Travel to Arctic

Arctic Dreams

Format: Paperback
Author: Barry Lopez
ReleaseDate: 02 October, 2001
Publisher: Vintage
Rating:

Good Arctic Study
I think the author's ability to describe the Arctic environment and its inhabitants in glorious detail. This is a really good book. Each chapter is devoted entirely to an Arctic creature or an environmental characteristic or to some historical context. My favorite chapter by far is "Ice and Light". In this chapter we get, I think, the most detailed description to be found on the colors of icebergs, flora, fauna, sea, and general landscape of the Arctic. In addition to that, we get an added bonus (especially for you astro-geeks out there). Lopez delves into the atmospheric phenomena that occur in and around the Arctic. I found this section to be truly amazing. The occurrence of these atmospheric effects resulted in some unique sightings by early explorers only to be later attributed to these phenomena. All in all, this is a really good read. .

One of my favorites...
I never thought any book I ever read could trump the drama and emotion of that book, but Arctic Dreams is its equal, if not its superior. My favorite book, since I was in high school, has been Steven Pressfield's Gates of Fire. I do admit I am biased. This book is like a life story of a person I have been in love with for my entire life. I've read a ton of books on the Arctic, and this is one of the best.

Each chapter encompasses a different part of the Arctic: to name a few, polar bears, narwhals, muskoxen, migration patterns, ice and light, Pingkok Island. . . every chapter, every word, every phrase in this book sticks. You cannot read this book without imagining an intensely beautiful place. The book also contains large chunks of Arctic history, of which Lopez seems to be a huge fan. He refers to expeditions, scientists, discoveries, famous explorers and researchers of the North, and also speaks of everyday people, everyday encounters, and thoughts and feelings all people experience at one point or another. The book is written with a combination of frankness and fascination that is difficult to describe. The book's chapters also touch on many different places in the North, from Alaska to Banks Island to Baffin Island to Greenland, Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, Kendall Island, and many more. The book is a story of an enormous part of the world, combining history, philosophy, science, literature, sociology, and a great deal of personal reflection.

Maybe only someone completely obsessed with the Arctic could enjoy the book so completely. Maybe not. I've read some other reviews, and people who have read the book simply to learn something new have enjoyed it just as much as avid fans of the Arctic. There are a million things that make Arctic Dreams one of the best books I've ever read in my life. There is currently a copy on Amazon for $5. 10. You can't buy anything as good as this for such a small amount. It's impossible. I'll read and re-read this book over and over throughout my life, and find something new every single time.

Extensive account on wildlife too....
His description of how he perceived his surroundings made me feel as if I was there! In fact, it made me book a 10-day trip to Alaska in order to escape the stresses of city-living for a while! I was somewhat surprised by the chapter on Eskimos and a thorough discussion of their origin since I had expected this book to be a travelogue at best. I especially liked his account of polar bears, harp seals and whales and their intermingling relationships. Of course, it is much more. The chapter on Ice and Light, for instance, is outstanding and has probably the best description I have read on the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis)!!!.

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