Travel to Antarctica

Big Dead Place: Inside the Strange and Menacing World of Antarctica

Format: Paperback
Author: Nicholas Johnson
ReleaseDate: April, 2005
Publisher: Feral House
Rating:

Original and a fun read
Luckily for us the author, Nicholas Johnson, was among them. For every scientist stationed in Antarctica, there are five support crew including dish washers and trash men.

Johnson's story is an insider's view of life on the bottom of the planet for those of us who will probably never make it to the South Pole (which may be a good thing, after reading about the frosty welcome tourists get from the "polies"). The author combines hilarious anecdotes about day-to-day life with the history of the continent's exploration. The photo of the Easter Island snowman alone is worth the price of the book.
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Having been there...


Since Raytheon has taken over as contractor, it's been one laugh after another. Having spent 12 years working "on ice" and at every US Station and Ice Breaker, I can say this: Johnson has only scratched the surface on the lunacy, idiocy and buerocratic hell the US Antarctic program has become. HR isn't about helping employees, it's about sticking to the corporate policy with a velvet hammer.

It'll be a fine day when the last Rathioyd leaves Antarcitca, but like the old song by The Who, it'll be ". . . meet the new boss, just the same as the old boss. . . "

Having met and known a few Antarctic treaty signatories, I'm sure they're doing a slow spin in their graves.

You will enjoy this book. I promise.
It's fascinating to see that a place that could be described as an icy hell has somehow become a beaurocratic one as well. Big Dead Place is a great combination of Antarctic history and Antarctic humor. While the tone of the book is lighthearted, with an emphasis on humor, it's clear that Johnson cares deeply about Antarctica. This book gave me a great insight into Antarctica, one that I doubt I could have gotten elsewhere; it did so whilst being funny! If you get this book, you will be entertained and you will learn something about what is probably the strangest place on the planet. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Related products:
click image or link for details on these Antarctica travel books.

	Life on the Ice: No One Goes to Antarctica Alone
	On the Ice: An Intimate Portrait of Life at McMurdo Station, Antarctica (The World As Home)
	Lonely Planet Antarctica
	Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica