Locked in ice Nansen's daring quest for the North Pole

Review by Booklist Review

Ah, the elusive North Pole; often sought but never reached until, perhaps, the advent of Norwegian explorer, adventurer, and scientist Fridtjof Nansen, who was determined to make the effort even though, as Lourie writes, to attempt reaching the North Pole in the 1890s was like preparing for the first moon landing. Heading resolutely into the unknown, Nansen and his crew of 12 set off on their grand adventure on June 24, 1893. Nansen's bold plan was to deliberately freeze his ship, the Fram, in the northward drifting ice pack. With that accomplished as planned, Nansen and one of his crew, Frederik Hjalmar Johansen, abandoned the ship, setting off on a dash in search of the Pole. Would they succeed? Indeed, in the face of overwhelming odds, would they even survive? Lourie has done a superb job of recreating an epic, little-known story of white-knuckled adventure and survival. Well written, the story sets a brisk pace and is enlivened by a generous selection of photographs and Nansen's own well-executed sketches. A rich selection of appended matter further enhances this memorable story.--Michael Cart Copyright 2019 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Horn Book Review

Fridtjof Nansen (18611930) was quite the Renaissance man. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922 for humanitarian service and international diplomacy (and could have won a Nobel for his pioneering work in neuroscience), but this book is about Nansen the Arctic explorer. On June 24, 1893, the Norwegian tried to become the first person to reach the North Pole. Rather than attempting to traverse the huge polar ice cap, Nansen planned to deliberately sail his ship, the Fram, into pack ice and wait months for the vessel to slowly drift to the top of the world. When it became clear that the Fram would miss its mark, Nansen set off with one crew member and a dog team for the North Pole. They did not reach their goal, but their harrowing journey through the brutal Arctic landscapedocumented here through black-and-white photographs, line drawings, and journal entriesbecame legendary. Lourie provides an intriguing portrait of the man and his journey, and if it doesnt quite live up to the gold standard set by the compulsively readable, similarly themed Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World (rev. 7/99) by Jennifer Armstrong and Impossible Rescue (rev. 9/12) by Martin W. Sandler, its still a worthwhile and diverting account. Extensive back matter includes a host of appendices of supplemental information, a timeline, a glossary, a bibliography, and an index. jonathan hunt (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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Review by Kirkus Book Review

A vivid (sometimes all too much so) account of Norwegian scientist, explorer, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Fridtjof Nansen's 1893-1896 try for the North Pole.Though the Nansen expedition was possibly even more meticulously planned than Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic venture, both had similar resultsneither reached their goals, but both endured weary months of such wild mischances that it seems miraculous that neither lost a man. Lourie (Jack London and the Klondike Gold Rush, 2017, etc.) draws generously from Nansen's detailed records to describe the special gear and provisions he, in many cases, invented or improvised ("meat-chocolate," yum, giving way in later, more desperate, times to "cold boiled bear and a few ounces of bread"), to introduce his human and canine crews (the latter eventually becoming their own food supply), and to retrace the trek's route. The highly informative appendix includes a wealth of information, including conversations with modern polar explorers that present a picture of what being out on the arctic ice is likehighlighted by guidelines for pooping outdoors in subzero temperatures. Though the many sepia-toned maps and photographs are too often dim and foggy, the images add both flavor and immediacy to the narrative. Only glancing mention is made of all Nansen learned from the Inuit residents who aided him.A thorough recounting of Nansen's unfairly half-forgotten achievementscolorful, exhausting, compelling reading. (author's note, aftermatter, appendix, sources, bibliography and resources, websites, image credits, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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