The Little Dog Laughed

Finished To the Pole. A pleasant, entertaining read, albeit a book that's perhaps a bit too frank in places. The camaraderie between the women shines off the pages. The sheer hard work involved in traversing Antarctica--work which starts with getting together the money even to get there--is formidable, and their achievement in surmounting it impressive. Determination doesn't begin to describe what's required.

It's interesting to compare this book with Into Thin Air as the moods are so very different. Krakauer's book is sombre, reflective, self-examining. This book bounces around the ice and snow. There are major crises, yes, but little sense of guilt or self-reproach. Being part of a team, pulling together as a team and surmounting grave obstacles set the book's tone. Krakauer, on the other hand, never felt part of a team on Everest. He was climbing with strangers.

There is one marvellous moment near the end of the book when the team is approaching the South Pole and inadvertently wanders onto a runway (identifiable as such because a plane is landing). Ooops....

The book has one small part where Hamilton writes about being dissed by minor explorer David Hempleman-Adams, but I can't find it now and there's no index. Shame. I wanted to quote. Still, I can say if I ever read a book by this guy, it will be one I bought secondhand. Bwa ha ha! Take that!

A fun book about getting to the South Pole, with bits about getting to the North Pole as well. Although the women did some science on the Antarctic expedition, no results are reported here. There is however a huge appendix of all the kit they took with them. Astonishing.