Ice: Stories of Survival from Polar Exploration (Adrenaline) [Paperback]

Clint Willis (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Adrenaline | Publication Date: October 11, 1999

Ice is a riveting collection of writing about polar exploration -- stories of self-sacrifice, beauty, and heroism by eminent adventurers who have endured 50-below-zero temperatures, gale winds, and starvation to explore the farthest reaches of the globe. Robert Scott's journals recount his long march to and from the South Pole, which ends with the death of all his men and Scott himself. Ernest Shackleton offers an account of his heroic efforts to save his men when their ship was crushed by ice thousands of miles from civilization. Richard Byrd writes of his own near-breakdown under the stress of spending a winter alone at the South Pole.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

It is extraordinary when a piece of literature has a reader sitting on the edge of her seat, totally absorbed: Ice and Wild, new releases in the "Adrenaline" series, have just that sort of power. Following in the footsteps of the previous titles Epic, High, Rough Water, and The War, series editor Willis continues to capture readers' attention, allowing them to experience vicariously the threat of danger and the ultimate quest for survival through the eyes and emotions of each selected author. He draws from the works of contemporary writers such as Barry Lopez, Jon Krakauer, and Bill Bryson or from selections from historical figures such as Robert Falcon Scott, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and Richard Byrd. The reader is treated to candid accounts of the joys and dangers of exploration, expedition, and adventure travel. In Ice, readers are taken to the Antarctic to learn about one man's incredible quest for penguin eggs in -77 degree (Farenheit) temperatures; and to hear about how 20 men traveled south after being trapped in the ice for two winters 750 miles from the North Pole. In Wild, readers witness danger in the Amazon River and Alaskan regions, and in swamps, jungles, canyons, and deserts around the world. The 14 pieces in each book fill a specific niche for those who enjoy adventure travel. Broad in scope, these book offer exciting and riveting tales about incredible journeys. Both of these books would be excellent additions to any library travel section.
-Jo-Anne Mary Benson, Osgoode, Ontario
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A great compilation ... A book about what human beings at their best are capable of and what true success entails." -- Edward J. Otten, MD, Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, December 2002

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Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; 1st edition (October 11, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560252189
• ISBN-13: 978-1560252184
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,576,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong anthology, July 24, 2000

By 

Mark Fordham (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ice: Stories of Survival from Polar Exploration (Adrenaline) (Paperback)

This book is in a series put out by Adrenaline books and each book contains certain selections chosen by the editor. The selections are either excerpts from books, excerpts from diaries and journals, short stories, or an occasional essay. I look at how good the writing is, and how good the stories are.

This is a strong anthology in terms of the types of writings selected. We are given very interesting journal selections of explorers on their last legs, as well as excerpts from books that tell the stories of arctic journeys through unforgiving cold and snow. There are also essays and even a rare interview. Most of the selections are well written - vivid, detailed and very real - and many of the selections tell good stories on their own. The down side of this collection is that the stories do not come from many different expeditions and journeys. Most of the stories are based on Scott's expedition to the South Pole. While they are very interesting and come from many different angles, this leaves the reader with the stories of only a few explorers. The other stories, however, are mostly interesting. Overall I would recommend this book, especially if the reader has not read about polar explorations.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding collection, January 9, 2000

By 

T. S. Phillips - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Ice: Stories of Survival from Polar Exploration (Adrenaline) (Paperback)

Clint Willis has created a fascinating series of books with Epic, Climb, High, Wild, Ice, Rough Water, and The War. Each of these volumes presents the best literature about their respective subjects in a powerful cohesive manner. These books are a quick read, but intricate and spellbinding. I have given many of them to friends and family as gifts.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ice from a teen agers point of view., January 2, 2002

By 

Justin (Wi, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ice: Stories of Survival from Polar Exploration (Adrenaline) (Paperback)

Ice: Stories of Survival From Polar Exploration
By Clint Willis

I thought this book was extremly enlightening about the trials and troubles of polar exploration. It is amazing how the human body and spirit can overcome such incredible odds and endure such hardships like hunger, severe cold, isolation and fear. This book is about 15 different polar explorations. The stories include adventures from the South to the North Poles, focusing on trying to get there, trying to survive, and trying to escape the extremes. All of these stories are real having actually happened. One can be warm in bed or on the couch reading this book and one's mind gets cold. In the actual polar areas, winter is ten times more painfully cold than even my imagination and I live in Wisconsin. This book is a must read on anyone's list. It is a true piece of history that keeps you entertained and fascinated at the same time.