The 20 best books about the Antarctic
The 20 best books about the Antarctic
From shattering reports to survival to the heart -warming history of a rescued penguin, we list our favorite books about the Antarctic
The most inhospitable place on earth is a captivating scene for every story, be it fictional or true. It is not surprising that the literary canon of the Antarctic is full of stories about tragedies and/or survival despite all adversity. So it would be easy to fill this list with biographies from Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton alone. But Antarctic deserves attention beyond their tragedies.
With this in mind, we took a broader perspective. Of course there are profiles of the pioneers and their epic journey of discovery from more than a century of polar research, but we also have a diverse mix of memoirs, biographies and novels-from crime novels to science fiction-all recorded with the Antarctic in the core of the narrative.
Regardless of whether you are preparing for a trip to the big white continent or just have a temporary interest in the most unexplored area of our planet, in our list of books about the Antarctic you will find something for you.
The best books about the Antarctic
Our list is not in a specific order and is based on our personal favorites as well as Amazon bestsellers and the most popular books in Goodreads.
1. Endurance: Shackletons Incredible Journey
By Alfred Lansingamazon | Goodreads
In August 1914, polar researcher Ernest Shackleton climbed the endurance and sailed towards Antarctica, where he planned the first crossing of the unknown continent. What developed should become the decisive saga of the "heroic age of Antarctic research". Lansing's book from 1959 (has been published since then) tells the shaking and miraculous journey of Shackleton and his team, while in one of the most amazing heroic heroism, they fight against the elements.
2. Scott and Amundsen: The last place on earth
By Roland Huntfordamazon | Goodreads
In the finest analysis of the infamous race of Amundsen and Scott to the South Pole, Huntford captures the driving ambitions of the era and the complex and often deeply faulty men who were commissioned to carry them out. It is also the only English -language work on this topic based on the Norwegian original sources.
3. South: The story of Shackleton's expedition 1914-1917
By Ernest Shackletonamazon | Goodreads
old = "south cover"
Recently reissued as a Penguin Modern Classic, South is the story of Shackleton's exceptional performance, which is told in his own words. First published in 1919, Shackleton methodically describes the entire spectacular expedition. The report can sometimes be slow, but is still captivating and remains one of the most popular books about the Antarctic.
4. Last man off: A true story of disasters and survival on the oceans of Antarctica
By Matt Lewisamazon | Goodreads
The Antarctic waters, 1998. 23-year-old Lewis has just started his dream job on board a deep-sea fishing boat. A storm comes up. Since the captain is missing and the crew is forced to leave the ship, Lewis leads the escape to three life ramparts, where the struggle for survival begins.
5. Swimming in the Antarctic: Stories of a long -distance swimmer
By Lynne Coxamazon | Goodreads
Cox was the first person to swam through the Magellanstrasse, one of the most treacherous waters in the world. After a series of record-breaking performances, she was the first person to swam a mile in zero-degree water. This is your story.
Atlas & BootsPenguins regularly occur in our favorite books via the Antarctic
6. Away with the Penguins / How the Penguins Saved Veronica (US title)
By Hazel Prioramazon | Goodreads
In this novel, the 85-year-old Veronica McCreedy is alienated from her family and wants to find a good reason to leave her fortune. After watching a documentary about penguins, she travels to the fictional island of Locket in Antarctica, where she convinces the reserved team to save an orphaned penguin. It becomes part of life on the base and Veronica's closed heart begins to open.
7. The worst journey in the world
By APSLEY Cherry Garrardamazon | Goodreads
Written by the youngest member of Scott's unfortunate expedition to the South Pole, The Worst Journey in the World has received a lot of praise for his open treatment of the difficulties of expedition, the causes of its catastrophic outcome and the meaning (if available). human suffering under such extreme conditions. Later Cherry Garrard was located in the search team who found Scott and his men who died of hunger and cold a long time ago.
8. Terra Incognita: Travel to the Antarctic
By Sara Wheeleramazon | Goodreads
Terra Incognita is a modern classic to explore and understand the Antarctic. The book is a meditation about the landscape, myths and history of one of the most remote parts of the earth. The book also reports on an encounter with the international temporary residents of the region, as they manage to live in close isolation, as well as the mechanics of everyday life under such conditions.
9. Cold: Extreme adventure at the lowest temperatures of the earth
By Ranulph Fiennesamazon | Goodreads
Fiennes has spent a large part of his life researching and working under the conditions of extreme cold. The loss of several of his fingers due to frostbite is proof of the horrors that discoverers are exposed to at such dangerous temperatures. This book examines the eventful history of the attempts to discover and understand these dangerous regions, from the early trips of Cook, Ross, Weddell, Amundsen, Shackleton and Franklin to Sir Ranulph's extraordinary achievements.
