10 books about Antarctica

To the casual observer, the Antarctic ice may look like a lifeless world of white with nothing but sky and frozen matter for months. At an average elevation of 12,000 feet, the visual monotony could seem underwhelming. To the contrary, Antarctica's ice sheet is a powerful entity, alive and dynamic. It is up to 3 million years old; its mass is constantly and unperceptively moving, finally calving to the sea. Deep in the heart of the continent, it is the variations in cloud cover or the details of the terrain that provide Antarctica's unique photographic opportunity. The only features are ones left by the wind on the ice or the clouds in the sky. In contrast to the interior desert, the coast teems with life, indigenous and resilient to the harshest winters. It is the dominion of whales, birds, penguins, and seals, which evolved, until recently, outside of human contact. "My research there gave me a deeper perspective of the subtle variations taking place at the hands of climate change," says Copeland. "The images I bring back tell the story of a changing environment that spells the oncoming redrawing of the world's map, and all that it implicates."

Answers questions about Antarctica and the animals that live there, from how penguins survive in the frigid conditions to what happens at a South Pole research station. Simultaneous. 75,000 first printing.

Describes the landscapes, extreme weather, plants, animals, and famous explorers of the continent of Antarctica.

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Colin O’Brady’s awe-inspiring memoir spans his triumphant recovery from a tragic accident to his gripping 932-mile solo crossing of Antarctica. Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, Colin O’Brady was determined to do just that, even if, ten years earlier, there was doubt that he’d ever walk again normally. From the depths of a tragic accident, he fought his way back. In a quest to unlock his potential and discover what was possible, he went on to set three mountaineering world records before turning to this historic Antarctic challenge. O’Brady’s pursuit of a goal that had eluded many others was made even more intense by a head-to-head battle that emerged with British polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd—also striving to be “the first.” Enduring Antarctica’s sub-zero temperatures and pulling a sled that initially weighed 375 pounds—in complete isolation and through a succession of whiteouts, storms, and a series of near disasters—O’Brady persevered. Alone with his thoughts for nearly two months in the vastness of the frozen continent—gripped by fear and doubt—he reflected on his past, seeking courage and inspiration in the relationships and experiences that had shaped his life. Honest, deeply moving, filled with moments of vulnerability—and set against the backdrop of some of the most extreme environments on earth, from Mt. Everest to Antarctica—The Impossible First reveals how anyone can reject limits, overcome immense obstacles, and discover what matters most.