Customer Reviews

Antarctica 2041: My Quest to Save the Earth's Last Wilderness

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I can appreciate Robert Swan's enthusiasm for the environment, I really can. And I agree with his overall principles. But couldn't he have at least written (or co-written) an interesting account? By the time you get past the recounting of his walks to the South and North Poles, you almost want to say "is that all there is?"

It's nice that Swan's inspiration for his adventures comes from the 1948 movie "Scott of the Antarctic", but by the 28th time that he refers to it you have to wonder how often he mentioned it to his fellow adventurers during the long nights in a frozen tent.

The details just aren't there. Two polar treks and the efforts in putting them together consume only about a hundred pages or so. I've gleened more insight into endurance and adventures at cocktail parties. Had he been the sole author, I might just chalk it up to poor writing ability. But he had the assistance of Gil Reavill, a writer of experience. Were there collaboration problems?

Nonetheless, Swan's message about the fragility of our polar regions and their importance to our daily life is not one that should be discounted. Unfortunately, there are a lot of far more interesting works that convey the same message.

Just a quick note - The uncorrected proof I am reviewing was very flimsy and pages were falling out left and right through my reading of this book. As this is an Advance Reading Copy and not the for sale copy, this will not affect my review, but just a head's up to readers that the binding of their copy might be just as weak.

I really enjoyed reading this book, as I've always had a sense of wonder when it came to Antartica. Although I was happy to read about Robert Swan's walks across both the Artic and Antartic, I was a bit disappointed that so little of the book was about Antartica itself and the problems that currently plague this (mostly) untouched tundra. Instead the book really focuses on both the explorers that came before Swan which made such an impression on his psyche that he decided to follow in their footsteps and Swan's own trips to the coldest places on Earth. Only about a third of the book actually features Swan's "Quest to Save the Earth's Last Wilderness." Now don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Swan's recollections of his life and how he could have had a typical British Upper Middle Class life without any real cares, goals or dreams and traded that in for a life of adventure and trying to get people to be passionate about a part of the planet they will most likely never see. However, I wanted a lot more substance on what is going on with Antartica. Instead, these aspects were only barely touched on and most of that space was devoted to stories about raising awareness through boat races or condom useage in Africa. Again, these are well told and fun to read about, but nothing within the title of the book is ever more than glanced over, which is a bit of a misnomer in my opinion.

I loved learning about the treks and what Swan has done to introduce Antartica to children, but I would have really liked more depth about Antartica and less about his own personal life and battle with booze.

Good book, but know what you are in for before sitting down with it.

Robert Swan, the first person to have walked both the North and South Poles, and Gil Reavill, coauthor of "Tiki" by Tiki Barber, and "Steve and Me" by Terri Irwin, have collaborated in this effort to create an exciting adventure story and a highly readable glimpse into the history, discovery, and early explorations of the polar regions of Antarctica.

A look at Swan's own biographical history reveals how during his childhood he watched movies of the swashbuckling heroic explorers and of his personal admiration of James Clark Ross, Robert F. Scott, Ernest Shakleton, and Roald Amundsen.

In an attempt to pay tribute to these men Swan organized an expedition tracing their historical exploits in his own walk to the South Pole. In an unexpected twist of fate, Swan's successful accomplishment met with financial failure.

Swan persisted and committed himself to be an influence in creating a change in the current environmental trends resulting from greenhouse-gas emissions leading to global warming and a cataclysmic world crisis.

In 2041 the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty is scheduled to be reviewed and potentially may be modified. Swan has organized Antarctica 2041 in an effort to insure the continued protection of the Antarctic Treaty to preserve this last great wilderness to be conserved for future generations.

I cannot attest to the scientific or historical accuracy nor provide an adequate analysis of Swan's conclusions, however, his message is convincing. I appreciated his self deprecating humor, his persistence and tenacity in pursuing his dreams, his insights into sustained leadership, and his careful detail to the history of polar explorations and expeditions.

