Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media

by Darrell Hartman

"Absolutely gripping… a perfectly splendid read—I highly, highly recommend it” -- Douglas Preston, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Lost City of the Monkey God

A sixty-year saga of frostbite and fake news that follows the no-holds-barred battle between two legendary explorers to reach the North Pole, and the newspapers which stopped at nothing to get–and sell–the story.

In the fall of 1909, a pair of bitter contests captured the world’s attention. The American explorers Robert Peary and Frederick Cook both claimed to have discovered the North Pole, sparking a vicious feud that was unprecedented in international scientific and geographic circles. At the same time, the rivalry between two powerful New York City newspapers—the storied Herald and the ascendant Times —fanned the flames of the so-called polar controversy, as each paper financially and reputationally committed itself to an opposing explorer and fought desperately to defend him.

The Herald was owned and edited by James Gordon Bennett, Jr., an eccentric playboy whose nose for news was matched only by his appetite for debauchery and champagne. The Times was published by Adolph Ochs, son of Jewish immigrants, who’d improbably rescued the paper from extinction and turned it into an emerging powerhouse. The battle between Cook and Peary would have enormous consequences for both newspapers, and help to determine the future of corporate media. 

BATTLE OF INK AND ICE presents a frank portrayal of Arctic explorers, brave men who both inspired and deceived the public. It also sketches a vivid portrait of the newspapers that funded, promoted, narrated, and often distorted their exploits. It recounts a sixty-year saga of frostbite and fake news, one that culminates with an unjustly overlooked chapter in the origin story of the modern New York Times.

By turns tragic and absurd, BATTLE OF INK AND ICE brims with contemporary relevance, touching as it does on themes of class, celebrity, the ever-quickening news cycle, and the benefits and pitfalls of an increasingly interconnected world. Above all, perhaps, its cast of characters testifies—colorfully and compellingly—to the ongoing role of personality and publicity in American cultural life as the Gilded Age gave way to the twentieth century—the American century.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Adventure, Audiobook, Travel, Historical, Biography

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 6, 2023

About the author

I'm the author of "Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Tale of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media" (Viking, 2023). I've been a freelance journalist for nearly 20 years and have written about travel and culture for The Wall Street Journal, The Financial Times, The Paris Review, and dozens of other international publications. I'm originally from Maine and spend my time between the Catskills and NYC.

I enjoy talking with readers - for Book Clubs and 1:1s, find me now on Skolay: skolay.com/writers/darrell-hartman

Reviews

[Barbara K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too much Ink, not enough Ice for my tastes. The book revolves around the competing claims of Robert Peary and Frederick Cook to have been the first to reach the North Pole. The NY Times backed Peary and the Herald backed Cook. It’s doubtful that either explorer was successful, though Peary came closer.

This is interesting stuff, but I could have done with less of the personal histories of Adolph Ochs (NYT) and James Gordon Bennett (Herald). I can see where the backgrounds of each contributed to their approach to the business of journalism, but by the time that information was added to the stories of all the other 19th and early 20th century NYC newspapers, it was a bit too much for me.

There is no question that the book is well written, so credit is due there. And if you read the title carefully, you can see that 2 of the 3 topics referenced have to do with the world of journalism, not exploration, so I really have no right to be surprised about the focus. I guess I was just hoping for some additional details about two fascinating characters trying to leave their mark on one of the last locations on the planet to be visited by someone of European descent.

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you care about Newspapers history and North pole exploration? It's never really been a particular interest of mine, if we're being honest, I couldn't tell you why I picked up this book, seriously, but I'm glad I did pick it up because I enjoyed it a lot. Hartman really knows how to make something engaging and it made for a surprisingly fun read.

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came for the ice, but I stayed for the ink.

Darrell Hartman's Battle of Ink and Ice is a wonderful combination of the trials and tribulations of New York newspapers mixed with Arctic exploration. I am an absolute addict for any sort of Arctic/Antarctic exploration story, but the majority of page count concerns the newspapers. That said, my enjoyment was still through the roof. Hartman adeptly hones in on the most interesting aspects of the newspapers which is often the amazingly egotistical owners. In other hands, this book could be a bore where the narrative focuses too much on paper politics rather than the dangers of the ice. It can't be understated how much Hartman's easy writing style and eye for details keep this book fast paced throughout.

