“It is said to be one of our oldest stories, embedded in humanity’s DNA, when a young man goes to a far-off land in search of a terrible or wondrous beast. The Epic of Gilgamesh, Jason and the Golden Fleece, Beowulf – they all fit the template. Bruce Chatwin added his Patagonian journey to the list. For years the idea of Antarctica had murmured in my ambition; a desire to go to the remotest land on our planet, to see one of the most wondrous beasts alive.”

Memoir of the author’s year-long stay in Antarctica as part of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research station at Halley, serving as the resident doctor. He had a strong desire to experience the type of solitude available in one of the most remote regions of the globe. He takes the opportunity to observe a nearby rookery for Emperor Penguins. The book is organized around the seasons. It is filled with reflections on his stay at Halley, along with observations about early expeditions, such as those of Scott and Shackleton.

Dr. Francis had time on his hands to observe the penguins, ski around the base, do plenty of chores and lots of reading. He gives us a good idea of what life was like on the base. The author’s lively and vivid style helps bring the stark beauty of this remote continent to life in the mind’s eye. I enjoy reading about adventures in places I will never personally experience. I very much enjoyed this combination of science, history, memoir, and meditation on solitude.

“It is April, soon after the autumnal equinox, and the refreezing of the sea is already well advanced. Emperor penguins are returning from a summer fishing, fat and gleaming, to mate on the new sea ice close to the edges of the continent. They are the only species evolved to survive these coasts through the winter. That they breed through it, carrying eggs on their feet as they shuffle through the darkness, is one of the wonders of the natural world.”
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Excellent both on the history of Antarctic exploration and the author's personal experience of being there. Plenty of accessible science and insights into isolation. Led me to buy Glover's Humanity and to gird myself up to finish reading "Worst Journey" ( )

This is an enjoyable memoir by a doctor spending a year on a British Antarctic Survey base, including a winter stay. The cold, the desolation and the mental challenge involved are well described. Similarly, the way that emperor penguins cope with the extreme environment are lovingly, even lyrically explained. An uplifting experience. ( )

This book could be used as an independent read or 5th grade because not all students would be able to read this book. Some students would want to learn more about the subject so they could read it on their own. It could also be used as an independent read if the students had to do projects about continents because they could get facts from this book.