Four Years aboard the Whaleship. Embracing Cruises in the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Antarctic Oceans, in the year 1855, ‘6, ‘7, ‘8, ‘9.

Whitecar, William B. Philadelphia: Lippincott; London: Trubner, 1864.
  • 1855-59 US Whaling Voyage aboard Pacific.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

[From a bookseller’s catalogue on ABEBooks]: Whitecar, an intelligent observer, sailed from New Bedford aboard the Pacific, on a whaling voyage which took him to Antarctic waters, Australia & New Zealand. His narrative gives good details of the whaler's life on ship and ashore from 1855-59, one of the best for the time, including observations & comparisons of whaling equipment and practices. Whitecar includes much on the West Australian coast, visiting the Vasse & Cape Leeuwin a number of times. He spends time in Albany (King Georges Sound), visits Geraldton (Champion Bay), Esperence (the Recherche Archipelago) and the Houtmans Abrolhas. In observing W.A., he comments “I didn't see a glass of spirits drank. ale and beer were however swallowed without regard to quality or quantity.” The majority of the book relates to West Australian waters & anecdotes. A very readable & informative account, one of the best we've read on West Australia. Bookseller Inventory # 8363. [This annotation is partly plagiarized in a Bartfield listing for the same book. Whitecar’s account is quite a charming account of the whaling life, somewhat sanitized for the domestic reader, pointing out the foibles and peccadilloes of sailors on other ships but seeing his ship as something of a model of discipline and benign leadership.]

The Longest Winter: The Incredible Survival of Captain Scott’s Lost Party.

Lambert, Katherine. Introduction by Peter King. Washington: Smithsonian Books, 2004. Published in the UK as ‘Hell with a Capital H’: an Epic Story of Antarctic Survival. London: Pimlico, 2002. The following citations are from the US edition.
  • 1910-14 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott on Terra Nova).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

Based on George Levick’s diary of the experience of the Northern Party on Scott’s second (Terra Nova) expedition of 1910-13, as they were stranded for a winter at Inexpressible Island away from Cape Adare. Levick was medical officer of the 6-man party but also photographer and zoologist. Based on Priestley’s Antarctic Adventure and diaries of G. M. Levick owned by Richard Kossow.

Alone.

Byrd, Richard Evelyn. London: Readers Union, 1939.
  • 1933-35 Byrd Second Antarctic Expedition.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

After several expeditions Byrd, trying to justify his solo wintering at Advance Base, felt restless:

Gender on Ice.

Bloom, Lisa. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1993.
  • Arctic Reading: General
 Preview 

A study of gender bias in polar exploration and its depiction in the National Geographic.

The Founding of Churchill; Being the Journal of Captain James Knight, Governor-in-Chief in Hudson Bay, from the 14th of July to the 13th of September 1717.

Knight, James, Capt. Edited…by James F. Kenney. Toronto, London: J. M. Dent, 1932.
  • Hudson's Bay Company.
  • Arctic Reading: Canada
 Preview 

Interest of this book is not so much for his journal, but the account in the text by Kenney of the fate of Captain Knight. After he left the HBC governorship, he organized an expedition to the west coast of Hudson Bay in search of copper and gold (cf. Frobisher and Borchgrevink), as well as for the NW Passage. Evidently his ships were damaged on the western shore of Marble Island where after two winters all the crew had died, facts which did not come to light for some time. Since he made this voyage without telling the local HBC about his activities, he was not likely to be found. (see esp. p. 75-89).

Shackleton’s Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic. [1914-17].

Bickel, Lennard. Foreword by Rt. Hon. Lord Shackleton. New York, Thunder’s Mouth Press and Balliett & Fitzgerald, 2000. (Adrenaline classics).
  • 1914-16 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (Shackleton on Endurance).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

p. 72, May 6, 1915: Outside, they heard the bluster grow to gale force winds. Irvine Gaze and Stevens went early to their bunks. Spencer-Smith, as ever, was reading a book by the light of the acetylene lamp.

Books Afloat & Ashore: a History of Books, Libraries, and Reading among Seamen during the Age of Sail.