And if you are a polar nerd like me, don't worry. The final portion of the book is totally dedicated to the legendary scandal involved the North Pole, Robert Peary, and Frederick Cook. You will not be disappointed.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by Penguin Group Viking.)

[Bon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting listen, really a long overview of polar expeditions I was already familiar with but from an outside view, and giving the history of newspaper baron rivalries alongside. I don't recall learning much about several of these key figures.

It was fascinating to hear of the Cook versus Peary rivalry, and how their public feud and petty interactions sort of cheapened the whole concept of polar exploration for that period of history. And despite Peary's blatant racist views and practices, it was neat to hear bits about Matthew Henson, a Black explorer who went with him on several voyages.

The narrator was largely good, besides his unexpected pronunciation of "rather" in like, an English way?

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book concerns the American explorers Robert Peary and Frederick Cook and the discovery of the Noth Pole. Interesting story but the book gets bogged down in details which makes it drag.

[Kitty Van Ness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading two books about ships at the same time nearly did me in. This one was far less exciting than the story of The Wager. And honestly I thought the conceit was overambitious. I feel like I missed a lot of context about the newspaper industry in New York AND Arctic exploration because the author was trying to tell both simultaneously. I understand how they were connected but it felt a bit tenuous to build a whole book around it. I think both stories would have shown better on their own.

If you never read this book (which I imagine will be most of my friends) let's address the elephant in the room -- both of these white men were fakers who never made it to the North Pole. In fact ALL the Americans who "discovered" the Pole lied about it. American ingenuity knows no bounds! Maybe the airplane guy actually found it but I think it was also a Swede.... Actually crazy how utterly evil and dumb all the artic explorers in this story are. Contemporary figures I think are people who want to go to space for fun or visit Mars. Why?!! Get it together there are better things to do. I guess billionaires have been spending money on dumb shit since forever.

ALSO the fact that Peary killed his loyal sled dogs on the way back of all his expeditions as an efficient practice is so EVIl. WHAT the FUCK. It's whatever the opposite of heart warming is. Soul freezing? AND I haven't even gotten into the fact that even if these two idiots weren't lying they completely wrote out the indigenous guides and African-American sled driver who were with them (and in one case even got to the Not North Pole first).

Also I wish there was more about the invention of modern journalism - some useful lessons in there for us probably mid mass collapse of journalism and expansion of misinformation.

[Rosalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extra, extra, read all about it! From the frigid Arctic tundra to the fiery hot papers fresh off the printing press, Hartman's book chronicles the fascinating rise of modern newspapers through the Herald and the Times rivalry. More than that, it's a snapshot of this dynamic time, of changing attitudes and habits, technological advances, and burgeoning political and social ideas, of the symbiotic relationship between a writer and its reader; they both influence each other, and need each other to exist.

What I appreciated most about Hartman's narration is that he focused on not only how reporting changed the way it did throughout the 19th century, but why. Hartman laid out the different philosophies of the various news barons of their day and how it shaped their papers, and how shifting cultural values and tastes guided the transition from no holds barred, yellow journalism to the academic and rigorous writing that made journalism a new, respected profession. A free society and free press go hand in hand, and you can see clearly the innovation of wide reporting on a myriad of subjects, or "all the news that is fit to print" had a big influence on its readership, in giving them access to people, ideas, and into "rooms" that the general masses were previously never allowed in. And just when established media got too comfy, Pulitzer enters the scene and flips the script on what information gets disseminated, how it's told, and who gets to tell it, further democratizing the news.

This book covers not only the colorful and varied characters of the newspaper founders, but monumental historical events - and the battle over exclusive coverage of them; the search for a missing famed explorer in Africa, the various Arctic expeditions, the Spanish-American War, all being reported to a captivated and hungry public.

