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BEST OF 2011

Wild Coast

John Gimlette

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FOR THE HOLIDAYS

To the Arctic

Florian Schultz

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OUR FAVORITES

Arctic Dreams

Barry Lopez

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GLOBES

The Pioneer

Replogle

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Polar Obsession

READING AND TRAVEL GUIDE

Polar Obsession

Polar Obsession

by Paul Nicklen

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2009
  • HARD COVER
  • 240 PAGES
  • NEW

Born and raised on Baffin Island, Nicklen has ice in his blood. The National Geographic photographer, wildlife biologist and naturalist presents up-close portraits of the creatures of the high latitudes in 150 dazzling photographs of swimming bears, cavorting seals, penguins, dueling narwhals and all manner of polar life. (ANT305, $50.00)

A History of Arctic Exploration

A History of Arctic Exploration

by Juha Nurminen

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 349 PAGES

The ancient Inuit, Vikings, Vitus Bering, whalers, explorers and James Cook all are paid tribute in striking art and historic maps in this sumptuously illustrated history, drawing on the collections of Helsinki's Nurminen Foundation. (ARC257, $60.00)

The Man Who Ate His Boots

The Man Who Ate His Boots

by Anthony Brandt

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 448 PAGES

The enthralling tale of the adventurers who searched in vain for the Northwest Passage, holy grail of 19th-century British exploration. (ARC246, $16.95)

Arctic Labyrinth

Arctic Labyrinth

by Glyn Williams

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2011
  • PAPER
  • 464 PAGES

Drawing on letters, archives and explorer accounts, Williams charts the full sweep of the history of discovery and the quest for the Northwest Passage. (ARC254, $22.95)

The Future History of the Arctic

The Future History of the Arctic

by Charles Emmerson

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 448 PAGES

In awe of the Arctic, fascinated with the place since he was a kid, British economic analyst and geopolitical expert Charles Emmerson challenges romantic notions of the remote Arctic. Home to the Russian nuclear fleet, Murmansk, he reminds us, has 340,000 inhabitants. With a focus on the increasing importance of the region, he deftly tackles sovereignty, shipping, nature and resources of the Arctic in just over 300 absorbing pages. With notes and photographs. (ARC256, $28.95)

Across the Top of the World

Across the Top of the World

by James P. Delgado

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 224 PAGES

Covering all the major expeditions in detail, and written with passion and authority, this richly illustrated history by James Delgado covers the quest for the fabled Northwest Passage, from the disaster of the Franklin Expedition, to the triumph of Roald Amundsen, all the way up to present-day research. (ARC61, $19.95)

In the Empire of Ice, Encounters in a Changing Landscape

In the Empire of Ice, Encounters in a Changing Landscape

by Gretel Ehrlich

  • TRAVEL NARRATIVE
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 320 PAGES

Ehrlich (This Cold Heaven) returns to the Arctic in this haunting account of the traditions, challenges and allure of the people and landscapes of the Circumpolar North. Recipient of a grant from National Geographic, she had a year to make her way from the Bering Strait to Siberia, Arctic Canada and Greenland, collecting stories and visiting old friends. (ARC260, $28.00)

 
Atlas of Exploration

Atlas of Exploration


by Oxford University Press

  • REFERENCE
  • 2008
  • HARD COVER
  • 256 PAGES

Bold modern maps, choice photographs and archival illustrations trace the history of exploration in this authoritative roundup of discovery. Experts, including Ann Savours (Antarctic) and John Ure (South America), provide lively commentary. (EXP63, $50.00)

Face to Face, Polar Portraits

Face to Face, Polar Portraits


by Huw Lewis-Jones

  • HISTORY
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 285 PAGES

From the collections of the Scott Polar Institute, this stunning photographic tribute to the history of polar exploration compiles portraits of explorers, early photos of the Inuit and rare images from heroic-age Antarctic expeditions. (EXP77, $39.95)

The Last Place on Earth

The Last Place on Earth


by Masterpiece Theatre

  • HISTORY
  • 2011
  • DVD

Martin Shaw, the Norwegian actor Sverre Anker Ousdal, Hugh Grant, Max von Sydow and the venerable Bill Nighy co-star in this dramatic recreation of one of the 20th century's greatest adventures, the race to the South Pole. Originally presented as a Masterpeice Theatre mini-series, this three-disc complete boxed set runs 6.5 hours. (ANT90, $39.98)

