No Horizon Is So Far: Two Women and Their Historic Journey Across Antarctica [Mass Market Paperback]

Liv Arnesen (Author), Ann Bancroft (Author), Cheryl Dahle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 31, 2004

The first women to cross the continent of Antarctica on foot "prove that nothing is beyond our wildest dreams" (Billie Jean King) in this riveting true-life adventure of suspense, danger, and endurance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In February 2001, Bancroft and Arnesen, "total stranger[s]," became the first women to cross Antarctica on foot. The women-Bancroft, 48, of Minnesota, was the first woman to cross the ice to both the North and South Poles; Arnesen, 50, an Oslo resident, was the first woman to ski solo to the South Pole-met in 1998 and set to work finding corporate sponsors and undergoing intensive physical training. International educators and millions of students in 116 countries participated in an online curriculum as the two ex-schoolteachers, inspired by Shackleton and other explorers, began their grueling 2,300-mile journey in mid-November 2000. They walked, skied and ice-sailed through bitter cold (temperatures sank as low as -35 degrees Farenheit) while hauling 250-pound fiberglass sledges filled with food, medications and electronic equipment, including handheld GPS units and a laptop. Along the way, they did regularly scheduled satellite phone interviews with CNN. Their high-tech trek turned into a physical and emotional ordeal as they survived injuries, blizzards, accidents and anxious moments, crossing crevasses to emerge triumphant three months later. Although the triple-track format of three different writers interrupting one another is sometimes jarring, the authors' descriptive details and vivid writing bring the adventure alive. In addition to a lengthy "what they carried" equipment list, the book's finale features interviews with people who were caught up in the expedition or directly involved. Maps, 16-page color insert.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Two middle-aged schoolteachers, an American and a Norwegian, set out in November 2000 to become the first women to travel across Antarctica on foot. Both women had extensive experience traveling on polar ice under very difficult conditions, but this journey was the ultimate test of their endurance. Arnesen and Bancroft relate that as children they both searched unsuccessfully for stories of girls having adventures and overcoming physical dangers. As adults they wanted to share their accomplishments in a way that would encourage others, especially children, to cultivate dreams and strive to attain them. They recruited teachers to develop a curriculum based on their expedition that could be used in art, science, mathematics, and literature classes. Cell phones, cameras, and a laptop computer allowed teachers and students to follow their progress as they dashed across the ice to reach their destination before winter darkness set in. And what an exciting trip it was. They often used skis with sails to glide over the ice. Each woman pulled a sled with up to 80 pounds of food and gear. They were in constant danger from fluky winds, deep crevasses, and temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees. The authors chronicle their daily life with a realistic yet inspiring attitude and reveal many intimate details. Color photos of the women training and of their expedition enhance the text. Teens will be inspired to live out their dreams, thus accomplishing the women's goal in writing this firsthand account.-Penny Stevens, Andover College, Portland, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143034243
• ISBN-13: 978-0143034247
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #946,560 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an inspiration to all the heroines of the world, September 20, 2003

By 

Charlotta Alsén (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Horizon Is So Far: Two Women And Their Extraordinary Journey Across Antarctica (Hardcover)

This is not a book about two women's extraordinary expedition to Antarctica. This is a book about having a dream and then finding a way of realizing that dream. It is about women who are not supposed to break the rules, yet decide to do it anyhow. The vivid descriptions transport us to unknown and unseen worlds and tell us about the human capacity to overcome obstacles. But first and foremost it is an inspiration for all the adventureres, dreamers, and rebels of this world. Finally, a true and exquisitely well-written story about ordinary women who dare to become extraordinary.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Journey Made by Two Brave, Gutsy Women, October 4, 2003

By 

Bookreporter (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Horizon Is So Far: Two Women And Their Extraordinary Journey Across Antarctica (Hardcover)

The list of obstacles faced by those who choose to explore Antarctica is familiar enough: blizzards, bone-chilling cold, deadly crevasses, disorientation, faulty planning, and a whole lot more. The co-authors of NO HORIZON IS SO FAR added one more to that list: they are both women.

Ann Bancroft and Liv Arnesen were both experienced Antarctic hands. Both in fact had been to the South Pole separately before they made the 1,700-mile, 94-day trek in 2000-2001 described in this book. There had never been an attempt by two women to cross the entire Antarctic landmass, using the South Pole simply as a halfway point in a larger, longer, more dangerous expedition.

