the station be well-suited for that unusual kind of environment. It's odd in that you have to be somewhat of a weirdo in order to fit the requirements, but you have to fit in with the other weirdos. (In my defense, all of them are self-proclaimed weirdos.) Cooper is dealing with the recent suicide of her brother, which normally would be a disqualifying event, but her answers persuaded the station's director.

Meanwhile, at the same time a climate-change-denialist "scientist" also appears at the station. Due to political machinations, he has been approved over a number of people's heads, and the scientists on the base all hate the concept of him. Not only is he actively trying to disprove what everyone else is trying to prove, but he's also taking up a very coveted and very limited spot for another "real" scientist. While Cooper fits in with the scientists generally (and one in particular), she's also drawn to the outsider and ends up helping him with some of his research, to her great regret.

After an Event happens, Washington threatens to cut off funding and shut down the station. The scientists and staffers who had planned to winter over revolt. And Cooper somehow seems to be the glue holding everything together.

The story was a little convoluted, had a few too many characters, and seems to have gotten away from the author more than once. But I still really liked it. I think it could have used more tightening, but the scatteredness actually kind of makes sense for where it is. Antarctica is truly so different a place from anywhere on earth that it's hard to even describe, let alone understand by anyone who hasn't been there. The discombobulation one experiences in this book can echo the strange, confusing, unique environment of the South Pole. I am very sad there wasn't even one penguin, but they just don't live in this particular part of the continent. Overall, a faint liking of science helps, and a willingness to put aside preconceptions and to cut the author some slack, but I really liked it.