During the winter of 1999, Dr. Jerri Nielsen, the only physician on a staff of forty-one people, discovered a lump in her breast. Consulting via satellite e-mail with doctors in the United States, she was forced to perform a biopsy and treat herself with chemotherapy in order to ensure that she could survive until conditions permitted her rescue. She was eventually rescued by the Air National Guard. Dr. Jerri Nielsens story of her transforming experiences is a thrilling adventure and moving drama. She has written a new chapter for this edition. Since the publication of Ice Bound in hardcover in January 2000, Dr. Nielsen has inspired people throughout the country, met hundreds of fans, received numerous awards including Irish American of the Year, which was presented to her by Hillary Clinton, as well as tremendous praise from the media.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
Serving as doctor to the Americans "wintering over" at the South Pole in 1999, Jerri Nielsen made headlines when she discovered a lump in her breast that a self-administered biopsy revealed to be an aggressive, fast-growing cancer. No flights in or out of Antarctica are possible during the continent's long winter, and Nielsen's account of giving herself chemotherapy while she and her fellow "Polies" waited for the weather to break is even more gripping than the news reports at the time. She's candid about her pain and fear; the media battle waged by her embittered ex-husband makes her ordeal even more challenging. Interestingly enough, however, this high drama does not overshadow Nielsen's deeper narrative of a woman who came "to the Ice" seeking new meaning in a life shattered by divorce and estrangement from her children. In the back-to-basics world of Antarctic medicine, with outdated equipment, few supplies, and no assistants, she rediscovered her vocation as a doctor, free from the imperatives of corporate-directed medicine. More importantly, Nielsen found spiritual solace in the world's most extreme environment, where she was "introduced slowly to the notion of giving more than you have and using less than you need ... of knowing that all you really own are your own thoughts." She makes the glories of the Pole so palpable that, by the end, readers will not even be surprised when she signs an e-mail to her family, "from the wonderful Ice." --Wendy Smith
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
Nielsen, whose book is a bestseller in print, is not an actress her reading is somewhat awkward and labored. And yet listeners will be glad to feel a sense of personal contact with this extraordinary woman. A physician in her mid-40s, Nielsen decided to serve as the sole medical officer for a year at the South Pole, which meant "wintering over" during the dark months when the pole is physically inaccessible to the outside world. Nielsen's voice remains emotionally uninflected as she describes the beauties of the ice-filled landscape and the delights of working with a wonderfully creative and fun-loving crew of 41 "polies," despite the shortage of medical supplies. Nielsen also refuses to overdramatize her reading when she describes her detection of a lump in her breast, which proved to be cancerous. Listeners will hang on to every word as Nielsen relates how she performed a biopsy and administered chemotherapy to herself. They will also be glad this is unabridged, because every moment she describes, whether of pleasure or pain, is gracefully and unsentimentally limned. Simultaneous release with the Talk Miramax hardcover (Forecasts, Jan. 8).
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
56 of 57 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This story is an incredible one, full of pain, self awareness and joy. It is both heart-renching and uplifting. We should all have the courage that Dr. Jerri Nielsen had, and still has. To question our existance, and be brave enough to survive(in this case cancer) and endure(in this case, by operating on her self!). What the other reviewers fail to recognize is that we all have failures in our life, the true test of a person is proving that those can be overcome. To be able to read a true story of one woman who brought joy to those people around her, and had such a strong will to endure will make us all better. It is a great read, and a great inspiration.
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Ice Bound is one of the best books I have read in years. I just couldn't put it down. It is a wonderful story of love, friendship, and problem solving. I found it very educational. As I knew nothing about the South Pole and life there, it taught me so much about that mysterious part of the world. Ice Bound was so fascinating that I immediately started back at the first of the book to read it again slowly. As a nurse I found the medical parts of the book along with the profound effects on the body and mind at the South Pole just amazing. I believe the thoughtless comments about Dr. Neilsen and the flag being upside down were quite petty beyond belief. They weren't a book review. Get real! This is a great story. After reading her book it makes me wonder if those petty comments were made by her ex or his friends and family in an effort to sabatoge the success of her book, that is, to discourage readers. If so, it didn't work. This is a fabulous book that must be read by one and all.
