Known as the world’s greatest (and in some ways last) living explorer, the author of this bracing account of the first unsupported walk across the bottom of the world gives us an enthralling look at an epic errand. Frostbite, starvation and injury are all potentially fatal dangers as Fiennes and fellow explorer Mike Stroud attempt to haul 500-pound sleds over crevasses and through windswept barrens.
As the travelers burn through supplies and lose weight, frostbite edges toward gangrene and the physical and mental stresses drive a stake into a once-solid friendship. Not all challenges are foreseen. How do you deal with a coat collar that’s frozen to your face? What do you do when your fly gets stuck open and your hands are frozen numb? The moment-to-moment details will keep you on the edge of your seat. You’ll enjoy every page of this book. Reviewed on Oct. 20, 2022