Antarctic Navigation. A novel.

Arthur, Elizabeth. New York: Knopf, 1995.
  • 1910-14 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott on Terra Nova).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

A novel about Scott’s last expedition, and a modern day female attempt to recreate that expedition

Voyages Round the World; with Selected Sketches of Voyages to the South Seas, North and South Pacific Oceans, China, Etc.,.. between the Years 1792 and 1832.

Fanning, Edmund. New York: Collins & Hannay, 1833. [A later edition is Salem, MA: Marine Research Society, 1924.].
  • 1792-32 American Sealing Voyage (Captain Edmund Fanning).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

Fanning from Stonington was the first known American to reach sub-polar Antarctica on various sealing expeditions, including the Falklands, Shetlands, and South Georgia and at least as far as 58°S. One of the later chapters describes Nathaniel Palmer’s meeting with Alexander I’s Russian ships in 1820-21 who learned from Palmer “of the existence of an immense extent of land to the south, whose mountains might be seen from the mast-head when the fog should clear away entirely” (p. 308). This rather charming book, first published in 1833, while covering several voyages in which Fanning was involved, chiefly as captain, betrays little of any books on board or any reading by him or his sailors other than the obligatory directional books and charts, for which here is one example.

Typed transcript of Endurance journal, 1914-15 and 1915-16.

Macklin, Alexander Hepburn. SPRI MS 1589. In two volumes, second vol. starting on Oct 15th, 1915.
  • 1914-16 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (Shackleton on Endurance).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

p. 7, Nov 3, 1915 Wedn, after smashup: At the ship I entered Clark’s cabin which is just above water and got some books for him.

Antarctic Adventure: Scott’s Northern Party.

Priestley, Raymond E. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1914. [A new edition, with a New Foreword by Sir Vivian Fuchs, was published in London: C. Hurst & co., 1974.].
  • 1910-14 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott on Terra Nova).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

The northern party under V. L. A. Campbell, was forced to winter in the Antarctic when the Terra Nova failed to pick them up. They survived despite being without winter clothing and they eventually crossed 230 miles of sea ice to Cape Evans. Spence 939. Conrad 186: This is gripping reading. The first edition is unfortunately rare, as many copies were destroyed during a fire. [ABEBOOKS]

Trial by Ice: The Antarctic Journals.

Davis, John King. Edited by Louise Crossley. Bluntisham, UK: Bluntisham Books, 19.
  • 1929-31 BANZARE Expedition (aboard Discovery II).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

This is one of three volumes based on the Davis journals, and some of the Davis journals printed here also appear in his earlier autobiographical work, High Latitude. Davis was the complete sea master, but not an explorer. For the most part his journal entries, written while in command, tend to be short simply because he is very busy, and appears to have no time for reading except as it might be work related. What stands out in this volume is the section on the MawsonDavis BANZARE expedition of 1929-30 where Davis constantly laments the problems of divided command, where Mawson constantly asks Davis to take risks which, according to Davis, Mawson would not take responsibility for if things went wrong. Mawson on the other hand found Davis far too conservative and timid in his concern for the safety of ship and men. Davis may be a somewhat dull and conservative character, but he does come across as the more sympathetic, at least in his own account.

Arctic Alaska and Siberia, Or, Eight Months with the Arctic Whalemen.

Aldrich, Herbert L. Chicago: Rand McNally, 1889.
  • Whalemen's Reading
 Preview 

p. 75: Each native is said to keep a diary of his hunting trips by carving the important events on a piece of ivory, showing his camps, shooting deer, walruses, seals or bears, or catching and driving fish. A few of the supposed diaries were offered for sale.

Antarctica: A Year at the Bottom of the World.

Mastro, Jim. Boston: Little, Brown, 2002.
  • 1982-96 American Antarctic Program Expeditions.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

A composite one-man account of winterovers from 1982 to 1996 combing a dozen trips into one narrative. There are a few content-free references to the McMurdo library—it seems obvious he didn’t use it often. Mastro served as a photo-journalist and the book includes some extraordinary photographs.

Eskimo Realities.

Carpenter, Edmund Snow. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1973.
  • Arctic Reading: Inuit and other indigenous people
 Preview 

A beautiful evocation of the Inuit culture, its orality, its spiritual essence, and its pictorial sensitivity.

The Winter Night Trip to Advance Base Byrd Antarctic Expedition II 1933-35.

Poulter, Thomas Charles. Mimeograph. “Copyrighted 1973 by Thomas C. Poulter.” 1914.
  • 1933-35 Byrd Second Antarctic Expedition.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

Poulter was in command of Little America while Byrd spent his four months alone at Advance Base. Poulter was chosen by Byrd over the older Harold June and Paul Siple. Byrd thought Siple less mature and June unable to stay away from or hold his liquor. This book consists of notes from Poulter’s diaries and memos that passed among the men while at Little America or Advance base. A good deal is about Poulter’s problems in controlling liquor consumption, including his draining many gallons onto the ice.

The Krassin.

Parijourire, Maurice. Trans. by Lawrence Brown. New York: Macaulay Co., 1929.
  • 1928 Russian Rescue Operation for Nobile.
  • Arctic Reading: Russia
 Preview 

Russian ice-breaker involved in Nobile rescue in 1928. A romanticized and heavily pro-Soviet account.

. Arctic Manual

Stefansson, Vilhjalmur. Prepared under Direction of the Chief of the Air Corps, United States Army. (New York: Macmillan, 1944).
  • Arctic Reading: Canada
 Preview 

p. xi: Describes use of Stefansson’s library of over 15,000 books, pamphlets, and manuscripts in preparing his report on living and operating conditions in the Arctic, and also the preparation of this Manual ( 1935-43).

Statistische und ethnographische Nachrichten uber die russischen Besitzungen an der Nordwestkuste von Amerika.

Wrangell, Ferdinand Petrovich, baron. St. Petersburg, 1839.
  • Arctic Reading: Canada
 Preview 

An important work relating to the Northwest Coast, with much material concerning the native tribes of Alaska and the Indians of the Northwest, including quite detailed explanations of the Aleutian language and vocabularies of two California tribes. Wrangel was appointed governor of Russian America in 1827 and deserves much credit for initiating the development of civilization in Alaska. He was responsible for surveying much of the Northwest Coast, commenced the building of roads and other internal improvements, reformed the administration, and promoted missionary work among the natives. He foresaw the great future of Alaska and was keenly aware of the need for inducements for capitalistic investment there. He opened and regulated the operation of mines in Alaska, introduced potato culture, and urged the mother country to organize a fur company. This work is a compendium of valuable ethnographic and geographic data, and in addition to Wrangel's work, includes Father Veniaminov's description of Aleut character, a vocabulary of the Kuskikvims, and a survey of American sources regarding the peoples of the Northwest Coast. Also found herein is a description of the climate of Sitka and other locations in Alaska, and an interesting comparative vocabulary of eight Northwest Coast tribes. The folding map depicts the mainland of Alaska and the adjoining islands. A nice copy of a scarce work about Russian Alaska, and a mine of Northwest Coast ethnographic data. The NUC locates nine copies of this work. HOWES W689, "aa." SABIN 105519, 2711 (refs). LADA-MOCARSKI 106. WICKERSHAM 5875. APPLETON'S