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REVIEWS FOR THE STORIED ICE
. . . a riveting read. . .
—Midwest Library Review
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Even the most hardened Antarctic aficionado will enjoy this freshly written [and] . . . important book. . . . a “must read” for anyone going to the Antarctic Peninsula. . . . beautifully written . . .
—Antarctican Society Newsletter
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“. . . an impressively well researched, highly readable history of the Antarctic Peninsula”
—Longitude Books
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. . . a welcome new book to the Antarctic (and South Georgia) library. . . [about] the part of the Antarctic richest in history. Without having to worry about the “Race to the Pole’ conducted on the other side of the continent, Boothe can devote more space to expeditions that tend to get overlooked. . . . A cruise ship lecturer who had an early draft used it as an “invaluable and concise reference. So shall I!
—The South Georgia Newsletter
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. . . this will become the handbook to use when referring to the history of this part of the Antarctic, for visitors to the Peninsula as well as to those more deeply interested in the background of the area, including South Georgia and the other parts of the former Falkland Islands Dependencies, and it fills an important gap in every Antarctic library. . . a must for anybody interested in South Georgia, the sub-Antarctic islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula from a historical point of view.
—Polar Post and Upland Goose
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Every now and then a book comes along that deserves a standing ovation – a big “wow” – the rare one that relates history in a way that grips your attention and takes you along for the ride. . . . This book is Antarctic history in a capsule, from Magellan to the 21st century – a spellbinding, riveting story of the expeditions, and the men, that explored [the Antarctic]. . . . a skillfully written and brilliantly researched bit of Antarctic history – a journey through time, with amazing men who embarked upon astonishing voyages, told as a story that takes you into the minds and souls of these early explorers. It brings you with them, never leaving you behind on the shore, waving good-bye as they depart on their adventure. Through the use of numerous illustrations, photographs and maps, you know what these men looked like, what their ships looked like, the path of their expedition, and what they saw and felt in their quest for profit, fame or scientific and geographic discovery. . . .
—The Petaluma Post
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. . . Most polar literature focuses on the Australian/New Zealand side of the continent where the more famous explorers focused their attention. The Peninsula has its own, possibly more varied history of exploration, conflict, disaster, and discovery that Boothe weaves together wonderfully. Best book for understanding the human history of the region around Palmer Station, where I live.
—Micaela Neus, Palmer Station Staffer, 2011-12 season
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An Endorsement, not a review, from Dr. Arthur Ford, the author of the article on Antarctica in the Encyclopedia Britannica
This new book has arrived just in time for the worldwide celebrations marking the centennial of the southern summer of Amundsen’s successful 1911 and Scott’s tragic 1912 “race” to the Pole. These celebrations will whet public appetite to learn of Antarctica’s history. The rich lore of exploration of that continent is exceptionally well covered in a very interesting and readable fashion in Boothe’s book. . . . Numerous other recent histories cover the well-known Ross Sea side of the continent, but Boothe’s is the only one aimed for the Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea — the region rich in controversy over discovery of the continent — and the one visited by the most tourists by far. . . . The Storied Ice has no equal on the market and . . . I strongly recommend it. . . .
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Excerpts from Reader Reviews
Posted on Amazon.com
(As of April 23, eight reviews have been posted, all of which are 5 stars out of 5 possible)
GREAT book! For me, of all the many history books about Antarctica that I have read, it is the BEST history book about exploration there that I have ever read!! . . . great writing style and inclusion of so many maps and illustrations. . . . deals with each Antarctic explorer or expedition in capsule form of only a few pages, thus hitting the needed highlights and not requiring the reader to read an entire book about each one in order to learn what they did and how they fit into the history of the region. . . . Each chapter ends with a tie-in to the next chapter, so the book reads as a narrative from beginning to end. . .
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. . . While there seem to be many books on various expeditions to the Antarctic, there are few that consolidate all of them into a very readable and concise history. This book accomplishes that and more, with extensive notes and references about not only the initial discoveries, but also the modern scientific explorations as well. I heartily recommend this book as a comprehensive guide to the amazing history of the Antarctic peninsula. . . . very readable, especially for those with little knowledge of the area. . . .
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. . . a superb distillation and presentation of the history of exploration of Antarctica, with the focus on the . . . Antarctic Peninsula and Weddell Sea areas. . . . highly readable, with a narrative that moves and puts things in context, encapsulates all the important information for each expedition. . . . gives the reader a sense of the "personality" of each expedition. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough to anyone interested in either the exploration of the region as a whole or the particulars of a specific expedition.
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. . . a terrific, long-needed book describing the human history of the Antarctic Peninsula. . . . The title is apt - there are many stories. . . Thanks to [The Storied Ice] . . . for meticulously putting together all the pieces into a compelling history. . . . The chapters tell good stories about the various players and are exceptionally well-written and easy to read, with the right amount of historically important detail along with points of human interest. (I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes about the pets). . . . And, unlike most Antarctic histories . . . Boothe has helpfully included detailed maps of the area under discussion, with labels that actually match the text. . . . also includes extremely helpful summary tables at the end - a timeline of events in the Peninsula, concurrent events in other parts of Antarctica, and relevant events around the world. . . [and] a table of "firsts" . . . .. Who would like this book? Well . . . any polar history buff. And, for certain, any of the thousands of annual tourists to the region who will be impressed by the natural history, but who often may be poorly informed about the human history. But, it can also easily be enjoyed by any student of history, particularly history of human scientific endeavor and exploration for commercial gain (think whaling) so it's not just for the polar crowd. . . . The Storied Ice is not just a set of good stories, but it's an outstanding reference book. The author is to be commended for her non-partisanship - all countries are treated equally - and for her amazing work pulling together so much information into such a useable book.
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Most books about the Antarctic focus on one piece of its history, e.g., the Terra Nova or the Endurance expeditions. This is an excellent book encompassing the entire history of discoveries about the Seventh Continent. The author has clearly worked hard to have the maps match the narrative, ensuring that even the novice Antarctiac can follow the expeditions' progress. . . . A highly recommended, well researched, and well illustrated addition to the literature.
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Awesome book. . . . It reads like a story, but it's pure history, with insights from assorted explorers and observers beautifully woven in. I loved it and intend to share it widely.
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. . . a wonderfully written book about a part of the world I knew very little about until reading it. I got it because a friend recommended it, and I'm really glad I did. . . . packed with amazing adventures about fascinating people. Exploration, discovery, adventure, as the title says, it's all here. But there's so much more as well, about the people who were there, the scientific work, the wildlife, the sights of the Antarctic. The historical pictures are great, and the maps of the explorers' routes, each in its relevant chapter rather than inconveniently grouped as in so many history books, really helped me understand where the events took place. If you're going to visit the Antarctic Peninsula, you really need to read this book. And if you're not going there, you will still enjoy it. It's a great armchair traveler read.