Skating to Antarctica: A Journey to the End of the World

Diski, Jenny. Hopewell, NJ: Ecco Press, 1997.
  • 1993-96? Tourist Excursion to South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula aboard Academik Vasilov.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

This largely autobiographical work using the hook of a voyage to the Antarctic Peninsula aboard the tourist ship, Academik Vavilov, to explore the pained relation of the author to her parents, and her own daughter’s efforts to explore those relationships. The somewhat mean-spirited passages on the sea voyage to South Georgia and the Peninsula are outweighed by the psychological exploration of troubled parental relations. In essence there is little about Antarctica beyond descriptions of tourists and penguins, nothing about reading, and a bit about boredom.

Scientific Observations of Dr. I. I. Hayes’ Arctic Expedition of 1860-61.

Schott, Charles A. Port Foulke Observatory, Sept 9 1860. Library of Congress. Miscellaneous Manuscript Collections. Nine notebooks labeled 2108.
  • 1860-61 US North Pole Expedition (aboard United States, commanded by Isaac Hayes).
  • Arctic Reading: United States
 Preview 

Schott, who worked for the Coast and Geodetic Survey, appears to have done the analysis of Hayes’ data in 1865. At end of Part I, the “Computation of the Astronomical Observations” is a draft letter from Schott to Hayes (Feb. 13, 1865) about their publication.

“The Mirny Diary” 12 February 1958–7 February 1959

Rubin, Morton J. https://www.antarctican.org/s/MJRubin-Mirny_Diary-jspy.pdf.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

This detailed diary was contributed by Morton Rubin's brother Harry. He gives credit to Mr. and Mrs. Martin Sponholz for painstakingly deciphering and transcribing Morton's original hand-written manuscript. It is a fascinating glimpse of winterover life at an IGY Russian station.

Alone to the South Pole.

Kagge, Erling. Oslo: Cappelens Forlag, 1993.
  • 1992-93 Norwegian Solo Expedition to South Pole.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

An unsupported sledging and ski trip from the Ronne Ice Shelf near the Ellsworth Mountains to the South Pole, ca. 1300 km, with use of GPS and maps. He provides one of the best synopses of expedition reading, at a time when books and reading are being replaced in Antarctica by videos, albeit with a small group of titles.

Observations on a Work, Entitled “Voyages of Discovery and Research within the Arctic Regions,” by Sir John Barrow, Bart. Ætat. 82: Being a Refutation of the Numerous Misrepresentations Contained in that Volume.

Ross, Sir John. By Sir John Ross, C.B. &c Captain in the Royal Navy. “Oh! That mine enemy would write a book!” (Edinburgh, London: Published for the Author, by William Blackwood and Son, 1846).
  • 1829-33 British Private Second Voyage to the Northwest Passage (John Ross aboard Victory).
  • Arctic Reading: Great Britain
 Preview 

Ross’s heated personal defense against Barrow’s attacks on his reputation: when I looked for an historian I found a calumniator.

To the Ends of the Earth: The Truth Behind the Glory of Polar Exploration.

Dippel. John V. H. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2018.
  • Arctic Reading: General
 Preview 

p. 17, re Belgica winter in 1897: They read and reread books on navigation and lighthouses, played whist, listened to records, told stale jokes—anything to break the monotony. They ached like teenagers for a glimpse of a woman. [Cook, First Antarctic Night, p. 250, 252]

“There she blows:” A Narrative of a Whaling Voyage, in the Indian and South Atlantic Oceans.

Ely, Ben-Ezra Stiles. Edited…by Curtis Dahl. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press, 1976. [First published 1849.].
  • Whalemen's Reading
 Preview 

Originally published in 1849, this modern edition of Ben Ely's personal account of whaling off Madagascar aboard the bark Emigrant includes a biographical introduction and much additional information by Ely's great-grandson. Facsimile of original title page. ALBION, p. 202.

Opposite Poles

McKenzie, Douglas. London: Robert Hale, 1963.
  • 1955-58 TAE: Trans-Antarctic Expedition (Fuchs and Hillary).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

A light and half-hearted defense of Hillary’s determination to get to the Pole ahead of Fuchs, despite his dissembling on his motives. The title emphasizes the conflict. McKenzie, a NZ journalist drove one of the Ferguson tractors enroute to the S.P. between depot 450 and 700.

Saga of the “Discovery.

Bernacchi, Louis Charles. London: Blackie, 1938.
  • 1901-04 British National Antarctic Expedition (Scott aboard Discovery).
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

Bernacchi was an Australian/Belgian explorer, another veteran of the heroic age of polar exploration, having participated in Borchgrevink’s Southern Cross expedition, Scott’s Discovery expedition, as well as journeys to Africa and Peru. He was also the biographer of Lawrence Oates, who died on Scott’s last expedition.

From Pole to Pole: The Life of Quintin Riley, 1905-1980.

Riley, Jonathan P. Bluntisham, UK: Bluntisham Books, 1989.
  • 1920-22 British Graham Land Expedition.
  • Antarctic Reading: Expeditions
 Preview 

Quinton Riley was the Quarter Master of the British Graham Land Expedition, and this biography includes one full chapter on his participation in the BGLE (p. 55-95). He is described as a good-natured but argumentative colleague, of firm religious convictions, and a valuable member of the expedition staff.

The Cabin Boy’s Log: Scenes and Incidents on a New Bedford Whaler, Written from the Journal as Kept by the Lad on a Three Years’ Voyage in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Tobey, Warren B. Boston: Meador, 1932.
  • 1866-69 US Whaling Expedition to Indian and Pacific Oceans.
  • Maritime Reading
 Preview 

p. 18, the Nov. 1866, preparations for the trip of this 15-year old included writing material, a New Testament, and the Episcopal Prayer Book. No indication throughout that he ever used them. Elsewhere there are several passages about pastimes, scrimshaw, boat models but nothing about reading. Notable for the cruelty of the captain to the cabin boy and the sailors.

Fort Monmouth Communications Museum

Fort Monmouth, NJ.
  • 1881-84 International Physical Year US Expedition to Lady Franklin Bay (led by Adolphus Greely).
  • Arctic Reading: United States
 Preview 

An extensive collection of Greely material, much of it given to Fort Monmouth by Mrs. Stafford in March 1964, shortly before her and her brother’s gifts to the Explorers Club. This included chinaware from Fort Conger (brown floral design) and from the Proteus (2 eggcups), botanical specimens, other artifacts, and a good number of manuscripts and printed material. These were materials retrieved by Peary in 1899 and included letters, condensed meteorological and other observations, etc. The Collection was moved to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, in 2008.

Shores of the Polar Sea: A Narrative of the Arctic Expedition of 1875-6.

Moss, Edward L. (London: Marcus Ward & Co., 1878).
  • Arctic Reading: Great Britain
 Preview 

p. 9: While our two ships steamed northward along the west shores of Greenland, the novel charm of constant daylight was felt by every one. We all had our own ideas of what Arctic summer would be like, but ideas drawn from books rarely remain unchanged when brought face to face with reality. Although the passage into perpetual day was of course gradual, yet it was quite rapid enough to upset all regular habits.