Gil's Reavill's writing style and communication skills are unimpeachable. I was hooked by the middle of the second page.

I have a facination with Antartica and a secret love for it. Following Robert Swan's journey and his heart felt activism to save this untamed, mostly untouched spot on the earth moved me to think about how much more I can do to save our Earth. Afterall, where else are we going to go? The tale of someone's love of "Scott of Antartica," a movie which aired once a year on BBC chronicling Captain Robert F. Scott's doomed expedition to the South Pole to a full blown environmental activist dedicated to saving the coldest, windiest place on the planet...and the rest of our home, the planet Earth.

Swan makes his case of the need for all of us to join in the race against time. Time when it is too late to do anything to restore our planet to a place to be enjoyed by future generations...or possibly any one of us.

Part autobiography, part travel diary, Robert Swan attempts to share his passion for the arctic environment with the average reader who most likely will never go there and probably has little reason to care; in large part, he succeeds in conveying that passion to his audience. However, the book itself seems to meander, and Swan can't seem to decide whether or not the work is about his quest to save Antarctica or an autobiography of his multiple expeditions to the South Pole. The first of his expeditions, In the Footsteps of Scott, occupies the first half of the book, whereas the expeditions that involve his work to clean up Bellingshausen Station receives only the barest mention. One would have expected the latter to occupy a significantly greater place in the overall work. This is not to suggest that Swan's work is not readable: far from that, and even the most casual reader will enjoy the work. The narrative is fast-paced, and the chapters do a sufficiently fine job of keeping the reader in suspense from one section to the next. Nevertheless, the book that was advertised on the cover is not the book that is in the pages, a minor quibble in itself. However, it is unlikely that without the ecological title and narrative focus on adventure that the book would be able to sufficiently distinguish itself from the myriad of other co-written autobiographies available on the market today.

"Antarctica 2041" is an inspirational memoir from Robert Swan, a leading environmentalist who is working to protect the earth's last remaining unspoiled wilderness. Chronicling his personal journey from youthful adventurer to influential environmental activist and motivational speaker, this exceptionally well-written book shows how the personal can become the political in an uniquely powerful way. Blending his fascinating adventure narratives with profound insights into the environmental challenges currently facing humanity, Mr. Swan's entertaining and informative text deserves to be read by a wide audience.

Much of the book reads a bit like Thor Heyerdahl's adventure classic 'Kon-Tiki'. Mr. Swan recalls his fascination with the great explorers who charged his youthful imagination. The author vividly chronicles his own expedition, 'In the Footsteps of Scott' where he and his traveling companions successfully walked to the south pole without the benefit of any outside assistance. Importantly, we come to understand how the effects of pollution in the harsh arctic landscape permanently changed the author's physical characteristics and outlook, an experience that inspired him to dedicate the remainder of his adult life to the environment.

The latter part of the book recounts how Mr. Swan found his voice while continuing to pursue his passion. After organizing a walk to the north pole, Mr. Swan came to believe that his adventuring could be leveraged to focus the public's attention on the environmental crisis. Since this realization, Mr. Swan has sailed an energy-efficient sailboat around the world to discuss renewable energy and climate change; established an 'e-base' in Antartica to communicate environmental information to schoolchildren; taken a sailboat onto dry land in Africa to raise AIDS awareness; and most significantly, organized the group 'Antarctica 2041' of which this book is intended to promote. Mr. Swan hopes the next generation will be prepared to make the right kinds of decisions both today and in the year 2041, when the treaty designating the continent's status as a neutral, protected territory will be up for renewal.

Bringing a much-needed measure of adventure, excitement and possibility to the sometimes depressing subject of the environment, Mr. Swan's book is highly recommended for everyone.