The Scramble for the Arctic

The Scramble for the Arctic


by Richard Sale

  • HISTORY
  • 2009
  • HARD COVER
  • 208 PAGES

Sales and co-author Eugene Potapov focus on the history of Arctic exploitation, legal status and future of the region in this compact survey. (ARC240, $24.95)

Encounters at the End of the World

Encounters at the End of the World


by Werner Herzog

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2008
  • DVD

Herzog eschews penguins to focus on scientists, grunts and other eccentrics at bustling McMurdo Station over the Austral summer in this marvelously sardonic doc. (ANT292, $27.98)

Hell on Ice, The Saga of the Jeanette

Hell on Ice, The Saga of the Jeanette


by Edward Ellsberg

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2003
  • HARD COVER
  • 421 PAGES

This limited edition of the dramatic fictionalized account of the doomed Jeanette Expedition and their time in the New Siberian Islands includes a CD of the original 1938 radio play by Orson Welles's Mercury Theater. (ARC138, $27.95)

The Fast Runner, Filming the Legend of Atanarjuat

The Fast Runner, Filming the Legend of Atanarjuat


by Michael Robert Evans

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 192 PAGES

Evans shows the culture, history and traditions of the Inuit of the Canadian Arctic in this behind-the-scenes look at the making of the remarkable Atanarjuat, filmed on location on Baffin Island, directed, acted and performed in Inuktitut. (ARC255, $19.95)

The Frozen Ship, The Histories and Tales of Polar Exploration

The Frozen Ship, The Histories and Tales of Polar Exploration


by Sarah Moss

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2009
  • PAPER
  • 244 PAGES

Moss demolishes cherished myths of the golden age of polar exploration -- and retells many of the greatest stories -- in this elegantly written, revisionist account of the cult of heroism. (ARC206, $13.95)

The Gates of Hell, Sir John Franklin's Tragic Quest for the North West Passage

The Gates of Hell, Sir John Franklin's Tragic Quest for the North West Passage


by Andrew Lambert

  • EXPLORATION
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 428 PAGES

In this re-examination of the life of Sir John Franklin and his final, doomed Arctic voyage, Lambert shows the savvy, stamina and navigational acumen of the great explorer. (ARC249, $22.00)

Arctic

Arctic


by Jan Vermeer

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2009
  • HARD COVER
  • 300 PAGES

Oversized and artfully produced, this eight-pound beauty features 250 striking color photographs by the award-winning Vermeer. (ARC248, $175.00)

Cold, Adventures in the World's Frozen Places

Cold, Adventures in the World's Frozen Places


by Bill Streever

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 336 PAGES

From avalanches to glaciers, seals to snowflakes, Shackleton to hibernating bears and the history of the search for Absolute Zero, Bill Streever journeys through history, myth, geography and ecology in a year-long search for the meaning of cold. (ARC242, $14.99)

Life in the Freezer

Life in the Freezer


by David Attenborough

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 1993
  • DVD
  • HARD TO FIND ELSEWHERE

This informative, stirring BBC documentary with David Attenborough, set largely along the Antarctic Peninsula, features amazing footage of the marine environment, penguins, birds and people of the Antarctic. (ANT88, $14.98)

On Thin Ice, The Changing World of the Polar Bear

On Thin Ice, The Changing World of the Polar Bear


by Richard Ellis

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2010
  • PAPER
  • 416 PAGES

Ellis spins tales of natural history, conservation and lore in this beautifully illustrated ode to the polar bear and life in the circumpolar north. (ARC244, $18.95)

Planet Arctic

Planet Arctic


by Wayne Lynch

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 240 PAGES

Expedition leader, photographer and colleague, Wayne Lynch presents the "large and legendary" musk oxen and bear, tundra plants, birds, mammals and, of course, polar bears and other marine creatures of the sea ice in this portfolio of 150 striking full-page color photos. (ARC268, $40.00)

Through the Eyes of the Vikings, An Aerial Vision of Arctic Lands

Through the Eyes of the Vikings, An Aerial Vision of Arctic Lands


by Robert B. Haas

  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • 2010
  • HARD COVER
  • 224 PAGES

In this captivating collection of oversized aerial photographs, Haas (Through the Eyes of the Gods) reveals the surprising diversity of color and life in the arctic landscape. (ARC270, $50.00)

More Recommendations

Here are some other groups of books that might be of interest

Longitude provides recommended reading for travelers in partnership with the leading tour operators and travel programs for hundreds of destinations worldwide. We've got the classic, new and hard-to-find books and maps to help you get the most out of your adventures.