The battle of ink is A+, the battle of ice...middling. To sum it up, it was a bunch of Arctic explorers' fragile egos battling it out, and I simply don't care to read about the same story over and over again. Each expedition goes like this: they try to reach the Artic, it's hard, they suffered physically and mentally, they reached it!!...but did they? Then they argue through newspapers about their proof or lack of it. Rinse and repeat, and that is why I dock a star. I get that Hartman was trying to draw parallels between the news barons and the explorers, on establishing their eminence in their respective fields, but one field was clearly more interesting, or at least covered more ground narratively, and so was less repetitive to read about.

Overall though, a fun and informative read!

[Tonja Candelaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a bit slow and dry in some spots, and the level of detail was too much for me at times. However, I can see how it would be someone else's jam and those factors didn't dampen this book for me. I didn't know a lot about polar explorations and how the newspapers were tied to them, let alone the controversy over fact vs fiction.

This isn't a book for everyone, but I would highly recommend it to someone interested in the topic who enjoys a good history read.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun to read. Had no idea of any of this. Was shocked (even still) of how Indigenous and Black figures were treated by these almost mythical explorers for history, specifically Peary. In the end, I think we need to draw our own conclusions, and I can shady on them all!

[Benjamin Slang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frederick Cook submitting a newspaper article that quotes himself as saying he went to the North Pole as scientific proof reminds me of the “I am 12” scene with Carlos in benchwarmers.

[meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

battle of ink: 🥱😴🙄🛑

battle of ice: 👀📝😱🧐

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in depth look at the controversial quest for the North Pole that also includes a very interesting look at the history of newspapers. I enjoyed both subjects equally, not surprising considering I was a journalism major.

[Casey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but kinda slow towards the end.

[Stephan Benzkofer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Battle of Ink and Ice is, indeed, a sensational story of news barons, North Pole explorers, and the making of the modern media. It immerses the reader in the outlandish New York City newspaper industry of the late 19th and early 20th century, when Joseph Pulitzer, James Gordon Bennett, and William Randolph Hearst reigned over the Yellow Journalism Era and fought to be the biggest — at nearly any cost. As a journalism major, the names were all familiar, but the details of their newspaper wars felt fresh and fascinating. Then along came a nobody named Adolph Ochs from nowhere Tennessee to buy the struggling, second-tier New York Times and, as the subtitle claims, create the modern media.

Interspersed in all of this journalism history are sections about North Pole exploration and the lives and motivations of Robert Peary and Frederick Cook — and the gripping controversy about which man got to the North Pole first. In fact, at times, it felt like the author wanted to write a history of this seminal period in newspapering but realized he would need a sexier subject to truly sell it. (Maybe this is the meta-nonfiction meaning of the title: the author's fight to balance his two narratives!)

As a matter of fact, the two narratives — newspapering and exploring — are deeply intertwined as the newspapers fight to tout their favored explorers and shell out big bucks for exclusive rights and even to underwrite the expeditions.

In addition to doing what seems an exhaustive review of the existing literature on the North Pole debate, Darrell Hartman has uncovered fresh details about the controversy.

Battle of Ink and Ice is a lot of fun, especially for all former ink-stained wretches like me.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is essentially two intertwined true tales wrapped up in one fascinating story. The early days of newspapers in New York were a time of industrious work, subterfuge and embracing of new technology. The lengths some of these rival newspapers would go to undermine or one-up the competition is quite the tale in itself. The owners of the different newspapers each had their own ideas on how and what to print and the building of their publications also gave rise to other improvements in the world.
The other story is about the race to the North Pole and what a race it was. Both Cook and Peary took off to reach the elusive target and both said they made it to the goal. This led to Peary trying his best to prove that Cook did not achieve the pole and the newspapers joined in the controversy.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author seemed to be using the controversy between Frederick Cook and Robert Peary to paint a history of journalism in the late 19th/early 20th century, but it often read as two distinct stories. That said, “both” were well written and I learned a lot about both subjects. In the first several chapters, there are a lot of names thrown around and most of them are fleeting references, which kept me going back and forth to remember who was who, but that seemed to get better as the book went on. Definitely recommend to anyone wanting to learn more about early journalism and how fake news has been around forever.

