The Mammoth Book of Travel in Dangerous Places: Arctic (Mammoth Books)

A timely reissue of this classic collection, formerly titled The Mammoth Book of Explorers, contains over 40 fascinating first-hand accounts of exploration including the first crossing of North America, exploration of the Congo, and adventures in Machu Picchu. With a foreword by Wilfred Thesiger.

Paperback , pages. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Nov 06, Daren rated it liked it Shelves: This is a collection of excerpts from famous works of exploration, and features almost all of the expected explorers from the 18th, 19th and early 20th century.

Others were good, some were not so good. It's fair to say if you have an interest in this genre, there is likely to This is a collection of excerpts from famous works of exploration, and features almost all of the expected explorers from the 18th, 19th and early 20th century. It's fair to say if you have an interest in this genre, there is likely to some chapters in here you will really enjoy. Its a sizeable book, and for me it worked well to read in short stints, a chapter here and a chapter there.

Not sure about starring this - as I said parts were fantastic, parts were a bit meh, so overall I am going 3. View all 7 comments. Feb 17, Terry rated it it was amazing.

The Mammoth Book Of Travel In Dangerous Places by John Keay

A collection of journal entries by some of the world's greatest explorers. Some names are known, others are unknown to the general public but the experiences are well worth reading. The chapters are grouped together by continent and of course the South American journals were of particular interest too me.

Be advised though that most were written in the 19th century and therefore contain prejudicial comments toward the native people encountered. That aside, I enjoyed reading the a Fantastic book! That aside, I enjoyed reading the adventures that are impossible to recreate in today's world. Nov 26, Babak Fakhamzadeh rated it it was ok Shelves: The title and cover text of the book seem to promise wild accounts of dangerous adventures and although some of the stories are simply amazing, too many aren't interesting enough to warrant the purchase of the book.

The initial flaw is that the excerpts, taken from actual travels and journeys are so short that you're left with a feeling of dissatisfaction. You want to know more of the story and more of the politics involved. Of course, this only goes for the 'good' stories, the 'bad' stories not The title and cover text of the book seem to promise wild accounts of dangerous adventures and although some of the stories are simply amazing, too many aren't interesting enough to warrant the purchase of the book. Of course, this only goes for the 'good' stories, the 'bad' stories not being interesting enough in the first place.

Aug 11, Mike rated it liked it. The stories are written by the explorers themselves with coordinates and journal entries that are real time events taking place, sometimes at points where the writers are near death and can barely stay alive. It is very tough to follow at times but I did like the fact that many of these explorers risked their lives to venture where no man had ever gone before.

Some never made it back. Sep 25, Ruskanen rated it it was ok Shelves: Started it for book club. Short accounts of travel and exploration. First couple of stories are difficult to read. Gets better, but still challenging and a little dry. Normally I like to stick with a book and challenge myself, but there are so many other books I'd rather be reading. Setting it down for now.

The Mammoth Book of Travel in Dangerous Places

Jan 19, Lewis Hyam rated it liked it. Travelling to Lapland in Finland, picked this book up in airport, read a couple of the accounts stories on the planes out heathrow to Helsinki -change planes to kittila airport and read a few more accounts on the way back 7 days later - great insight into what it was like in the old days Regardless of cost, hardship, and other men's sensibilities, he would be Peary of the Pole, and the Pole would be American.

Critics might carp over the hundreds of dogs that were sacrificed to his ambition, over the chain of supply depots that would have done credit to a military advance, and over the extravagance of Peary's ambition, but success, in , came only after a catalogue of failures; and even then it would be disputed. Under the circumstances his triumphalism is understandable and, however distasteful, not unknown amongst other Polar travelers. He was with Scott on his first attempt to reach the South Pole and, though badly shaken by the experience, realized that success was now feasible.

In , with a devoted team but little official support, he launched his own expedition. A scientific programme gave it respectability but Shackleton was essentially an adventurer, beguiled alike by the challenge of the unknown and the reward of celebrity. His goal was the Pole, 90 degrees south, and by Christmas his four-man team were already at 85 degrees.

The route by then was tolerably well known and its environs explored. His vessel was a diminutive fishing smack, his crew a group of Norwegian friends, and his object simply to be the first to have sailed through.

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He did it because it had not been done and "because it was there". The same applied to his conquest of the South Pole. Shackleton had shown the way and Amundsen drew the right conclusions. The Pole was not a scientist's playground nor a mystic's dreamland; it was simply a physical challenge. Instead of officers, gentlemen and scientists, he took men who could ski and dogs that could pull; if need be, the former could eat the latter.

The only real anxiety was whether they would forestall Scott. Its considerable achievements seemed to vindicate the choice of a naval officer more noted for integrity and courage than any polar experience, and, following Shackleton's near success, in Scott again sailed south intending to combine a busy scientific programme with a successful bid for the South Pole.

On 17 January he and four others duly reached the Pole, indeed they sighted a real pole and it bore a Norwegian flag; Amundsen had got there 34 days ahead of them. Bitterly disappointed, soon overtaken by scurvy and bad weather, and still dragging sledges laden with geological specimens, they trudged back. The tragedy which then unfolded eclipsed even Amundsen's achievement and won them an immortality beyond the dreams of any explorer.

Hugh Miles lives in Cairo and is engaged to an Egyptian woman. Twice a week he plays cards with a small group of Arab, Muslim women and through this medium he explores their lives in modern Cairo, the greatest of Arab cities. It is a secretive, romantic, often deprived but always soulful existence for the women as they struggle with abusive husbands and philandering boyfriends. The book is a window onto a city - and a way of life - which is at a crucial juncture in its history. Hugh Miles, who knows the Arab world intimately, is the perfect guide.

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