The Crystal Desert: Summers in Antarctica

by David G. Campbell

THE CRYSTAL DESERT: SUMMERS IN ANTARCTICA is the story of life's tenacity on the coldest of Earth's continents. It tells of the explorers who discovered Antarctica, of the whalers and sealers who despoiled it, and of the scientists who are deciphering its mysteries. In beautiful, lucid prose, David G. Campbell chronicles the desperately short summers on the Antarctic Peninsula. He presents a fascinating portrait of the evolution of life in Antarctica and also of the evolution of the continent itself.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Travel, Science, Natural History, Outdoors, Animals

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 1992

Reviews

[Christopher Sutch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an informative and fairly decent mix of history, science, marine biology, and ecology by an ecologist who has spent some time in Antarctica. Well-researched, though a bit pretentious in the prose style (Campbell thinks he's more of a poet than he actually is), I thought this contained some very interesting information and observations, albeit from almost 20 years ago. An updated version would be desirable.

[Leslie Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book on how people live in and understand Antarctica -- how the scientists survive forbidding conditions, how the experience of living and working on The Ice changes people, why we need to preserve this continent from exploitation.

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

+

[Odie Berkson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sleeper HIT. Fantastic

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every year in mid-summer I end up craving a story about some cold part of the world, and this year I picked up Campbell's book. I was entranced by the parts of it devoted to his own experiences and observations as a scientist working in the Antarctic--his discovery that the air there is literally invisible, in the absence of dust storms, humidity, pollen, and pollution; his account of diving in the obscenely frigid Antarctic waters; even his description of the geography of this unfamiliar region. But, uncharacteristically for me, I tended to tune out or at least skim the chapters about the historical exploration--and exploitation--of the Antarctic. Perhaps because I would rather that he had devoted this space to more of his own observations?

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always been fascinated by Antarctica: this unknown land of penguins and cold. David Campbell wrote an amazing book on the natural history of Antarctica and also touched on the effects of human exploration on the continent. I fell in love with the descriptions of life. The writing was so vivid!

Read this if you like books about the environment, nature, biology, exploration, history.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Campbell is skilled at setting the stage and welcoming his readers to this unimaginable place, Antarctica.
He describes his research. In context. And tells some historical stories. In context. Shares a bit of geology. In context. And although i am shocked and saddened by he descriptions of whaling expeditions, he shares this in realistic ways. In context.

[Valerie]

We think of Antarctica as very snowy, but actually it only snows ~2"/year there--which is one reason people fear global warming. If it weren't so cold, more snow would melt than falls--and that sort of thing can cascade rapidly...

[Irene Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not necessarily an easy read, but the author brings so much knowledge and beauty to a stark landscape. Some information about the whaling and seal hunting I had to skim/skip, just broke my heart. It's primer for me before my trip!

[Jacqueline Salmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulously evocative book about Antarctica I read in preparation for our voyage there. Amazing writing - by a scientist! His descripton of swimming through a swarm of krill: 'The swarm is not homogenous; instead, the krill congregate in layers, ribbons, or undulating curtains, like an aquatic aurora australis.'

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for our Public Library's Book a Trip Across the Globe reading challenge. The scientific parts of the book were above my comprehension but i did enjoy the history part. I was sad about the seal and whale hunting but it was part of the history.

[Nancy Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous writing...read part of it before going to Antarctica, some of it while there, and the rest after returning. Very evocative of the time (early 1990's) the author was there. He, like many people we met, was so taken with the continent he returned many times.

[Jhawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Dixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative.

[Kathleen Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned a lot about the geology, flora and fauna of the Antarctic continent, its environ, as well as the cold blooded whaling and sealing industry that ravaged the coast over a century ago.

[Nathan Hoyt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting details about "life" (both as a human and the native animals) on Antarctica. Brrr.

[Korance · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chapters on history of Antarctica and seal hunting and whaling industries built around them were the most interesting and informative and help give context to the legal setting of antarctica today-the prior decimation and whale, seal and fish populations. Still antarctica is continent full of mysteries that have yet to be discovered but this book took itself a little too seriously in text and left out any images which would have made it a lot more accessible and given it more insight. I especially enjoyed where the author highlighted a number of firsts and other unknowns they waiting to be discovered such as the giant squid and sperm whale hunting and other whale habits.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating portrait of the geography, natural history, and human history of Antarctica from a marine biologist who spent three summers there collecting data and samples for scientific study. Campbell uses his work and experience as the basis of discussing, not only the larger history of the continent, but the stark beauty and magic of it as well. He looks at Antarctica as an ecosystem in itself and as it affects the Earth's ecosystem; he also looks at its place in the imagination and motives of mankind.

The saddest part of Antarctica's tale is that only six years after the European "discovery" of it, the fur seal was brutally driven to the brink of extinction; the population slightly recovered, only to be nearly exterminated again a few decades later. The same fate awaited Antarctic whales, who were slaughtered, their oil and other "assets" extracted aboard efficient processing ships, and their carcasses left to rot in the bays. These animals lived their lives unhindered for hundreds of thousands of years and were systematically obliterated in under 100 years. This is why, if you want to have nice things, don't tell any human beings.

[Lara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a difficult one for me to rate. There are parts of it that I loved--when Campbell wrote in first person present tense, his prose was beautiful, and I felt I could really sense the things he was seeing and touching and feeling. But every time he went into a history spiel, it ended up sounding very dry and flat and lifeless--like he was just mindlessly summarizing from other sources and not putting anything of himself into it. I always felt disappointed when these bits came around, and ended up doing a lot of skimming towards the end. Also an odd thing--the word brobdignagian. There are so many other words out there to describe something that's "really big;" using a word like brobdignagian once seems poetic, but using it more than that seems a little pretentious. Maybe that's a silly thing for me to focus on, but...there you have it. That said, the good parts were fantastic. Unfortunately those make up only half of the book or less.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky to travel to the Antarctic. I read this on the way and while I was there. It was informative and let me understand my surroundings better. It was easy to read. It describes a scientists summer on King Georges Island. It included all sorts of fascinating detail such as fossils of equatorial animals and plants and there are two types of flea in the Antarctic.

[Avis Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly beautiful and interesting piece of writing. This book ought to be a lot better known than it is.

[Tommyb]

Travel,Antarctica

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The natural history of one of the most interesting places on earth

[for-much-deliberation ...]

... about the explorers, scientists, whalers and such associated with this wide expanse of cold and ice at the south of the world...

[Rosa Aragão · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! An interesting description about Antartica. Campbell can give scientific and historic information as a poem with a touch of adventure.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting read....

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scientist who writes beautifully is a blessing. Now I know that jackass penguins exist. I'm ready for Antarctica.

[Carole · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just coudlnt get into it.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written about all aspects of Antarctia.

[Leo W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightfully written romp through natural and cultural history of Antarctica