10. Antarctic: A novel
By Kim Stanley Robinsonamazon | Goodreads
A science fiction work with a number of characters on the McMurdo station, the largest settlement in Antarctica, at a time when the international contract is about to protect the continent. While politicians argue about their fate, large companies begin to loot the resources of the Antarctic, while radical environmentalists carry out a hidden sabotage campaign to recapture the country from those who would destroy it for profit reasons.
Atlas & BootsBooks about the Antarctic are often inspired by their impressive landscapes
11. Warrior at the end of the world: The Belgica journey into the dark antarctic night
by Julian Sanconamazon | Goodreads
The shattering survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly wrong, in which the ship frozen in the ice and the crew was included in it for the entire sunless Antarctic winter. In darkness, plagued by a mysterious illness and her thoughts devastated by the sound of dozens of rats that swarmed in the cargo room, they fell crazy.
12. In the Antarctic alone
By Felicity Astonamazon | Goodreads
Felicity Aston, physicist and meteorologist, took two months free of any human contact when she became the first woman-and only the third person in history-who crossed the entire Antarctic continent alone on skis. Within a few days, frozen into her facial mask and thinking about what she pulled to such a place, she fights against the desperate weather as she pulls heavy sled. She wakes up every morning and believes that you are not facing another day because the expedition becomes a race against time to reach the coast before the last departure.
13. Lean case stand
By Jon McGregoramazon | Goodreads
alt = "lean case stand cover"
In this novel, Doc Wright is stationed at the fictional station K near the Byrd glacier in Antarctic when his team is lost in an ice storm. He survives, but something went wrong in his head. At home he is the only one who can explain what happened in the Antarctic. But after what has changed, everything has lost its meaning. Now his wife Anna has to become his supervisor and he has to find a new way to be in the world. He can only try to tell his story - even if he lacks the words.
14. Mrs. Chippy's last expedition: The remarkable journey of Shackletons Polarbound Cat
By Caroline Alexanderamazon | Goodreads
When Shackleton's ship endurance was caught in the Antarctic ice, all 29 crew members were brought to their limits, including MRS Chippy, the ship's cat. Fortunately, Ms. Chippy left a diary. Based on the real events of Shackleton's trip and illustrated with original expedition photographs, the book offers a unique perspective on one of the greatest adventures in history.
15. The darkness
By Emma Haightonamazon | Goodreads
In this novel, the doctor Kate North takes the opportunity to work as an emergency representative on the UN research station in Antarctic. The previous doctor died on the ice in a tragic accident. But when it gets completely dark for winter, she begins to suspect that his death was no coincidence. In the most inhospitable environment and cut off from the rest of the world, a killer is at large.
Atlas & BootsBooks about the Antarctica aim to map this extraordinary place
16. Race to the pole: Conquest of Antarctica in the toughest long -distance race in the world
By Ben Fogle and James Cracknellamazon | Goodreads
In 2009, six teams of adventurers and discoverers gathered to race to the South Pole on foot. It is the first time in almost 100 years that someone has done such a race: since Amundsen Scott defeated the same goal in 1911. The two -time Olympic gold medalist James Cracknell and the television presenter and adventurer Ben Fogle have to manage 800 km ice cream, temperatures of -45 ° C, hidden glacier columns, frostbite and the favorites for victory: a team of former soldiers from Norway, who were trained in the Arctic war management.
17th ice skating into the Antarctic
By Jenny Diskiamazon | Goodreads
Alt = "Book cover ice skating into the Antarctic"
This strange but humorous travel report shows Diski's daughter Chloe, who encourages disci to uncover what has become of her own alienated mother. The memoirs switch between a pilgrimage to Antarctic and a private trip to Diski's own thoughts and memories.
18. Erebus: The history of a ship
By Michael Palinamazon | Goodreads
After discovering the wreck in 2014, Michael Palin wrote this excellent biography of the sailing ship HMS Erebus. The book follows the ship from its stacking in 1826 through the journey of discovery, which led to fame in Antarctic, including the transport of people to the south than ever before, until its final catastrophe in the Arctic.
19. The birthday children
By beryl bainbridgamazon | Goodreads
The Birthday Boys, a fictitious retelling of Scotts to fail, uses the expedition of five men on the trip to convey different perspectives of the expedition. Scott, Petty Officer Taff Evans, ship doctor Dr. Edward Wilson, Lieutenant Henry Bowers and Captain Lawrence Oates each report on the hardships, the conflicts and finally the failure of the entire undertaking.
20. Alone
By Richard E. Byrdamazon | Goodreads
The history of the Antarctic expedition of the American discoverer Admiral Byrd in 1934 immediately became a bestseller after its publication. He was already an international hero after flowning the first flights over the North and South Pole. His plan for this latest adventure was to spend six months alone at the end of the world and collect weather data. It is not surprising that things went terribly wrong.
Mission statement: Atlas & Boots
.