anneke_b's review against another edition
5.0
There is nothing like reading a book about the arctic in the summer. This book was a pleasant surprise! I didn't know that a story of Arctic survival (and many, many deaths) could be so readable and interesting. As far as Arctic exploration books goes: there isn't any better out there than this one. Not that I have read them all, but I am THAT confident.
Unfortunately, I don't think he ever wrote another book, so this is the first and last I will ever read by him.
It's a sad day. A really, really sad day.
Unfortunately, I don't think he ever wrote another book, so this is the first and last I will ever read by him.
It's a sad day. A really, really sad day.
natemanfrenjensen's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very enjoyable translation of a Russian work from the early 1900s. The tale is pretty spare, but as a true story it really holds your attention. Definitely read the epilogue for a greater understanding of the personal conflicts in the story. I plan to read more books from the series (Modern Library).
lifebetweenwords's review against another edition
4.0
Amazing and harrowing - this is the incredible first hand account of a desperate (costly but successful) attempt to find rescue in the arctic after being icebound on a ship for over two years. If you like survival stories, this is a great one! Just...make sure you're warm and well-fed while reading it.
abthebluepup's review against another edition
3.0
Fairly interesting in the beginning, the middle was a bit tough to get through (a lot of repetitive scenarios), the ending picked up though. If you're into survival stories it's worth a read.
crowyhead's review against another edition
5.0
This journal tells the story of Russian navigator Valerian Albanov's amazing ordeal in the Arctic. In 1914, Albanov joined a hunting and fishing expedition that would scout for whales, walruses and other lucrative sea life in the Arctic Circle. His ship, the Saint Anna, became trapped in pack ice only a few months into the journey, and remained frozen for nearly two years. With supplies running low and tempers fraying, Albanov and thirteen other men build kayaks and sledges out of materials on board the ship and set out across the ice, hoping to reach Franz Josef Land and Cape Flora, more than 120 miles away.
The group of men consisted mainly of sailors and hunters, not seasoned explorers, and mishap after mishap plagues the team despite Albanov's leadership and problem-solving skills. All are suffering from malnutrition and particularly scurvy, which adds to their difficulties. Albanov is a brilliant man but perhaps not the most personable of leaders; he rails against what he sees as laziness and despair on the part of his compatriots. Eventually, it is only Albanov and one other sailor who will survive the voyage across the ice. The story of their journey is amazing, and Albanov tells it well.
The group of men consisted mainly of sailors and hunters, not seasoned explorers, and mishap after mishap plagues the team despite Albanov's leadership and problem-solving skills. All are suffering from malnutrition and particularly scurvy, which adds to their difficulties. Albanov is a brilliant man but perhaps not the most personable of leaders; he rails against what he sees as laziness and despair on the part of his compatriots. Eventually, it is only Albanov and one other sailor who will survive the voyage across the ice. The story of their journey is amazing, and Albanov tells it well.
lazy0718's review
5.0
I loved this book. I haven't read many books in the polar literature category, but I really enjoyed this one. It is a first hand account of a group of sailors who, having been icebound for 18 months, decide to leave the ship behind and travel over the ice to reach land. Most of the book is in the form of diary entries, written by one of the survivors as he made the trip.
The preface and introduction "spoil" most of the surprises (ie who survives the journey), but they are vital in setting the scene and explaining the history of the voyage. Like a lot of non-fiction survival tales, it isn't just about who makes it out alive, but rather what they had to endure on their journey. The book is short (less than 200 pages of actual story), but it moves along at a quick pace. I didn't get bored once through the story. I could see this being made into a great movie. Highly recommended.
The preface and introduction "spoil" most of the surprises (ie who survives the journey), but they are vital in setting the scene and explaining the history of the voyage. Like a lot of non-fiction survival tales, it isn't just about who makes it out alive, but rather what they had to endure on their journey. The book is short (less than 200 pages of actual story), but it moves along at a quick pace. I didn't get bored once through the story. I could see this being made into a great movie. Highly recommended.
rbkegley's review
4.0
The amazing tale of a daring escape from the arctic exploration vessel "Saint Anna", locked in polar ice while on an ill-planned voyage. The ship's navigator, Valerian Albanov, left the ship with thirteen crew who volunteered to accompany him, and set out on foot with jury-rigged kayaks and sledges over the ice to attempt to reach a base in Franz Josef Land, an archipelago north of Siberia. A series of mishaps resulted in the loss of several groups, until finally Albanov and one comrade, Alexander Konrad, reached relative safety in a set of ruined huts at Cape Flora. While preparing to overwinter, they were picked up by a ship, itself part of a failed polar expedition. The book is told in a matter-of-fact style in Albanov's own words, partially recreated from logs he kept on this awful journey.