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Antarctica: An Intimate Portrait of the World's Most Mysterious Continent by Walker, Gabrielle (2013) Paperback Paperback

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 127 ratings

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There have been many books about Antarctica in the past, but all have focused on only one aspect of the continent - its science, its wildlife, the heroic age of exploration, personal experiences or the sheer awesome beauty of the landscape, for example - but none has managed to capture whole story, till now. Gabrielle Walker, author, consultant to New Scientist and regular broadcaster with the BBC has written a book unlike any that has ever been written about the continent. Antarctica weaves all the significant threads into an intricate tapestry, made up of science, natural history, poetry, epic history, what it feels like to be there and why it draws so many different kinds of people back there again and again. It is only when all the parts come together that the underlying truths of the continent emerge. Antarctica is the most alien place on Earth, the only part of our planet where humans could never survive unaided. It is truly like walking on another planet. And yet, in its silence, its agelessness and its mysteries lie the secrets of our past, and of our future.
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  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00NYJJ03M
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 127 ratings

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Gabrielle Walker
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4.7 out of 5 stars
127 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and informative. It provides a great overview of life on Antarctica, with an interesting account from a sensitive and perceptive author. They appreciate the combination of science, history, and stories about those who work there. The book is described as delightful and thrilling, providing a good overview of current research and activities in the area.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

8 customers mention "Authoression"8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the author's direct experiences and perceptive writing style. They find the book descriptive, interesting, and a great overview of life on the least explored continent. Readers describe it as an excellent blend of personal experiences, scientific information, and historical anecdotes. Overall, they say it's a delightful and thrilling adventure report.

"...The author's direct experiences shine through and transport us readers on the ice sheet as well." Read more

"This book provides a great overview of life on this lonely cold place called Antarctica...." Read more

"Entertaining and interesting. Lovely authoress. Deffo a worthwhile read" Read more

"...hand accounts of Mawson and Scott- but this is a modern, beautifully descriptive story of one of the last wild places on earth...." Read more

6 customers mention "Information quality"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and colorful. It provides a great combination of science, history, and stories. They appreciate the author's writing skills and his scientific credentials. The book gives an insight into the activities of various animals that live there.

"It is a book full of fascinating facts but at the same time very approachable...." Read more

"...The book gives an insight into the activies of the various animals that live there and their adaptation to that environment...." Read more

"...stories of GW's visits to the camps of other countries were extremely informative and colorful...." Read more

"...The author has both the science credentials and the writing skills to explain the complex mix of cutting edge research and very demanding living..." Read more

5 customers mention "Enjoyment"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it entertaining and interesting, with a thrilling adventure report. The author describes the book as a worthwhile read about an amazing place.

"Entertaining and interesting. Lovely authoress. Deffo a worthwhile read" Read more

"Fantastic book with a great combination of science, history and stories of those that work in Antarctica." Read more

"A wonderful and exciting 'travelogue' by a sensitive and perceptive authoress - in spite of the off-track global-warming references!..." Read more

"Amazing place, great book..." Read more

4 customers mention "Antarctica history"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book provides an overview of Antarctica with a personal narrative. They appreciate the coverage of different aspects, including science, history, and stories of those who work in Antarctica.

"...I recommend this book to anyone that is looking for an overview of life on Antarctica." Read more

"A great survey of current Antarctic work with a very personal narrative...." Read more

"...book with a great combination of science, history and stories of those that work in Antarctica." Read more

"great coverage of lots of different aspects of Antarctica. The author writes well, and now I want to go there even more than I did before" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2018
    It is a book full of fascinating facts but at the same time very approachable. The author's direct experiences shine through and transport us readers on the ice sheet as well.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2012
    This book provides a great overview of life on this lonely cold place called Antarctica. One cannot help but be amazed at the existence of any life where it is constantly near or below freezing,windy and in darkness for half the year. The book gives an insight into the activies of the various animals that live there and their adaptation to that environment. We also learn about earlier discoveries at the turn of the century when man first made his mark here, albeit in a very small way. I recommend this book to anyone that is looking for an overview of life on Antarctica.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2017
    Entertaining and interesting. Lovely authoress. Deffo a worthwhile read
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 7, 2013
    My son went to Antarctica twice. We have a huge map of Antarctica on the wall above the computer. Gabriell Walker's stories enchanted me.