[Luc · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 It’s been more ink than ice, that’s for sure — but I’m okay with that. In fact, during the first three quarters of the book, I was a bit annoyed that it wasn’t two separate books. I never knew whether the next chapter would continue the same story or switch to the other one. So yes, I would have enjoyed reading two separate books on these topics.
But then the stories actually connected — and it was even better. I really enjoyed reading it, and I definitely learned a lot of new things about both 'ice' and 'ink'.

[Aubrey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. I received it after winning a Goodreads giveaway. I tried time and again to pick it up. I finished it, but barely. There just was no excitement that made me want to keep reading. It was very well written, the subject matter interesting, and the story easy to follow. It just wasn’t spectacular to me.

[Steph Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and engaging non fiction - particularly enjoyed to delve into “Ink”.

[Elissa Steenrod · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Lisa Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very interesting! Great amounts of exploration history and newspaper history. I learned a lot about both!

[Jason Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

The battle for attention is stemmed back to the newspapers of the late 19th century. The excitement of racing to our planet’s North Pole was extensively covered by papers who had exclusive rights with explorers, such as the New York Times. The only problem is that the head of these newspaper companies cared more about profit than truth. Not much has changed since then, in terms of media behavior. When a company is incentivized to be more entertaining than honest, then the outcome is clear.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who first discovered the North Pole: Cook or Peary? It might have been determined by newspapers reporting on the discovery: the New York Hearald or the New York Times, rivaling newspapers.

Although the stories behind the discovery of the North Pole was interesting, what totally fascinated me was the impetus taken on by the newspapers and the development of daily, local trade to global reporting and to what end journalists/publicists would go to report the news. The race to be the first to reach the NP as well as the first newspaper with the highest circulation was on!!! Newspaper business in the late 1800s became a real cut throat business. The term "fake news" was coined by Pulitzer who then owned The World newspaper in Mew York City in the late 1890s.

This was a truly interesting chronicle of how newspaper empires were built, evolved, grew and are now ever changed due to instant news with social media and cameras on our phones.

Later in the book the authenticity of who reached the NP first, Cook or Peary, came into play and this also became very interesting. That "polar dispute" made great newspaper copy!

Although there were times in the book that the subject of either the newspaper or the race to the North Pole took on some lag time but all in all the author did a very good job of retelling the events. I much preferred the newspaper angle rather than the discovery angle but it was interesting to read how feet were held to the fire with both entities!

[Carol Chapin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Gilded Age in US history is an interesting period, particularly since we are perhaps in another one now, given the elevated levels of income inequality. This book takes place in and just after that period, around the turn of the century. While the concentration of wealth in very rich “robber barons” was detrimental to the working class and to our society, sometimes it resulted in scientific or cultural advances as a byproduct. (One example: a book I recently read about Alaska describes how in 1899 railroad magnate Edward H. Harriman financed - and went on - a huge expedition that added greatly to scientific knowledge.)

This book looks at the rise of big newspapers at that time (“news barons”) and how they promoted exploration of the north pole. Both are interesting stories by themselves. It’s an inspired combination.

James Bennett Jr. inherited the New York Herald from his father. In addition to leading a profligate lifestyle, he invested in exploration to generate stories to sell his newspaper. What I hadn’t realized until I read this book was that Bennett had financed Henry Stanley’s expedition that led to finding Dr. Livingstone, who had been missing in Africa for six years.

Bennett’s rivals included Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst, all of whom became known for sensationalist “yellow” journalism. This book also tells the story of Adolph Ochs, a more responsible figure, who built up the New York Times, starting on a shoestring.

In 1909, two men returned from expeditions claiming to have discovered the North Pole. Their claims were difficult to evaluate, as the North Pole, unlike the South Pole, is not a fixed spot, but is covered by shifting water and ice. Robert Peary’s position was supported by the New York Times, which leaned Republican. Dr. Frederick Cook was supported by Bennett’s Herald, which was democratic and populist. The fight was bitter and divisive. To this day, it is not certain who got there first, or if either of them really got there at all.

I was more engaged by the stories of the NY newspapers than by the various expeditions discussed. The Peary/Cook dispute was something I had not been aware of before. I’m glad I learned about it, but I felt that it made that later part of the book drag a bit. Still, this was interesting and informative, and I’m glad I read it.