25 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
"You've always been a survivor Duffy, and you survive well." This is a quote from the author's Mom and it is so true for her daughter's amazing story. This was one of the most inspiring books I have read. The author, a 46 year old ER doctor who perseveres in the face of daunting challenges, shares her incredible story of survival. I was impressed with the unflagging support the author receives from her family, fellow "Polies" at the research center in Antarctica and her doctor.
In her book, Jerri Nielsen brings herself back to the present when faced with longing for her home and family while stationed in Antarctica. I was reminded of another inspiring book called "Working On Yourself Doesn't Work" by Ariel & Shya Kane. The Kane's book is a practical modern day guide for living in the moment. All these authors write of how precious life is and of how each moment counts. As there are no guarantees in life. I recommend reading both these books highly.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderful read!
This account of a doctor's personal journey ~ to the South Pole to gain a new perspective of life, to the discovery of a growing cancer, and through the warm and intimate... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Carole Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars
Read it once, listened to it once
I read this book years ago when it was first published and it is a book that stuck with me. I have often thought that I would like to go back and re-read it since some of the... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Holly K
1.0 out of 5 stars
Distracted by my dislike for the author
I was distracted by Dr. Nielsen's account of "losing" her children. Why would she choose to move 4 hours away when she got a divorce? Why would she have to live with her mother? Read more
Published on January 31, 2011 by W. Smith
4.0 out of 5 stars
School Assignment.....best school assignment I've ever read.
Who: Jerri Neilsen
What: A women whose life was in shambles applies for a job in Antarctica, and performs a biopsy on herself when the South Pole was deemed "closed"... Read more
What: A women whose life was in shambles applies for a job in Antarctica, and performs a biopsy on herself when the South Pole was deemed "closed"... Read more
Published on November 10, 2010 by Audriafaith
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good book if you want to know what life is like on the south pole.
I have recently read Dr. Jerri Nelsen's book Ice Bound: a Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole. The book is about Dr. Read more
Published on November 8, 2010 by Necrotizing Fasciitis
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting Place, Average Tale
This is the story of Jerri Nielsen (who has subsequently passed away), a doctor who volunteered to 'winter over' at the US station at the South Pole. Read more
Published on July 3, 2010 by Scott FS
1.0 out of 5 stars
A Complete Bore
If someone wants to read a true account of life at the Antartic, read Alfred Lansing's Classic "Endurance: the Shackelton Expedition", a most outstanding account of "The Right... Read more
Published on April 28, 2010 by M. Mulberg
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ice Bound: A Doctor's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole
Product was shipped and delivered on time, in excellent condition, and as promised. I would definitely do business with this vendor again.
Published on February 15, 2010 by 2Sheepish
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ice Bound
Very suspenseful and enlightening regarding wintering over in Antarcta. I appreciated the Doctor's courage, ability, and resourcefulness. Read more
Published on February 1, 2010 by Ted Bright
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ice Bound
I ordered this book for my husband. It arrived quickly and in excellent condition. My husband was VERY pleased with this purchase.
Published on January 31, 2010 by Nikki Stock
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 8
books:
See all 8 books this book cites
- Ice Bound: One Woman's Incredible Battle for Survival at the South Pole by Jerri Nielsen on 4 pages
- The South Pole: An Account of the Norwegian Antarctic Expedition in the Fram, 1910-1912 by Captain Roald Amundsen on 4 pages
- The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service on page 320
- Doc Holliday (Outlaws and Lawmen of the Wild West) by Carl R. Green on page 116
- Selected Poems by David Scott on page 352
See all 8 books this book cites
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