This is a pretty lively summary of readings about discoverers and “discoverers”, explorers and mapmakers. Inherently a volatile mix of political chicanery, the hubris of men that think it‘ll be fun to sail off the edge of the world, scurvy, occasional deaths by polar bear, and the vicissitudes of pre-industrial economics, expansionism, and mercantilism, I found myself grimly laughing at all these misadventures.
Read it.
pickThis is a detailed account of Peter Freuchen, a legendary polar explorer. He had one of the more ridiculous, badass, and gross survival stories from his days of exploring Greenland. Outside of polar exploration, his life was filled with a variety of unique adventures and twists and turns.
#bookspinbingo
@TheAromaofBooks
pick#readingoceania2024 #antartica I selected this for my Antarctica reading as it has some amazing black and white photographs taken during Shackleton‘s failed expedition to the South Pole by photographer Frank Hurley. Shackleton‘s story of amazing leadership and perseverance comes alive in all its brutal cold conditions in the photographs. The book, sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, is also fairly well written.
pickGood book. I wish to hear more about their trips though. Kinda reminded me of National Lampoons Vacation, a road trip where everything that can go wrong did go wrong, a calamity. Wanted to here more about the expeditions.
pickI‘ve come to love nonfiction works from authors who‘ve trekked the world thanks to the #readingthecontinents challenges. So I couldn‘t miss this book written about the author‘s journey through #Venezuela from 1798-1804. He was a naturalist so he includes many in-depth descriptions of plants and animals, landscapes and people. He was obviously extremely knowledgeable and tough to deal with the harsh terrains of all sorts. He was sensitive to the ⬇️
Ugh! He described the mosquitos being so thick he couldn‘t see the horizon to take location measurements. Their faces and hands would swell from the biting and poking insects. Just miserable.
#Venezuela #foodandlit @Catsandbooks
In praise of chocolate
#Venezuela #foodandlit @Catsandbooks
