At the Ends of the Earth
Subtitle: A History Of The Polar Regions
Edition: 1 edition
Publisher: Island Press; Island Press/Shearwater Books
Published: April 1, 2001
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 300
ISBN-13: 9781559639088
Subjects: Area / regional studies; History of other lands; History of specific subjects; Nature; History; History - General History; History: American; Arctic regions; Polar Regions; Earth Sciences - Geography; Environmental Science; Science / Environmental Science; Environmental Conservation & Protection - General
First sentence: There was a knock at the door and a flood of light from the passageway into my windowless cabin.
Description: "At the Ends of the Earth is a chronicle of the two polar regions that brings home their significance for the rest of the world. In vivid and graceful prose, Kieran Mulvaney tells the fascinating story of human encounters with the Arctic and Antarctic from prehistory through centuries of European exploration and resource extraction to more recent developments involving Cold War politics, oil and gas drilling, tourism, global warming, and the potential melting of ice caps.

His narrative brings to life the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes as well as the people who have explored, lived in, and exploited them. Stories of native Arctic peoples and changes brought by the arrival of Europeans are contrasted with equally striking stories of Antarctic exploration and high-stakes battles over whether that vast continent should be exploited or protected."--BOOK JACKET.