A Fabulous Kingdom: The Exploration of the Arctic - Hardcover

"A brisk-paced survey of a fascinating subject, A Fabulous Kingdom provides an engaging introduction to the history of Arctic exploration--with the occasional dash to the Antarctic thrown in for good measure. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and proceeding to the present, Officer and Page bring to life the passion and perseverance--and, at times, the folly and foolhardiness--that animated the mariners, explorers, and scholars who sought to unlock the secrets of the polar world. The authors' scientific backgrounds provide their history with a solid grounding--and a definite sense of place--that are particularly welcome. Portraits of familiar figures such as Nansen, Amundsen, Cook, and Peary are well-drawn, and a host of lesser-known characters come to life as well."--John McCannon, author of Red Arctic: Polar Exploration and the Myth of the North in the Soviet UNion "A brisk-paced survey of a fascinating subject, A Fabulous Kingdom provides an engaging introduction to the history of Arctic exploration--with the occasional dash to the Antarctic thrown in for good measure. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and proceeding to the present, Officer and Page bring to life the passion and perseverance--and, at times, the folly and foolhardiness--that animated the mariners, explorers, and scholars who sought to unlock the secrets of the polar world. The authors' scientific backgrounds provide their history with a solid grounding--and a definite sense of place--that are particularly welcome. Portraits of familiar figures such as Nansen, Amundsen, Cook, and Peary are well-drawn, and a host of lesser-known characters come to life as well."--John McCannon, author of Red Arctic: Polar Exploration and the Myth of the North in the Soviet UNion "A brisk-paced survey of a fascinating subject, A Fabulous Kingdom provides an engaging introduction to the history of Arctic exploration--with the occasional dash to the Antarctic thrown in for good measure. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and proceeding to the present, Officer and Page bring to life the passion and perseverance--and, at times, the folly and foolhardiness--that animated the mariners, explorers, and scholars who sought to unlock the secrets of the polar world. The authors' scientific backgrounds provide their history with a solid grounding--and a definite sense of place--that are particularly welcome. Portraits of familiar figures such as Nansen, Amundsen, Cook, and Peary are well-drawn, and a host of lesser-known characters come to life as well."--John McCannon, author of Red Arctic: Polar Exploration and the Myth of the North in the Soviet UNion "A brisk-paced survey of a fascinating subject, A Fabulous Kingdom provides an engaging introduction to the history of Arctic exploration--with the occasional dash to the Antarctic thrown in for good measure. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and proceeding to the present, Officer and Page bring to life the passion and perseverance--and, at times, the folly and foolhardiness--that animated the mariners, explorers, and scholars who sought to unlock the secrets of the polar world. The authors' scientific backgrounds provide their history with a solid grounding--and a definite sense of place--that are particularly welcome. Portraits of familiar figures such as Nansen, Amundsen, Cook, and Peary are well-drawn, and a host of lesser-known characters come to life as well."--John McCannon, author of Red Arctic: Polar Exploration and the Myth of the North in the Soviet UNion

This volume covers the history of the exploration of the Arctic, beginning with the earliest Norse sailors and concluding with 1990s tourist excursions. The authors also explore the stories of such famous explorers as Frobisher, Franklin, Peary, Cook, Byrd, and Amudsen. Along the way, they debunk some fo the conventional wisdom about the most exalted heroes, pointing out that Fridtjof Nansen was probably the greatest Arctic explorer. Setting the scene for the narratives is a broad description of the Arctic environment, focusing on geography and climate.