I expected this to be a book on how global warming and climate change are affecting Antarctica. It is that, but it is much more. There are plenty of science books out there, with all the facts and figures to convince us that the planet is in trouble. This one is also a personal adventure story, written by the first person to walk to both the South and North Poles. As such, it will have a much greater appeal to the young people whom Robert Swan is trying to reach than a regular science book. Although this is not a "juvenile" book as such, he makes it very clear that it is the youth that we must activate now. Why? Because they will be the decision-makers in 2041 -- The year that the 1991 hands-off-Antarctica treaty comes up for review. Hence the title of the book.

This is not a self-aggrandizing memoir. Far from it. Swan writes with a down-to-earth, straight forward style that tells it like it is -- warts and all. He describes his failures as well as successes, and writes with humor and a great sense of the absurd. Such as the brass band that saw the expedition off with a rousing Sousa march that just happened to also be the theme song of the Monty Python comedy show. Or a rather embarrassing blunder at Irongate Wharf -- but I'll let you read that for yourself.

Swan did not start out as an environmental activist. His trek to the South Pole in 1985 was intended as a personal adventure and a tribute to his lifelong hero, the British explorer, Captain Robert F. Scott, who made the same trek in 1911-1912. Swan's expedition, "In the Footsteps of Scott," had been his goal ever since the day when, at the age of 11, he saw the 1947 British documentary, "Scott of the Antarctic." Filmed in Norway, the movie was, in Swan's words, "a straight-ahead hero story" -- one that caught young Robert's imagination and became a lifelong obsession. (So much so, that I found myself wondering if Swan might be a reincarnation of Captain Scott. Of course, Swan does not say this, and it would probably ruin his credibility if he ever made such a claim, but the thought did cross my mind.)

The environment was, at that time, much farther from Swan's mind than the day-to-day struggle to survive and keep going in the most grueling climate in the world. But, as luck would have it, the hole in the ozone layer was discovered around that same time. Exposure to the unfiltered rays of the sun had turned Swan's eyes from blue to grey. Back home on the speaking circuit, people began asking him about the ozone hole, and he began paying more attention to climate issues. Still, it was more words than action. The real commitment did not come until his second expedition, to walk to the North Pole. Starting out in April, they expected to cross a firm, solid ice pack. Instead, they found places with open water -- a thaw that should not be happening until August.

Little by little, Swan was moving toward his real life's work, to educate the public, and especially the next generation, about the coming global disasters if we do not change our ways. The ice pack in Antarctica, he explains, is 10,000 feet thick in places - -that's TWO MILES! If it ever melts, the oceans will rise 200 feet. Goodbye civilization. But the book is not all doom and gloom. There is hope. As Swan points out, there was a time when whale oil was as "essential" to the economy as petroleum is now. When we began running out of whales, we found another fuel. Now that we are running out of oil, we must change fuels again. To demonstrate this, Swan has set up a station in Antarctica that is built entirely of recycled and reused materials. It runs only only on wind and, in the summer, solar power. His boat, the 2041, also runs on sustainable energy, with sails made from recycled plastic. The message: if he can do it in Antarctica, we can do it in the temperate zones.

All in all, I found this to be a very good read. And, as I said above, it should appeal to high school students as well as adults. The narrative is well-written and moves along nicely, with the science elements smoothly woven in, as well as some good lessons on sustainable leadership. The result is an excellent read that makes its points without being preachy.

This is the kind of nonfiction book everyone wants to read. That's because Robert Swan loves something so much that in writing about it, he makes us love it too. I am referring, of course, to Antarctica. It's a treat to come upon someone's passion that so affects us, we feel our own inner life start to heat up.

There might be a dozen or so reasons why anyone might want to read an adventure memoir. All of those reasons are here in "Antarctica 2041." You will get a taste of history, foolishness, romance, failure, little known tidbits of famous people and events, humor, philosophy, science facts, spiritual observations, conflicts and clashes, psychological revelations, peril, courage, and advocacy. Who could ask for more? I mean, really?

Here's some examples: did you know that the Nazis took time out of decimating Jews and others in WWII to fly down to the South Pole and drop little metal swastikas to establish their future territorial claim to Antarctica? Little did they know they had no future, but the very idea is scary.

