Land of Wondrous Cold

Reviews

"Evocative and vivid."---Steven Carroll, Sydney Morning Herald "Like Antarctica itself: dynamic and unexpected, but always fascinating."---Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine "In a book that is both science and adventure story, Land of Wondrous Cold weaves together the human and natural history of the Antarctic by connecting early Victorian explorers and their discoveries with ancient and modern geological findings."---Midge Raymond, EcoLit Books "This highly readable book takes a set of nineteenth-century interrelated exploration voyages to Antarctica and juxtaposes their stories with one of contemporary scientific discovery. By looking at lesser-known expeditions alongside engaging and current scientific elements, Land of Wondrous Cold makes a significant contribution."—Michael Bentley, Durham University "Antarctica has long been the weathervane of the planet, and is now the canary in the coal mine of climate change. Switching between the Victorian age of Antarctic discovery—of which far less has been written about than the so-called heroic age of Antarctica—and present scientific discoveries, Land of Wondrous Cold fuses Antarctic past and future in a timely, absorbing work of environmental history."—Jean McNeil, author of Ice Diaries: An Antarctic Memoir "Weaving together paleoclimatology, a narrative of nineteenth-century exploration, and modern sensibilities, Land of Wondrous Cold fills a niche for the historically minded reader. Filled with evocative storytelling, this is a good book for a long cruise to Antarctica."—James R. Fleming, Colby College "Three nations sent expeditions to the Antarctic in the late 1830s and early 1840s. This fascinating account describes their members’ heroism and often disastrous experiences without ignoring the significant discoveries that followed. . . . Outstanding history accompanied by outstanding popular science." "In a radical retelling of Antarctic exploration, Gillen D’Arcy Wood focuses on the fierce rivalry between the French, British, and American expeditions of the 1840s, and interweaves their stories with the chilling discoveries of modern scientists looking at the effects of global warming on the Antarctic ice cap. This is a marvelously engaging and important book that deserves to be widely read."—David Day, author of Antarctica: A Biography and Flaws in the Ice: In Search of Douglas Mawson "Antarctica has long beguiled those who sought to know this land and conquer it. Gillen D’Arcy Wood elegantly bridges the temporal divide between those stout-hearted nineteenth-century explorers who strove to penetrate its mysteries and their modern-day scientific counterparts who are working to unlock the secrets of Antarctic glacial history."—Joanna Kafarowski, author of The Polar Adventures of a Rich American Dame: A Life of Louise Arner Boyd "A historical account of Antarctic exploration during the mid- to late 1800s, Land of Wondrous Cold connects much of what the early explorers experienced with more recent scientific research. The perspectives offered by current scientific endeavors provide modern relevance to the explorers’ extraordinary efforts. Filled with numerous colorful descriptions and details, this is a rewarding book."—Robert Bindschadler, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Expand reviews