Customer Reviews

Frozen in Time

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While not perhaps a "must-have" for aficionados of the field of polar literature, this is nevertheless a very good book and is well suited as a sort of primer to those who have only a casual interest in the subject.

The book provides a brief outline of disappearance the Franklin Expedition on its quest for the Northwest Passage in the early 1800s and the aftermath of the search conducted by various international parties, government and otherwise. It then relates the events of three research expeditions undertaken by the author, a forensic anthropologist who was interested in finding and reviewing various skeletal remains originally discovered decades after the loss of the Franklin party.

Eventually, he concentrates his efforts on exhuming the frozen bodies of three crewmen who had died in the Franklin Expedition's first icebound season, before they had well and truly plunged irrevocably into tragedy. These men had been buried in well-prepared graves on a small island north of Canada's Hudson Bay. Even to this day, the bodies remain fantastically preserved, and the author was able to uncover intriguing evidence that suggests that the expedition did not succumb in a heroic struggle against the large and grand forces of nature, but rather fell to altogether more pedestrian and minute agents.

The exhumation and autopsy processes are well described, and the theory that later develops is explained simply enough for the layman to follow.

Perhaps the biggest strength of this book is the beautifully composed color photos that show the gravesites and the actual bodies. These pictures are truly stirring and invocative.

The maps are also nicely done. However, the book would have benefited from a timeline and from an additional map showing the location of various Franklin party remains and artifacts. It sometimes becomes difficult to recall who was found where and when, since as it turns out, the expedition members covered a lot of ground and some of them split up. With that exception, though, this is an interesting book and a quick but thought-provoking read.

This book provides an in-depth look into what really happened to the Franklin expedition when it left England in 1845 with 2 ships: the Erebus and the Terror. Led by Sir John Franklin, 129 men set sail in search for the Northwest Passage in the labyrinth of the Canada's arctic archipelago, the expedition boasted the most technologically advanced ship at that time with thousands of provisions that was to last for three years. After four years with no word from the expedition, the Royal Navy and the public decided to launch several search and rescue expeditions to locate the lost expedition. For several years, the rescue expeditions yielded only bits and pieces of the expedition's final days. One of the most significant finds in these rescue expeditions were 3 well-preserved corpses (due to the cold temperatures) of the Franklin expedition buried in one of the small rock islands dotting arctic Canada. Thus begin's the books forensic investigation as to what happened to the Franklin expedition. Beattie and his team exhumes the 3 corpses and conducts extensive autopsies of the remains. The book will make the reader feel as if he/she is part of the team. It never leaves the reader out of touch but rather it brings the reader into the experiences which the researchers felt as they moved closer to the truth. Great reading! One of the best true adventure books I have ever read. Pick it up!

The first time I heard about the Franklin expedition on Dr. Bob Brier's television documentary on mummies, I knew I had to learn more. Of course, the main cause of my fascination was the perfectly preserved bodies of the three sailors buried in 1846 on Beechy Island in the Canadian Arctic. The expedition set off in 1845 thoroughly equipped to find the elusive Northwest Passage. None of the 129 crewmen as well as Captain John Franklin survived. Years later expeditions were sent out to find out what happened to Franklin and his men. One search team in the 1850s led by M`Clintock, who was funded by Franklin's widow, discovered the only written record of the Franklin Expedition which gave a clue as to their progress and fate and a small boat with an odd array of articles and skeletons on King William Island. Headstones of three crewmen who died early in the expedition were also found on Beechy Island. The only conclusion that was made was that the men died of scurvy and starvation. In 1981, a team led by physical anthropologist Owen Beattie continued the investigation into the lost Franklin Expedition.

The reason this event was such a famous mystery was because Franklin's crew was so well prepared. Their two ships (HMS Terror and the HMS Erebus) were lavishly outfitted with survival equipment and supplies. Among their stock was a huge supply of canned foods (canning of foods being a recent practice at the time). Franklin once bragged that his provisions could stretch for 7 years (p. 18). In fact, empty tins littered the areas Franklin's crew camped. These artifacts proved clues to Beattie as to the fate of the Franklin expedition. Tests done on the lead level in bones found near Booth Point gave evidence that Franklin's men were poisoning themselves, weakening their bodies physically and impairing their decision-making. Beattie's team would exhume the bodies of the early Franklin deaths on Beechy Island to support this theory.