Try this paragraph for philosophy: "Some birds fly to live, other birds live to fly. That's how to do it, I thought, watching the albatross. Use the forces in the environment around you. Don't expend a shred of extra energy. Glide. Don't force it. The best way to get by in the harsh polar environment of Antarctica (and maybe everywhere else, too)."

I do have a few complaints, the biggest one being that the book isn't long enough. I guess that's the perfect sign of a good book when the reader wants more! However, I didn't get enough of his cohorts, some of whom are memorable only for their name and their skill. They appeared fascinating and I wondered why Swan didn't include more personal information about them. Rebecca certainly got short shrift. She must have done something more than just stand on the boat. After all, she almost died for him. Also, he spent two years sailing around Africa with African students, but not one story does he tell about it. Maybe that's a book in itself.

I think Swan was remiss to not let us know what his father's response was to his first success. We already knew of the drama between them and the old man's refusal to help. What did he think of his son's amazing first trek? And, of course, we wondered if Swan ever paid off that million two of debt.

Most of the book is written with clarity except Swan doesn't entirely make it clear why he quit on his parasailing trip. It doesn't come across. It's a bit of a shock.

Lastly, I love the fact that a map was placed in the front of the book, but for god's sake, if you're going to do that have a decent one that actually relates to the locations you are writing about. It's like dressing a man up in the most elegant tuxedo and then putting flipflops on his feet. A big disappointment, that map.

If you hate getting sledgehammered with an "issue," don't worry. Reading this book is much more like being tickled by feathers. Remember, though, feathers have sharp quills attached. Robert Swan hopes the little pricks you feel from time to time cause you to stop laughing and smiling for a minute and come into the aura of his passionate need to save the world, beginning with Antarctia. He definitely hopes you join him. Perhaps after reading his book, you will. Time is short; don't wait.

I'm always a little scared when reviewing books that have political overtones because it always seems to provoke some sort of visceral reaction from people who are more into pushing their ideology instead of focusing on the book. Sometimes, it's important to read a book and learn from it, even when you don't agree with it.

I'm not sure that I entirely agree with some of Robert Swan's political ideas regarding greenhouse gases and global warming. That being said, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy reading his book about his treks to Antarctica.

The first half of the book which focused on the challenge of financing and launching a trek to the bottom of the globe was quite fascinating. As an American, I don't have the historical background of the legend and life of English explorer Captain Scott, so I found this part of the book incredibly interesting. I was also captivated of his descriptions of the challenges he faced in raising the money and then of the physical challenges of the actual voyages. The level of detail and interest at the beginning of the book wasn't quite matched by the end and the various conclusions, but it should keep your interest.

Of course, this book is more than just a travelogue and it eventually addresses the issues of greenhouse gases and global warming. I'm not a Neanderthal conservative who denies there's a problem; however I have major misgivings about some of the "solutions" that are often suggested to address the problem. Strangely enough - (and I was relieved),
Swan manages to make his points well without becoming overly preachy and I think he succeeds in raising the issue and encouraging readers to consider the issue.

Overall a solid book in terms of being an autobiography - less so in terms of it addressing major issues. No matter what your position on the topic of global warming, there's something in here to like for just about everyone.

There is not much I can write about this book that you do not already know without having read it. It is a call to help save Antarctica from environmental disaster. A noble cause that in this case makes for a rather dull read. I would suggest that you save your money and simply read the reviews. You are not going to learn much from reading this book.

The value it has, and why I give it three stars and recommend it to younger readers, is its tone. It is written in a rather cheerful style, almost like an adventure book. Despite the theme, it has a decidedly optimistic feel to it that might very well resonate with youth and perhaps inspire rather than terrify. There is a hint of early 20th century can-do spirit that is pretty rare these days and should be supported when encountered.

I wish I could be more positive. I really wanted to like this book but ultimately it is quite forgettable.