At the Ends of the Earth: A History of the Polar Regions

Amazon.com
The polar regions of the earth have several things in common: coldness, remoteness, and abundant natural resources. They are also very different from each other. As Kieran Mulvaney writes, "Penguins live in the Antarctic; polar bears live in the Arctic. It is an easy distinction to remember, but it is just one of many." The Arctic is comparatively lush and heavily populated, with some 40 mammal species and hundreds of plant species to Antarctica's zero and two, respectively. The Arctic is heavily traveled, its waters plied by container ships and oil tankers, its roads full of trucks and pleasure vehicles; even with ecotourism and scientific expeditions, Antarctica remains little visited. And, whereas Antarctica has been largely protected by international convention from exploitation, pressures are mounting to develop further the Arctic's abundant stores of fossil fuels and other resources.

In At the Ends of the Earth, Mulvaney, an environmental journalist and resident of Alaska, chronicles the history of polar exploration from ancient times to the present--a history that concentrates on the quest for the fabled Northwest Passage, as well as on the international race to claim the poles. To this history, he adds well-reasoned arguments for why the poles, north and south, matter--why, that is, they merit continued and even expanded protection in a time of scarcity. He argues in particular for "a reduction in the drilling for fossil fuels in the Arctic, reducing the risk of pollution and putting the brakes on global warming." Timely and sometimes controversial, Mulvaney's book is a solid addition to the literature of exploration and environmentalism alike. --Gregory McNamee


From Publishers Weekly
The Arctic and Antarctic remain a source of mystery despite centuries of exploration. Here, Mulvaney, a freelance journalist based in Anchorage, Alaska, offers a comprehensive natural and human history of the two regions, from the earliest legends through 18th- and 19th-century European exploration to more recent issues like oil and gas drilling, tourism, ozone depletion and global warming. He points to what he terms "interweaving cycles in which exploration leads to exploitation," citing massive industries built around marine animals from the Antarctic, including fur seals killed for their pelts, and blue, fin and humpback whales, which supplied oil and other products. Compelling statistics demonstrate that these industries nearly wiped out the target species. Mulvaney also documents the political maneuvering behind a seven-nation treaty that accords the Antarctic protection as a "world park." In contrast, the Arctic has experienced heavy oil drilling, which Mulvaney recounts, paying particular attention to its environmental consequences, such as the highly publicized Exxon Valdez oil spill, which he examines in depth. He also considers the effects of the Cold War, nuclear testing and pollution on the Arctic environment and its native people. Through extensive research and engaging writing, Mulvaney supports his contention that "the long shadow of humanity has extended, for better and for worse, to the very ends of the Earth." Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
Mulvaney, who has published work in E and New Scientist, is a strong environmentalist and supporter of Greenpeace and marine mammal conservation. Tracing the history of the polar regions from prehistory through European exploration to today's oil and gas drilling, his readable book is "the story of two regions that are quite unlike any other but that are almost as different from each other as each is from the rest of the world." The text is fairly balanced between Arctic and Antarctic, with about one-fourth of the book focusing on whaling and sealing and one-third on policy issues, including the effects of tourism, pollution, and global warming. Mulvaney has done his homework, having spent time in each polar region, and his concern for these environments is clear in every chapter. His bibliography notes both historical and current sources, but his selections, e.g., Richard Ellis's Men and Whales (LJ 10/15/91) and David Boeri's People of the Ice Whale (LJ 3/1/84), are accessible. Recommended for public libraries. Jean E. Crampon, Science & Engineering Lib., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Washington Post Book World, Sunday October 21, 2001
Mulvaney ... is an adroit writer, and his book is an excellent primer on polar environmental issues.


Book Description

"The story of the Arctic and Antarctic is of two regions quite unlike any other.... It is a story of interweaving cycles in which exploration leads to exploitation, and exploitation to further exploration. It is a story of how even such remote realms can significantly affect, and in turn be deeply influenced by, events and trends thousands of miles distant-of how the long shadow of humanity has extended, for better and for worse, to the very ends of the Earth." - from the Prologu.

For thousands of years, the polar regions have been a source of intrigue and fascination; even today-despite having been thoroughly mapped and explored, despite being home to permanent human settlements and scientific stations-they remain places of mystery. Remote, cold, barren, and inhospitable, they nonetheless exert an undeniable hold on the human imagination.

At the Ends of the Earth is an engrossing natural and human history of the two polar regions. In vivid and engaging prose, author Kieran Mulvaney presents the fascinating story of human interactions with the Arctic and Antarctic from prehistory through centuries of European exploration to more recent issues involving Cold War politics, oil and gas drilling, tourism, and global warming.

Beginning with the earliest myths and legends of undiscovered lands far to the north and south, Mulvaney offers an in-depth look at these two regions that are so similar yet so distinct. His compelling narrative brings to life the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes as well as the people who have explored, lived in, and exploited them. Stories of native Arctic peoples and the changes brought by the arrival of Europeans are contrasted with equally striking stories of Antarctic exploration and high-stakes battles over whether that vast continent should be exploited or protected.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

For thousands of years the Earth's polar regions have been sources of intrigue and fascination; though the Arctic has been home to human groups for centuries and the Antarctic host to scientific stations for decades, these regions remain, for most people even today, places of mystery -- cold, forbidding, and remote from our concerns. Yet despite that view, these regions have played -- and will continue to play -- a surprisingly important role in our history.

At the Ends of the Earth is an engrossing chronicle of the two polar regions that brings home their significance for the rest of the world. In vivid and graceful prose, Kieran Mulvaney tells the fascinating story of human encounters with the Arctic and Antarctic from prehistory through centuries of European exploration and resource extraction to more recent developments involving Cold War politics, oil and gas drilling, tourism, global warming, and the potential melting of ice caps. His narrative brings to life the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes as well as the people who have explored, lived in, and exploited them. Stories of native Arctic peoples and changes brought by the arrival of Europeans are contrasted with equally striking stories of Antarctic exploration and high-stakes battles over whether that vast continent should be exploited or protected.

The pattern of Arctic and Antarctic history that emerges is that of interweaving cycles in which exploration leads to exploitation, and exploitation to further exploration. Throughout, we see instance after instance of how even such remote realms can influence, and in turn be deeply influenced by, events and trends thousands of miles distant -- of how the long shadow of humanity has extended, for better and for worse, to the very ends of the Earth.

The fragile and seemingly pristine Arctic and Antarctic environments represent a kind of miner's canary for our planet, the author suggests, alerting us to the potentially irreparable changes we are wreaking on our global environment. At the Ends of the Earth gives us the wider context for understanding the heroic, sometimes foolhardy polar expeditions over recent centuries, it offers a fascinating perspective on an intriguing facet of human history, and it may lead us to appreciate in a fresh way how our world is one world.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

Mulvaney, who has published work in E and New Scientist, is a strong environmentalist and supporter of Greenpeace and marine mammal conservation. Tracing the history of the polar regions from prehistory through European exploration to today's oil and gas drilling, his readable book is "the story of two regions that are quite unlike any other but that are almost as different from each other as each is from the rest of the world." The text is fairly balanced between Arctic and Antarctic, with about one-fourth of the book focusing on whaling and sealing and one-third on policy issues, including the effects of tourism, pollution, and global warming. Mulvaney has done his homework, having spent time in each polar region, and his concern for these environments is clear in every chapter. His bibliography notes both historical and current sources, but his selections, e.g., Richard Ellis's Men and Whales (LJ 10/15/91) and David Boeri's People of the Ice Whale (LJ 3/1/84), are accessible. Recommended for public libraries. Jean E. Crampon, Science & Engineering Lib., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

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