In addition to the exhumation and autopsies of the perfectly preserved bodies which is, of course, fascinating by itself, Beattie gives grisly details as to the evidence of cannibalism among the crew (p. 61), information on the sloppy soldering of the tin food cans (p. 113), and the rushed work of the Stephan Goldner company to fill the order for the canned foods (p. 159). A recreation of 20-year-old Chief Stoker John Torrington is described which even uses evidence found in his grave to show it was snowing lightly the day of his burial (pp. 123-7). It is unbelievable what scientists can find! One item I had not read before was that the odd choice of scriptures engraved on the headstones caused the team to first suspect foul play as the cause of the deaths (p. 93). The graves are a time capsule, and the Beattie team did an excellent job of learning from them yet also honoring them. The book includes amazing color photos of the bodies.

I have the 1987 out-of-print 180-page edition. This new edition appears to have additional information on other polar explorations giving all the more reason to check this book out. My copy ends with a comparison with the Challenger tragedy which is understandable as the 1986 disaster was still very fresh when this book was written. The big flaw with this comparison is that the powers-that-be in charge of launching Challenger knew of the dangers beforehand (even the specific warning about the fragility of the O-rings in frigid temperatures) and chose to ignore them. The Franklin Expedition really believed they were properly equipped with no idea of the fatal cargo they carried. There is a definite innocence about this tragedy on the part of all involved. They truly believed they would succeed. I also recommend the book Buried in Ice by the same authors. It is a juvenile book but has additional information not found in Frozen in Time, including photos of some of the articles used by the Franklin Expedition including a medicine chest and a complete food tin.

This work of nonfiction reads like a suspense thriller. I have read several nonfiction, survival books, "Yukon Alone" and "Into the Wild" and "frozen in time is at par with boh of these. There are very few slow sections, it flows very nicely. starting off with a few chapters of the history of the Northwest passage expeditions, and moves into the search for the three bodies of men involved in the Franklin expedition. Every chapter end will have you looking at the clock and hoping you have enough time to read the next. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys history and true life mysteries. Although if you have a week stomach, don't look at the pictures in the center, they are rather graffic.

Having had the luxury of actually communicating with Dr. Beattie and his team of their work, I can attest that they carried out their project professionally and with dignity. This is in contrast to many who tried or will try to answer the fate of the 129 (this field of research is ripe with many egos fighting for turf over which theory of their demise is correct, and the "glory" of finding that "holy grail" -- either Franklin's grave or his log books).

Dr. Beattie and team approached this project with a quest to forensically answer what may have killed everyone on the basis of toxic levels of lead found in disarticulated remains on King William Island (Kekertak) in a previous 1981 excavation. At the time they had a theory but needed to prove if the KWI specimens were indeed true or a fluke. Having gotten permission from the Canadian government to exhume the bodies (and after taking considerable time to try to locate relatives to gain permission to exhume the only properly interred remains on Beechey Island -- although not mentioned in the book, John Shaw Torrington appears to be last descendent of his line, having no siblings [his mom died in childbirth]), they proceeded to exhume Torrington and partially Hartnell in 1984. In 1986, with a larger and more technical team of experts, they conducted an even more thorough exhumation (showned very well on Nova's "Buried in Ice" documentary) of Hartnell and Braine.

This book offers a brief history of the 1845-48 Sir John Franklin Northwest Passage Expedition, and goes on to detail the 1981 excavations on King William Island, the 1984 and 1986 Beechey Island exhumations, then concludes with the lab results (further proving that the lead exposure was indeed from the cans, not just the environment). The big mystery still about that finding is if indeed everyone had such high lead levels, or only the sick (who more than likely were fed "better" tinned provisions) were so grossly affected.

Strongly recommend readers in getting this book and deduct the evidence themselves (this book does read like a True Crime novel), then to make up your own mind if the medical evidence is enough to answer the fate of the 129. For who knows, someone out there [you] may indeed have an answer that eluded many for almost 200 years.

