A History of Polar Exploration in 50 Objects

'Strathie has done it again! This time she has researched even deeper and cast wider. Through these objects she tells of all those, from Weddell and Franklin to Amundsen, Scott, Shackleton and beyond, who probed frozen wastes at both ends of our globe. It is more than a history, it is a celebration, an allegory even, of humankind’s indomitable urge to push boundaries. This is a book not only for polar buffs – it is for everybody.' - Mensun Bound, Director of Exploration, 2019 and 2022 Endurance wreck expeditions, author of The Ship Beneath the Ice and (co-authored with Mark Frary) Wonders in the Deep 'The continuum of scientific, artistic and personal affiliations linking the exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic regions is rarely appreciated. Savour, then, the polar epics revealed anew through the objects presented in this book – and be astonished!' - Dr David Wilson, great-nephew of Dr Edward Wilson and author of, among others, Nimrod Illustrated, The Lost Photographs of Captain Scott and Edward Wilson’s Antarctic Notebooks 'Anne Strathie has chosen wisely – some objects will be familiar, but many more are discoveries in their own right, plucked out of museums, archives and private collections, or from remote sites visited during the author’s own travels. It’s a tour-de-force of the human element of polar explorers, their families, and all who have found in these venturesome voyages inspiration for their own.' - Russell A. Potter, author of Finding Franklin and Arctic Spectacles 'This beautifully illustrated treasure trove of polar objects is an absolute joy to delve into. There are surprises in store even for those who know a great deal about polar history. It’s particularly gratifying that objects created by and treasured by women who played a role in the history of polar exploration are given such prominence. A wonderful addition to any polar library.' - Anne Fletcher, historian and author of Widows of the Ice