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An Empire of Ice

Scott, Shackleton, and the Heroic Age of Antarctic Science

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An Empire of Ice

By: Edward J. Larson
Narrated by: John Allen Nelson
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About this listen

Published to coincide with the centenary of the first expeditions to reach the South Pole, An Empire of Ice presents a fascinating new take on Antarctic exploration. Retold with added information, it's the first book to place the famed voyages of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, his British rivals Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton, and others in a larger scientific, social, and geopolitical context. Efficient, well prepared, and focused solely on the goal of getting to his destination and back, Amundsen has earned his place in history as the first to reach the South Pole. Scott, meanwhile, has been reduced in the public mind to a dashing incompetent who stands for little more than relentless perseverance in the face of inevitable defeat.

An Empire of Ice offers a new perspective on the Antarctic expeditions of the early 20th century by looking at the British efforts for what they actually were: massive scientific enterprises in which reaching the South Pole was but a spectacular sideshow. By focusing on the larger purpose, Edward Larson deepens our appreciation of the explorers' achievements, shares little-known stories, and shows what the Heroic Age of Antarctic discovery was really about.

©2011 Edward J. Larson (P)2011 Tantor 20th Century Adventure Travel Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Arctic & Antarctica Earth Sciences Expeditions & Discoveries History Polar Region Adventure Explorer Expedition

Critic Reviews

"Larson succeeds in [his] approach to the popular subject of polar exploration by wrapping the science in plenty of dangerous drama to keep readers engaged." ( Booklist)

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Not just a race

This book focuses on not the race to the poles and story of survival you usually read about in polar exploration, but instead focuses on the science and discoveries of those missions

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