Skallerup, Harry Robert. (Hamden, CT: Archon Books, 1974).
  • Maritime Reading
 Preview 

p. 4: In 1631, when Captain Thomas James fitted out his vessel in Bristol for a voyage in search of the Northwest Passage, he purchased ‘A Chest full of the best and choicest Mathematicall bookes that could be got for money in England; as likewise Master Hackluite and Master Purchase, and other books of Journals and Histories. [see C Miller, ed. Voyages of Captain Luke Fox of Hull, Hakluyt Soc. London 1894, p. 265-67, 606 p.]

Voyages of a Modern Viking

Hanssen, Helmer. Foreword by Vice-Admiral E.R.G.R. Evans.London: George Routledge, 1936.
  • Arctic Reading: Europe including Scandinavia
 Preview 

A very pleasant autobiography of someone who sailed with Amundsen on the Gjoa, the Fram, and the Maud, based on his diaries and presumably translated from Norwegian (though there is no indication).

Scott and Amundsen: Duel in the Ice.

Langner, Rainer-K. Translated by Timothy Beech. London: Haus Publishing, 2007. Originally published in Frankfort in 2001.
  • 1910-14 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott on Terra Nova).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

A concise and fairly superficial retelling of the Antarctic story from the Belgica to Scott’s death. It does emphasize, as others often ignore, Amundsen’s reliance on his Polar reading for his preparation.

The Polar Regions, Or a Search after Sir John Franklin’s Expedition…

Osborn, Sherard. Dedicated to Lady Franklin. (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1871). [First published as Stray Leaves from an Arctic Journal. London, 1852.].
  • 1848-59 The Franklin Search.
  • Arctic Reading: Great Britain
 Preview 

This deals with the 1850 Franklin search by the Intrepid and Pioneer, in company with Resolute and Assistance, with Osborn as Commander of the Pioneer. "Account, by the commander of the "Pioneer", one of the tenders to the Resolute and Assistance, of the Franklin search expedition under Capt. H. T. Austin: the voyage by Baffin Bay, Lancaster Sound, Barrow Strait, the wintering at Griffith Island, and return. Includes informative notes on West Greenland Eskimos, negotiating the ice of northern Baffin Bay, ice conditions in the Canadian Arctic waters, hunting adventures, clothing, food and equipment (for sledge journeys and otherwise), carrier pigeons, the sledge journeys, arctic nature and winter recreations." (Description on ABEBooks)

Of Ice and Men: The Story of the British Antarctic Survey, 1943-73.

Fuchs, Vivian. London: Anthony Nelson, 1982.
  • Antarctic Reading: General
 Preview 

A comprehensive history of the first 30 years of BAS, originally known as FIDS (Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey), at first a naval exercise under the Admiralty. In effect it has been one very prolonged British expedition to West Antarctica, with emphasis on the Antarctic Peninsula and its islands.

The Voyage of the Chelyuskin.

Chelyuskin. By Members of the Expedition. New York: Macmillan, 1935.
  • 1934 Russian Voyage of the Cheluyskin (commanded by Captain Schmidt).
  • Arctic Reading: Russia
 Preview 

The Chelyuskin was beset and sank near the Bering Strait in 1934. The book has contributions by many of the crew, including captain Schmidt, and presents a most idealistic view of Bolshevik sacrifice.

Four Years Aboard the Whaleship. Embracing Cruises in the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Antarctic Oceans, in the years 1855, ‘6, ‘7, ‘8, ‘9.

Whitecar, William B. Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1864.
  • Whalemen's Reading
 Preview 

Whitecar, an intelligent observer, sailed from New Bedford aboard the Pacific, on a whaling voyage which took him to Antarctic waters, Australia & New Zealand. His narrative gives good details of the whaler's life on ship and ashore from 1855-59, one of the best for the time, including observations & comparisons of whaling equipment and practices. Whitecar includes much on the West Australian coast, visiting the Vasse & Cape Leeuwin a number of times. He spends time in Albany (King Georges Sound), visits Geraldton (Champion Bay), Esperence (the Recherche Archipelago) and the Houtmans Abrolhas. In observing W.A., he comments "I didn't see a glass of spirits drank. Ale and beer were however swallowed without regard to quality or quantity." The majority of the book relates to West Australian waters & anecdotes. A very readable & informative accounts, one of the best we've read on West Australia. [This annotation is partly plagiarized in a Bartfield listing for the same book.]