[Rick Presley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never would have thought a history of journalism would be this interesting, nor how journalism was tied to exploration of the poles, particularly the North Pole.

The basic conceit of the book is the contested account of who was the first to reach the North Pole - Cook or Peary. I won’t spoil the ending, but suffice to say, what I learned in history didn’t even scratch the surface of the story.

More interesting to me was the account of New York newspapers, their rise, their moguls, and their various approaches to covering the events. This was by far the most interesting part of the book to me.

The book dragged, in my opinion, when it was discussing the time between Peary’s journey and the settled outcome in the eyes of the public. Even though the participants were traveling the lecture circuit, nothing much was happening and no real progress was being made, so it made for a tedious account.

Much more engaging was the end, the conclusions, and the epilogue. Very much makes the book worth reading. Even more so if you have an interest in the history of the Press in modern America.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

“New Media” — We’ve Been Here Before

There is a revolution in the way people get news and entertainment. Attracting eyeballs has become a highly profitable business. Technology is transforming the way information is delivered to people and is shrinking the world. News, events, and opinion can be conveyed over thousands of miles at the speed of light. The cost to the ordinary person of “being informed” has plunged. Human habits are changing, and it’s tempting to check sources of information multiple times a day, especially if there is a sensational story that everyone is talking about. The new technology can confer celebrity status, warranted or not.

Author Darrell Hartman is not describing our current “Internet Age,” but rather the radical new way Americans began to receive information and news in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He tells this story through the newspaper competition to cover two Arctic explorers of the time, Frederick Cook and Robert Peary, each of whom was in the race to reach the North Pole.

The newspaper business was being transformed with high speed presses that reduced the cost of producing a newspaper. The population, especially in America, had reached unprecedented literacy and had an insatiable appetite for news and entertainment. By 1900, 94% of American households read a newspaper. The telegraph revolutionized the speed with which news could travel over vast distances — even across the Atlantic Ocean.

Moreover, newspapers that achieved mass circulation were immensely profitable. Businesses realized that they could reach a huge potential market by advertising in such publications. And they were willing to pay for this access, so the sales price of a newspaper could be less than the cost of production, with advertising revenue generating a lucrative profit margin.

In the New York market, the New York Sun was the first successful “penny newspaper” at a time when competitors sold for five cents. It was the first to report sensationally events such as crimes, suicides and divorces. Also serving a broad demographic readership, including working-class readers, were Jospeh Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal — both of which employed sensationalism and often invention in the battle for circulation. Each newspaper produced numerous editions throughout the day, sold to the newsboy chant, “Extra, Extra. Read all about it.”

Then, as now, many marketers were willing to pay more to reach affluent and sophisticated customers. The newspaper that had the most attractive readership demographic was the New York Herald, which was owned by James Gordon Bennett, Jr. He was a rich playboy, who soon chose to live in Paris where he could indulge an extravagant lifestyle.

Bennett was also an innovator, realizing the importance of investing in news gathering. During the Civil War, he sent reporters to the front, pioneered publishing maps of battlefields, and paid to be sent articles from southern newspapers in order to provide a fuller account of the war. Information sent by telegraph was expensive, but if the story was important Bennett paid little attention to the cost.

As the Civil War ended, the Herald earned $1 million a year, as much as the next five competitors combined. Bennett doubled the news budget and could afford the high rates for news transmitted over the trans-Atlantic cable. He hired Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) as a contributor and sponsored Stanley to find Dr. David Livingston who was looking for the source of the Nile. (“Dr. Livingston, I presume?”)

Meanwhile, a young Adolf Ochs found employment in the newspaper trade with the Knoxville Chronicle. He then acquired a half-interest in the Chattanooga Daily Times and two years later became the sole owner. He was more of a businessman than a journalist. This provided an opening when another quality newspaper, The New-York Times, was in danger of failing.

Ochs was able to impress Times investors that included August Belmont, J.P. Morgan, and Jacob Schiff. He bought the paper at a very good price and put his managerial talents to work to turn the publication to profitability. Ochs realized that, given New York’s position as a financial capital, the Times could excel by providing the best financial news — something that did not interest Bennett as publisher of the Herald.

