Stephen Pyne's overwhelming fascination with Antarctica is the compelling force behind this major book on this stark and largely unknown continent. It combines a geophysical examination of the ice with an inspirational survey of how one of the most alien landscapes of our planet has shaped and affected man's life on earth throughout the centuries. The sheer immensity of the ice sheet is staggering. Its weight is sufficient to deform the globe. Interleaved with each scientific examination are historical surveys dealing with man's assimilation of Antarctica. Pyne reveals how Cook's voyages to Antarctica not only affected the history of science, but inspired such works as Moby Dick and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. An all-encompassing guide to the continent which remains the ultimate symbol of the natural world.
- ISBN10 1842126741
- ISBN13 9781842126745
- Publish Date 13 March 2003 (first published 1 September 1986)
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 22 April 2006
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Orion Publishing Co
- Imprint Orion mass market paperback
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 428
- Language English