National Outdoor Book Awards Winner Winner of the BANFF Adventure Travel Award ”A thrilling and harrowing story. If it’s a cliche to say I couldn’t put this book down, well, too bad: I couldn’t put this book down.” –Jess Walter, bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins “Polar exploration is utter madness. It is the insistence of life where life shouldn’t exist. And so, Labyrinth of Ice shows you … where life shouldn’t exist. And so, Labyrinth of Ice shows you exactly what happens when the unstoppable meets the unmovable. Buddy Levy outdoes himself here. The details and story are magnificent.” —Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington
Based on the author’s exhaustive research, the incredible true story of the Greely Expedition, one of the most harrowing adventures in the annals of polar exploration.
In July 1881, Lt. A.W. Greely and his crew of 24 scientists and explorers were bound for the last region unmarked on global maps. Their goal: Farthest North. What would follow was one of the most extraordinary and terrible voyages ever made.
Greely and his men confronted every possible challenge–vicious wolves, sub-zero temperatures, and months of total darkness–as they set about exploring one of the most remote, unrelenting environments on the planet. In May 1882, they broke the 300-year-old record, and returned to camp to eagerly await the resupply ship scheduled to return at the end of the year. Only nothing came.
250 miles south, a wall of ice prevented any rescue from reaching them. Provisions thinned and a second winter descended. Back home, Greely’s wife worked tirelessly against government resistance to rally a rescue mission.
Months passed, and Greely made a drastic choice: he and his men loaded the remaining provisions and tools onto their five small boats, and pushed off into the treacherous waters. After just two weeks, dangerous floes surrounded them. Now new dangers awaited: insanity, threats of mutiny, and cannibalism. As food dwindled and the men weakened, Greely’s expedition clung desperately to life.
Labyrinth of Ice tells the true story of the heroic lives and deaths of these voyagers hell-bent on fame and fortune–at any cost–and how their journey changed the world.
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5 stars
This book is the story of the 1881 – 1883 journey of the twenty-six brave men who undertook the journey to make the farthest North trek. For 300 years, the British have held the record. Now the determined Americans, led by Army officer Lieutenant Adolphus W. Greely have set out to break the record. They sail to the Arctic beginning in July 1881.
Lt. Greely’s service so far has been in the West, building telegraph lines and suppressing Indian uprisings. He has never been to the Arctic, but has always been fascinated with it and has read everything published on the subject. He is excited to go. The twenty-five men of his team are comprised of a photographer, scientists, hunters, dog handlers, a doctor and regular military men.
The journey is arduous, but at first, they make good time and discover many fascinating things. They build a solid structure for their first winter and call it Fort Conger. The men have sufficient food and warmth to winter over the 120 days of darkness that are coming. They have managed to make the furthest North, but then things begin to go wrong. The camp is threatened by hungry wolves and the weather is extremely cold.
The following summer, the relief ship fails to show. The team sets out from Fort Conger and tries to head South. The rumblings among the men begin to show. Lt. Greely is a firm commander who believes in loyalty and discipline. He will tolerate no attempts to distract or foster the men to mutiny.
After numerous dangerous attempts to move South, the men wash up on a deserted beach to face their second winter. There they construct a makeshift tent and are very low on food. They will not make it unless they can catch some game or fish. The men are industrious though, and one devises a way to catch shrimp. Some of the men start stealing the precious dwindling stores making it even tougher on the rest.
This book is not a dry recitation of historical facts, but rather Levy infuses some personality into the men who undertook this perilous journey. Greely, while rather stern at first comes to realize that he must include the men in discussions prior to making decisions. Most of the time, the men come to realize that Greely’s point of view is best, but some underlying grumbling continues. The descriptions of Levy’s real-life characters infuse them with color and personality. The reader can see Brainard’s thought processes, or Henry’s, or the two native Greenlander’s. Mr. Levy does a very good job at this.
The book also shows the copious research that the author put into this book. He also has an extensive bibliography at the end of the book for those who want to explore this subject further. This book is very interesting and very well written. This is my first Buddy Levy book, and I immediately went to Amazon to look at his other books.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for forwarding to me a copy of this remarkable history of an Arctic exploration to read, enjoy and review.
** At the time of this review the audio is $3.99 on Chirp **
I wish I could remember what book I read that mentioned the Greely Expedition &/or this book – unfortunately I can’t. Especially given how grateful I am to have experienced their story and this book in particular.
Buddy Levy has brought together a tremendous amount of research, helped considerably by the copious amounts of record the explorers themselves kept, to share the daring story of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition. While a little over 13 hours, I was so engaged with this story I managed to finish it in two days. Levy manages to share details in such a way that I felt like I was on this voyage with them.
It’s disheartening to know that this expedition, to many, was reduced to unfounded accusations of cannibalism sensationalized by newspapers of the time. I learned so much about the time period, exploration, technology of the time, humanity, and the impact that this endeavor still has on science and our lives today. It was fascinating to learn about the preparation for such journeys, including the amount of supplies and the fact that they knew it could be months or even years before they were rescued.
I also appreciated that Levy brought a deep level of humanity to the experience. These men and their loved ones waiting for their return were people with families, fears, talents, flaws, and dreams. I was moved both by the loss of those who did not make it and the grief and elation of those who did.
Narration:
Will Damron’s narration was excellent. I appreciated his ability to bring the emotional depth and respect necessary to what were sometimes horrific conditions and events. His delivery made clear the differences between Levy’s text, quoted journal entries, and quotes from various participants of the expedition and its rescuers.
In 1881, American Lt. A. W. Greely and a team of scientists went on a journey to pass the record of reaching furthest North. Buddy Levy’s new book Labyrinth of Ice takes readers on their journey of glory and horror. The men accomplished their mission of reaching furthest North and contributing important scientific data. They were also stranded over two winters with dwindling supplies.
Anyone who knows me or follows my book reviews will know that I am a life-long fan of Polar expedition literature. It started with reading The Great White South by Herbert Ponting when I was eleven years old. I read and reread the tattered, discarded library book about the failed Scott Expedition to the South Pole. Scott and his team were such romantic, tragic heroes.
In recent years I have enjoyed the opportunity to continue reading outstanding books sharing the tales of Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, an armchair adventurer. Before the astronauts and space exploration, men of courage and vision took on the vast frozen spaces of ice, seeking fame, glory, short-cut passages, and scientific knowledge. They were the heroes of their day.
Labyrinth of Ice was a bone-chilling read. I felt I knew these men and suffered with them. The bravery and selflessness of some were offset by a self-seeking thief. Madness and despair were found alongside clear-thinking and innovative thinkers. When their supply and rescue ships failed to arrive, Greely struggled to keep the team disciplined, in good spirits–and alive as they suffered life-threatening conditions and starvation. Lady Greely, extremely self-educated in Arctic literature, pressured the government to send out rescue ships.
Eleven men had died before they were finally found. Public opinion turned from adulation to revulsion when rumors of cannibalism circulated the newspapers. The survivors went on to illustrious careers.
I was given access to a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
A most amazing and edifying nonfiction of the highest calibre. The book was given by St. Martin’s Press and Buddy Levy on return for an honest review. One of the years best books on Advance release copies. Incredible research by the author. Most informative and entertaining, but very emotional. The author brings these explorers to life as though he knows them personally. Extraordinary skill and craftsmanship in the writing of this incredible journey. This book contains a future best seller. Highly recommended and MUST READ!