    Reading this book made me feel as if I had relived my son's trips with him. I read and saw the places he talked about. The stories of GW's visits to the camps of other countries were extremely informative and colorful. The part I think I liked most was how she described the human factor...how intelligent and dedicated (and quirky) the personnel was. The history of the continent and the descriptions of the experiments, plus the value of the information gained by the scientist and engineers convince me that this research is most valuable and must continue.

    If you want to just read about Antarctica, I'm sure you will enjoy this book. If you want to learn about the science and research there, you will find it in this book.

    I actually read this book from our public library. Whenever my son called I would tell him the latest I had learned. I said it was a must have for his library. So I purchased this copy from Amazon for him. The American publication lacks the photo inserts of the British publication that I purchased used ("for character.")The wear was negligible...just a small dent on the bottom of the back cover. Buy the British version if you want the photos.

    By reading this story of Antarctica you will experience a world apart. This is definitely a book to share.

    I love this book!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2012
    I have read just about every book on this continent you can find- even the first hand accounts of Mawson and Scott- but this is a modern, beautifully descriptive story of one of the last wild places on earth. Read it and know why its important that we hold ourselves environmentally accountable elsewhere.
    3 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2013
    A great survey of current Antarctic work with a very personal narrative. The author has both the science credentials and the writing skills to explain the complex mix of cutting edge research and very demanding living conditions.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2013
    An excellent blend of personal experiences, scientific information and historical anecdotes. Well written highly interesting account of the least explored continent.
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2015
    Fantastic book with a great combination of science, history and stories of those that work in Antarctica.
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Bob
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great intro to Antarctica
    Reviewed in Canada on December 28, 2024
    Interesting read for anyone travelling to the frozen continent.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Brazil on April 28, 2020
    Magnificent
  • marina
    5.0 out of 5 stars un gran libro
    Reviewed in Spain on April 10, 2016
    un relato fantástico e intimista de lo que es ser investigador en la antártida, muy centrado en las mujeres investigadoras, muy recomendable
  • Kristina
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Read
    Reviewed in Germany on August 2, 2014
    Having read this book in preparation of my own trip down South, it has been worth every minute I spent reading it. Walker manages, almost effortlessly, to connect geology, biology, astronomy, history, climatology and sociology without ever getting dull. An extensive list of references and recommendations for further reading show options for those who want to go beyond the introduction.
    I'd have wished for a few more maps in the book, but on the whole it didn't feel absolutely necessary to have them. I can recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a thorough intro into the topic of Antarctica.
  • Bodicia
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinatingly intimate account of Antarctica
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2014
    Gabrielle Walker writes a fascinating account of life in Antarctica. Visiting several different bases in Antarctica which are owned by various nations she talks to the scientists, technicians and engineers who have made Antarctica their home either in the summer period or, the braver ones, throughout the winter period. Written in a way that even those with no scientific background will find easy to understand Walker's narrative is engaging, entertaining and really makes you think about what life is like for humans on one of the last truly unexplored continents of our generation.

    Antarctica is the ideal place for cosmologists to look through powerful telescopes into the sky and discover the universe's distant past. It is also an ideal place for scientists to find out what the air was like in Earth's distant past because there are ancient air bubbles trapped in the ice which are brought up in core samples and then measured and dated, some samples going back hundreds of thousands of years. There is also much work to be done on the glaciers and the ice shelves; if it all melted tomorrow the world's sea level would increase around 3 to 4 feet which would make living in some low-lying areas impossible. The concerning thing is, for various reasons, some parts are melting into the sea at a much quicker rate and over a much shorter time than is ideal.

    There is far more to this book than scientific facts. Gabrielle Walker gets insights, anecdotes and humorous stories from those people who choose to spend months in darkness and isolation and she recounts the stories of tragedy, triumphs and companionship from those visiting an icy world, which despite its beauty, really does need to be respected.

    There is mention of the wildlife on Antarctica too; penguins, seals, whales et al. But the real action is at the level of the krill and other organisms which might not be as pretty but are the essential parts of Antarctica's ecosystem.