[A special thank you to Dr. Beattie, Dr. Amy, Brian Spencerley, and Joelee Nunqag for your communications, insights and materials to flesh out your work. BTW, another photocopy observation -- Recheck Braine's plaque and what I mentioned in a 1993 letter, with the recent copper finding off of KWI. Very much related. :x ]

I loved this book! Well written for even the historical novice. Fascinating tale of hardship and tragedy from both historical viewpoint and human frailty. The additional trips made by the author, Owen Beattie, and company showed a true respect for humankind. His written words regarding the excavation and autopsies of the lost men, was both rewarding in explanation and thrilling in discovery. This historical book drew me in and I couldn't put the book down. I've become so fascinated with the fate of the Franklin Expedition that I am reading other books relating to this and other failed Arctic expeditions. Who knew history could be so fascinating? Highly recommended!

I got this book for my birthday this past year and I couldn't put it down once I started reading it. It is a well written account not only of the fate of the Franklin Expedition, but also of the difficulties and many hardships faced by many of the Arctic Explorers of the time. It details the many problems that faced the various crews prior to Franklin's fated expedition and those of the many crews that searched for those 128 men.

The second part of the book tells of Owen Beattie's search for the Fate of those men, and his startling discoveries that showed the most likely cause of the tragedy. From finding the first bones on King Williams Island to excavating the three men on Beechey Island, the second part of the book is just as interesting as the first. Both are tales of discovery and the challenges associated with them.

All in all this book is one of those to spark the interest of anyone interested in Naval History and the history of Exploration. I highly recommend this book.

I can't argue with the other reviewers of this book, and I won't bother reiterating their comments. I would like to add that the author had done a wonderful job of explaining technical subjects in a way that the average reader can understand. As an example, tissue samples from the expedition victims were analyzed for unusual concentrations of various substances. The author explains the hows and whys of the analysis, and what the results mean.

Also, he appears to have gone into his investigation with a relatively unbiased state of mind, and his conclusions are logical and don't sound to me as if he made the facts fit his ideas. A refreshing change from some books on polar exploration.

I've read all there is to know about Antarctica, and was left with nothing more to read. I had to read something else, and naturally, tried North West Passage litterature.

Well, Frozen in time opened the door for me. It fueled my interest in the Arctic and I found that the Arctic history was as fascinating as the South Pole. Some pictures may not be suitable for sensitive persons, however.

Great book to get.

I have read many books on polar exploration, & while this may not have had the gripping intensity of those written by early explorers & their incredible fights for survival (which many lost), I still read it in an afternoon, because I didn't want to put it down. I am also intrigued by books on forensic sciences, so those with both interests will find it a real treat. It discusses the various early attempts to find evidence of the Franklin expedition, and nicely segues into the recent (1980s+) finding of the three known graves & the scientific work done on the remains. Beattie treats the frozen men with respect, and the examinations & reinterments are admirable. As they carry the body of the first man exhumed, John Torrington, his (Torrington's) head lolls on Beattie's shoulder & the two end up eye-to-eye; the scene is remarkably affecting & eerie for Beattie & for the reader (at least this reader).

There are several photographs of the bodies, which may be hard on the excessively squeamish. But they are amazing.

I was really curious at seeing Margaret Atwood listed as an author...I haven't read much of hers since "Handmaid's Tale" & she seemed a bizarre inclusion. However, her Prologue & Epilogues really add to the book.

At one point, Beattie describes a sample of a Clostridium bacteria sample that was taken from one of the men's intestines; they cultured the bacteria & it lived just fine after being frozen for nearly 150 years. What is really frightening is that it turned out to be antibiotic-resistant...even though it first lived long, long before antibiotics were developed. The theory is that resistance to such a powerful toxin as lead gave the bacteria broad resistance. Terrifying to think that we're not only developing strain after strain of Ab-resistant bacteria from overuse of Antibiotics, but could be creating even more resistant strains than we know from all the toxins we pump into our ecosystems.

It is truly fascinating, in a horrible way, to find that most/many of the hideous ailments & some of the bizarre decisions in polar explorations (i.e. Greely's apparently bumbling leadership) turn out to perhaps be a product of a "great new technical advancement;" tinned food with lead solder....lead poisoning. As Atwood mentions in her Epilogue, the book demolishes the romantic assumption that "...great men die only of great causes." For many men who braved insanely difficult conditions to be laid low by canned goods just seems...wrong.