Bancroft (an American from Minnesota) and Arnesen (a Norwegian) had never met one another until they began planning this expedition. They obviously had a number of qualities in common that made them a viable two-person team. In addition to the obvious physical and technical skills, both were hugely aware of the feminist angle to what they were doing, and both were media-savvy. From the start they wanted to make a kind of worldwide educational event of their trip, involving school kids from all over the globe and actively cultivating coverage from the heavy hitters of the television talk show lineup.

They also had business skills. They assembled a small corporate backup team in Minnesota, hired a PR firm and got down to the business of cajoling financial and physical support from the likes of Apple Computer, Volvo and Motorola. In order to obtain just the right kind of satellite phone, their support staff was able to lure a three-star general off the gold course to pull the right strings. They even got themselves an audience with the Dalai Lama, who gave them a flag he wanted them to unfurl at the South Pole in his name.

The book that chronicles their trip is written alternately in the voices of the two women, with further contributions by writer Cheryl Dahle. This is a bit confusing at first because, while Bancroft's and Arnesen's contributions are labeled, Dahle's usually are not. It may take the reader a chapter or two to figure this out.

There were plenty of problems. Bancroft suffered a crippling shoulder injury that caused her pain for most of the trip. An errant chunk of ice lodged in their transmitter beacon caused a false "Send Rescue" message to be sent that induced momentary panic back in Minneapolis. The complex mechanics of ski sailing caused all sorts of delays and headaches, and the capricious Antarctic winds had a habit of not blowing when they were needed most. The food was monotonous. There were problems with the private company that was to fly them from Cape Town to Antarctica (the company tried to induce them at the last minute to transfer their whole operation from South Africa to Punta Arenas, Chile).

And in fact, the duo did not actually cover the entire distance they had mapped out for themselves. A combination of approaching winter and tough terrain forced them to call for air evacuation from a spot on the Ross Ice Shelf that was tantalizingly close to their predetermined finish line. But since the Ross Ice Shelf is actually a projection beyond the end of the Antarctic continent, they were able to claim that they had indeed traversed the whole land mass. So who would quibble? Not readers of this engaging book, that's for sure.

The personalities of the two adventurers show through nicely in their prose. Each woman acknowledges her own weaknesses and the strengths of her partner. There is however a lot of emphasis on the media-friendly aspect of the trip. Perhaps it would be unfair to claim that this dangerous expedition was conceived as a "media event" --- but that aspect was certainly a major element in its planning and execution. It also lends piquancy to the retelling of the story. For example, an executive of a major credit-card company told their fundraisers that they were not interested in helping because "we don't have any customers in Antarctica."

Bancroft and Arnesen, by contrast, made sure that they had "customers" in classrooms and corporate offices all over the world. They are a couple of brave, gutsy ladies, and they have richly earned their celebrity.

--- Reviewed by Robert Finn

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No Dream Is So Impossible, October 20, 2003

By 

Maurice Williams "mauricewms" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Horizon Is So Far: Two Women And Their Extraordinary Journey Across Antarctica (Hardcover)

"No Horizon Is So Far" details Arnesen and Bancroft's expedition across the Antarctic continent. The two former school teachers set out to fulfill their lifelong dreams of crossing the Antarctic while inspiring kids to tackle personal obstacles and to pursue their dreams. The expedition team developed a curriculum that allowed students around the world to participate in their adventure while learning valuables lessons in science and perseverance. Told from both voyagers' viewpoint, the book recounts with suspense, humor and clarity the challenges and triumphs of crossing the frozen continent. Information on the business aspects of planning and executing an expedition is also included and provides, for this Project Manager, an example of astute planning by a culturally and professionally diverse team of individuals with an intense dedication to achieving the goals of the expedition.

"No Horizon Is So Far" is successful on many levels. It educates, inspires, and motivates. On the surface - and by the cover - this may appear to be merely an adventure story, but it's much more. The journey of Arnesen and Bancroft not only challenged the physical and emotional strength of the two history making women but it also serves as a metaphor for the challenges we all face in everyday life. The story is well organized and made easily accessible with clear and concise language that sets an inviting tone for the story and is open enough to allow the women's experience to be meaningful to a wide range of people. Kudos to the women for chasing their dreams and congratulations to the expedition team and supporters that helped them catch it.