Dealing with the “Ice” metaphor of his narrative, Hartman tells the story of the challenge to Arctic explorers in the early 20th Century and the competition among newspapers to be the first to hear from those who had been incommunicado for months. This allowed newspapers to build reader suspense about the fate of these men and then to celebrate claims of success under extreme hardship.

Newspapers funded, promoted, and dramatized the exploits of two of these explorers in particular, Frederick Cook and Robert Peary. Cook made the first claim to have reached the North Pole, and Bennett’s Herald paid him for an “exclusive account” of his exploit. The Times paid both explorers for stories of their North Pole expeditions.

At a time when the temptation was great to be the “first” and when instrumentation was not accurate, especially in the conditions near the pole, both claims came under scrutiny. Cook never came close to the goal, knew it, and went to great lengths to disguise the fact. Peary didn’t reach the goal either, but came closer than anyone before — and given the difficulty fixing position in the Arctic may have genuinely believed he had succeeded.

Hartman’s use of Arctic exploration to tell the rise of mass-circulation newspapers is only partially successful. Granted, to build readership the newspapers of the time fed the public’s interest in the race to the Pole. But this was but one human interest story of many used to attract eyeballs. The author does make a compelling case that the disruptive trends of that time were revolutionary and influence the media to this day.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

...so looking forward to author's talk today (9/8), cancelled, rescheduled 11/21!

exhilarating, suspenseful! I didn't get lost in a sea of information (multiple biographies, historical anecdotes, personal correspondences, serious allegations, poetic polar landscape...) strategically branched out from the linear trunk of the exploration and the newspapers journey, strategically paced, essential to sustain and enrich the reading experience.

[Gregg Punger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring, repetitive, and lacking focus. Dnf

[Tim Christiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Journalisn mad adventure!

For anyone interested in history, of jourlalism or exploration, this is a spellbinding story. Well written and thorough. A great read.

[Denis Mačor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kniha Súboj pera a ľadu (2024) z vydavateľstva N Press má v podtitule jasne dané, že ide o „napínavý príbeh o novinových magnátoch, polárnych bádateľoch a vzniku moderných médií“. Kto hľadá predovšetkým to druhé, vopred upozorním, že ide o vedľajší motív tejto knihy od amerického novinára Darrella Hartmana. Skutočným obsahom je hľadanie obsahovej exkluzivity v čase, keď boli ešte printové médiá relevantné bezvýhradne pre každého.

O čo tu ide?

Šikovná obálka. Dvaja polárnici, ktorí sa zababušení dívajú do akéhosi archaického výmerného prístroja. Čosi, čo naláka na zimné čítanie. Keď sa človek škodoradostne zababuší pod deku, zakúri si a číta. Aspoň ja to tak robievam. Každoročne si vyberiem nejakú expedičnú literatúru a zdolávam diaľky, mráz či výšky výhradne z tepla domova. Za mnohé spomeniem Expedice na Severní pól (Julius von Payer), Labyrint z ledu (Buddy Levy), Erebus (Michael Palin). Sám by som sa nikdy na nič podobné nedal. Na to som príliš teplomilný strachopud. Okrem toho, hocičo nezjem, takže na kolegov z expedície by som si v krajnej núdzi iba sťažka robil chute. Radšej by som sa poddal ich kanibalizmu. Tu však nechám prípadnému čitateľovi recenzie priestor na vlastné bádanie, aby som priveľa nevyzradil.

V skutočnosti sú v hlavných úlohách knihy Súboj pera a ľadu preteky mediálnych magnátov. Spočívajú v hľadaní fascinácií, investovaní do nákladných dobrodružných výprav. Tiež v hľadaní talentov, keďže denníky v New Yorku, kde sa kniha situačne koncentruje, si navzájom podkopávajú nohy, aby si udržali prvenstvo. V čase, keď správy obiehali svet slimačím tempom, si spomínané prvenstvo mohli dovoliť len tí najbohatší. Príčiny sú pomerne jednoduché. Mohli naliať peniaze do infraštruktúry, risknúť nejaký ten osud redaktora a v najlepšom prípade mali horúcu novinku včas a bez sprievodných škandálov. Pokiaľ bola táto logistická alchýmia úspešná, popularitu a enormné zisky prirodzene získavali šéfredaktori popredných novín ako Herald, New York Times, New York Tribune a ďalšie, už len v meste New York, kde boli v tom čase, v druhej polovici devätnásteho storočia, distribučne najväčšie novinárske kapacity.

