Foreword
by Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes Bt OBE
On Antarctica is a very private book yet a very open revelation of a man who lived his dream for a while. Len Airey yearns to following in the wake of early Antarctic explorers. "I had been determined to stand where Ernest Shackleton had once stood in Antarctica," he writes. And when he stood on South Georgia, the final resting place for Shackleton, he makes the commentary, "I recalled what Shackleton had said when he received the news that Scott had died attempting to be the first man to reach the South Pole. "He did not mean to die in Europe. He wanted (some day) to die away on one of his expeditions and I shall go on going, old man, 'till one day I shall not come back."
But On Antarctica is not concerning history. The author endures the very best and the very worst imaginable during four long years in Antarctica. It is a frank, sometimes agonizing account of his interaction with the continent and comrades. "The landscape slowly took on its winter coat as sea and land became one. . . .", and "He loomed up at me like a Rottweiler. The others backed away. He put his face close to mine. . . ." Each of his three winters living on remote research stations is very different. Fear, excitement, debauchery, camaraderie, the joy of isolation, and above all the wonder of the place are all well covered in this fascinating story, which is well served by the excellent illustrations of artist John Elliot.
Reader's Reviews
I received your book this morning at 8 a.m. I thought I would just have a peep at it before taking a shower - at 4 p.m. I finished it after reading all day! It’s a great book, and GENUINELY the best I have ever read on Antarctica. John & Helen Maclean, United Kingdom.
The Satanic Verses of Antarctica! Unofficially Banned by British Antarctic Survey! Where can we get copies? Tourist on the MS Andrea, Antarctica.
I must say what an accomplished writer! Makes for excellent reading with a good balance of humour and seriousness . Chris Jeffes, ex BAS Antarctica.
Most people dream of being at the top of the world. Few dream of being at the bottom of it. But those rare adventurers who dare to travel - and to live - on the continent of Antarctica know just what it's like to be at the bottom of our planet. The story of one of those men is chronicled in the book On Antarctica. In 1980, a British scientist by the name of Len Airey signed up for a two-and-a-half year (it was in fact four years - ed)stay on the most uninhabited continent on earth. During this time he witnessed firsthand the raw life and death struggles that take place for the sake of scientific research in this untamed wilderness. On Antarctica is his story, and the story of those with whom he came into contact during his tenure on the frozen continent. He includes accounts of Antarctic wildlife, tourism, mountaineering, base camp life, fire, war, spies, and much more throughout the book. To be honest, as a literary work, On Antarctica is less than a masterpiece, but neither is its author a writer by trade. It is, however, a remarkable glimpse into a world that few of us will ever see - or perhaps would ever want to. While the narrative at times is somewhat choppy, it still manages to be eerily mesmerizing. The tale of two years on the frozen continent is enthralling, making the continent seem so dead, yet so alive. The lure of the final frontier on this planet speaks through the pages of the book to those who long for extreme adventure, and the challenge of the unknown. As Airey comments, the face of the moon is better mapped than some places on Antarctica.
One warning to potential readers, however: the story is about a band of men left on Antarctica to do research. They are under constant stress, endless pressure, and intense cabin fever. The book often reads like a sailor's tale, and Airey edits very little, leaving a very coarse, raw narrative that some might find objectionable.
by Sir Ranulph Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes Bt OBE
On Antarctica is a very private book yet a very open revelation of a man who lived his dream for a while. Len Airey yearns to following in the wake of early Antarctic explorers. "I had been determined to stand where Ernest Shackleton had once stood in Antarctica," he writes. And when he stood on South Georgia, the final resting place for Shackleton, he makes the commentary, "I recalled what Shackleton had said when he received the news that Scott had died attempting to be the first man to reach the South Pole. "He did not mean to die in Europe. He wanted (some day) to die away on one of his expeditions and I shall go on going, old man, 'till one day I shall not come back."
But On Antarctica is not concerning history. The author endures the very best and the very worst imaginable during four long years in Antarctica. It is a frank, sometimes agonizing account of his interaction with the continent and comrades. "The landscape slowly took on its winter coat as sea and land became one. . . .", and "He loomed up at me like a Rottweiler. The others backed away. He put his face close to mine. . . ." Each of his three winters living on remote research stations is very different. Fear, excitement, debauchery, camaraderie, the joy of isolation, and above all the wonder of the place are all well covered in this fascinating story, which is well served by the excellent illustrations of artist John Elliot.
Reader's Reviews
I received your book this morning at 8 a.m. I thought I would just have a peep at it before taking a shower - at 4 p.m. I finished it after reading all day! It’s a great book, and GENUINELY the best I have ever read on Antarctica. John & Helen Maclean, United Kingdom.
The Satanic Verses of Antarctica! Unofficially Banned by British Antarctic Survey! Where can we get copies? Tourist on the MS Andrea, Antarctica.
I must say what an accomplished writer! Makes for excellent reading with a good balance of humour and seriousness . Chris Jeffes, ex BAS Antarctica.
Most people dream of being at the top of the world. Few dream of being at the bottom of it. But those rare adventurers who dare to travel - and to live - on the continent of Antarctica know just what it's like to be at the bottom of our planet. The story of one of those men is chronicled in the book On Antarctica. In 1980, a British scientist by the name of Len Airey signed up for a two-and-a-half year (it was in fact four years - ed)stay on the most uninhabited continent on earth. During this time he witnessed firsthand the raw life and death struggles that take place for the sake of scientific research in this untamed wilderness. On Antarctica is his story, and the story of those with whom he came into contact during his tenure on the frozen continent. He includes accounts of Antarctic wildlife, tourism, mountaineering, base camp life, fire, war, spies, and much more throughout the book. To be honest, as a literary work, On Antarctica is less than a masterpiece, but neither is its author a writer by trade. It is, however, a remarkable glimpse into a world that few of us will ever see - or perhaps would ever want to. While the narrative at times is somewhat choppy, it still manages to be eerily mesmerizing. The tale of two years on the frozen continent is enthralling, making the continent seem so dead, yet so alive. The lure of the final frontier on this planet speaks through the pages of the book to those who long for extreme adventure, and the challenge of the unknown. As Airey comments, the face of the moon is better mapped than some places on Antarctica.
One warning to potential readers, however: the story is about a band of men left on Antarctica to do research. They are under constant stress, endless pressure, and intense cabin fever. The book often reads like a sailor's tale, and Airey edits very little, leaving a very coarse, raw narrative that some might find objectionable.
