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In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the U.S.S. Jeannette
In the Kingdom of Ice The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette
Author: Hampton Sides
In the late nineteenth century, people were obsessed by one of the last unmapped areas of the globe: the North Pole. No one knew what existed beyond the fortress of ice rimming the northern oceans, although theories abounded. The foremost cartographer in the world, a German named August Petermann, believed that warm currents sustained a verdant ...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780385535373
ISBN-10: 0385535376
Publication Date: 8/5/2014
Pages: 480
Rating:
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
 8

3.9 stars, based on 8 ratings
Publisher: Doubleday
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 9
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the U.S.S. Jeannette on + 1453 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
"On July 8, 1879, Captain George Washington De Long and his team of thirty-two men set sail from San Francisco on the USS Jeanette." A summary? A beginning? No, it's a historical statement documenting an an outstanding story about men who seek to find a path through North Pole ice. Dreams are made of such stuff that De Long and his colleagues hoped to fulfill. With careful research with the lure of arctic always before him, De Long gathered a carefully selected crew.

De Long is so human, so careful and so driven and the tale is so wonderfully told woven with historical facts that one feels one is on the Jeannette with the waves sloshing against her sides and the wind blowing into the sails. And the ship glides toward her destiny with its determined dreamers.

Better than any fiction book I've read, I devoured it quickly from start to finish.

Such meaningful stories should be told and always shared with readers who glory in them.
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lorenef avatar reviewed In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the U.S.S. Jeannette on + 82 more book reviews
I didn't realize I had ordered this in the audio CD version but I am a quilter and I do like to listen to audio books while I'm sewing. It held my attention so much that I didn't want to stop listening to it. It's a fascinating story of endurance and discovery; very well written.
virgosun avatar reviewed In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the U.S.S. Jeannette on + 888 more book reviews
One of the most amazing accounts of an arctic expedition I've read. The poor crew's experience is nightmarish. The story's a bit long but utterly engrossing and well worth the time spent for anyone who's even a little curious in early arctic voyages. I had hoped for a better outcome for the Jeannette, but there were survivors though it came at a huge price. The tale is haunting. Highlights are the in-depth character backgrounds, attention to detail (all those surviving records!), and the various photos and maps.

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