End of the Earth: Voyaging to Antarctica [B2002]

2004 PB in nice clean condition. End of the Earth brings to life the waters of the richest whale feeding grounds in the world, the wandering albatross with its 11-foot wingspan arching through the sky, and the habits of every variety of seal, walrus, petrel, and penguin in the area, all with boundless and contagious inquisitiveness. Magnificently written, the book evokes an appreciation and sympathy for a region as harsh as it is beautiful.

"Luminous and haunting . . . the contemporary Thoreau."-The Wall Street Journal. "[Matthiessen] doesn't waste words, and in End of the Earth: Voyages to Antarctica, his homage to the austere splendor of that frozen continent, he hasn't deployed a single one whose choice I would care to take issue with. . . . Matthiessen writes crusty, chiseled sentences that demand to be read slowly-the perfect prose equivalent of the landscapes he's describing."-The New York Times Book Review.

"Matthiessen and polar landscapes seem perfectly suited. I found myself constantly re-reading sentences or paragraphs to savor all of their rich resonances. Few if any authors on the region have so successfully compressed Antarctic life and I suspect it will become standard reading."-The Guardian.

From Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Informative, enjoyable read. Very accessible, sometimes poetic personal experiences in a travelogue of Antarctica, including the history, geography and fauna of the continent."; "Gorgeous turns of phrase. Evocative land & sea descriptions. Fascinating bird & wildlife info. Deep contemplations. Environmental activism. Lots of background on polar explorers. Some wry humor. I enjoyed it."; "This is my favorite travel and exploration author. The subject matter is great; the detail superbly written. One needs to settle in for a read as long as the voyage. It's worth the time!"; "Matthiessen's story of his trip to the Seventh Continent is difficult to put down. As usual, he writes with poetic descriptions while discussing scientific and factual information. I read this book before going to Antarctica, and then I couldn't leave it behind. Absolutely gorgeous writing!"