Škandály

Svojím spôsobom však boli škandály súčasťou hry a popularity denníkov. V histórii médií sa ich nachádza pár takých učebnicových, ako napríklad známa rozhlasová adaptácia mladého režiséra Orsona Wellesa Vojna svetov. V skutočnosti išlo o zdramatizovanú verziu románu H. G. Wellsa z roku 1898 a hra vyvolala v Spojených štátoch v deň uvedenia 30. októbra 1938 hystériu, počas ktorej dochádzalo aj k fatálnym incidentom. Rozhlasová hra totiž simulovala skutočné spravodajstvo o mimozemskej invázii na našu planétu. Tento príklad môže slúžiť ako exemplárna ukážka dôverčivosti v médiá. Čo tam padlo, to bolo sväté. Bez ohľadu na to, o aký potvorný blud mohlo ísť. Z tohto ťažilo nemalé množstvo cynických reportérov. Jeden z príkladov sa nachádza aj v knihe Súboj pera a ľadu. Hovorí o mediálnom úspechu novinového plátku Herald, patriacemu rodine Bennetovcov.

Článok „pod titulkom ŠOKUJÚCI KARNEVAL SMRTI informoval, že zo zoologickej záhrady v Central Parku utiekli desiatky zvierat a masakrovali ľudí po celom meste. Reportér Heraldu tvrdil, že videl rozzúreného nosorožca, ako nabral na roh ošetrovateľa, následne vybehol z klietky a zničil niekoľko ďalších výbehov, čím do ulíc vypustil desiatky mäsožravých šeliem. Medveď hnedý zabil starenku v kostole na Západnej päťdesiatej tretej ulici, lev napadol štyri malé deti a ‚znetvoril tie krehké drobné bytosti tak, že ich nebolo možné rozpoznať.‘ Herald informoval, že policajti strieľali na zvieratá z revolverov a že nemocnice čoskoro nezvládli nápor pacientov. Newyorčania prepadli panike. Niektorí sa zatvárali do svojich domov, iní bežali von s loveckými puškami. Šéfredaktor New York Times preto vtrhol na policajné riaditeľstvo a dožadoval sa informácie, prečo túto správu tajili pred každým, okrem Heraldu. Tak ako mnohí iní, ani on nedočítal článok do konca. ‚Samozrejme, celý príbeh je čistý výmysel. Ani jedno slovo z neho nie je pravdivé,‘ priznali napokon v Heralde.“ (str. 78)

Spomínaní Bennetovci, obaja s dvojitým krstným menom James Gordon, boli vďaka čítanosti a predajnosti párcentových novín extravagantnými boháčmi. Mladší z nich mal stometrovú jachtu, na ktorej sídlila aj dojka Bossy v čalúnenej maštali s elektrickým ventilátorom. Starší z nich bol taký hrdý novinár, že riskoval aj stabilitu vlastného manželstva, aby mohol robiť svoju cynizmom podkutú a nemálo provokatérsku prácu.

A také slová sú azda najpríznačnejšie aj pre éru novín v devätnástom a na začiatku dvadsiateho storočia. Kniha Súboj pera a ľadu napokon dáva to, čo sľubuje. Je to kniha o spore v prvenstve pozemských objavov na severnom póle. Kniha je zaujímavá v tom, že ukazuje pozadie správ o polárnych bádaniach a ukazuje, čo všetko museli noviny podstúpiť, ak chceli pretlačiť svojich favoritov. A nielen to. Ponúka kvalitný obraz o mediálnej „kuchyni“. V dnešnom online svete pútavé. Najmä fakt, že noviny boli miestom, kde sa myslelo na všetkých.