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4.14 AVERAGE
4.14 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
There is no doubt that Barry Lopez is a talented writer and there are fascinating parts to this book like the polars bears are only bears that swim underwater. My problem with his writing is he gives way to detail to subjects that I don’t feel the need for that much information. For example he has a whole chapter on musk oxen which is not an animal I have enough attention span to care about.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Great to listen on audio. It's meditative and quiet, with the best narrator I've ever heard.
I was introduced to Barry Lopez by my uncle Jeff, who gifted me his latest book Horizon for my birthday. I fell in love with the writing, and early this week I started Arctic Dreams. It is a beautiful, thoughtful book. The first half is devoted to some of the more notable creatures who make the arctic their home: Musk-oxen, polar bears, narwhals. The second half branches out to more historical and philosophical sides of the arctic. One chapter is devoted entirely to the harrowing expeditions that mapped out this inaccessible part of the world, another explores the icebergs and aurora borealis, a third pays close attention to the migratory corridors that make up the ebb and flow of the land. Throughout, Lopez treats everyone and everything he writes about with dignity and empathy, from the Eskimo hunters who provide such wealth of knowledge of the land and its workings, to the oilmen who provide for our rapacious energy needs, to the land itself. He champions the inherent value of a place, a value that is not assigned by what we can squeeze and scratch from it, but which lies in the relationships and systems that balance the many lives that depend on it. Highly recommended.
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Having read a fair bit of Barry Lopez at this point, I thought I had a general sense of what I was getting into, but this book was transcendent. One of the best books I’ve ever read.
The Arctic has captivated people for centuries, it has held the promise of wealth, is a place of unspoilt beauty whilst being one of the toughest places to survive in. It has drawn explorers and writers, adventurers and artists who use the landscape for inspiration. But it is an incredibly harsh environment; it takes no prisoners.
The celestial light on an arctic cusp
This hostile landscape is a place that Lopez has returned to time and time again to discover the people and animals that navigate and migrate across this land of ice. The ecosystem there is finely balanced and part of his story tells us how these closely interlocked systems are so susceptible to external influences, in particular with regards to climate. As well as writing about his journeys, we learn about the discoveries that were made by sailors and explorers over the past four hundred years, many of whom lost their lives as sailed into the freezing oceans. He describes his scientific observations, packing in details about the millions of birds and animals in the region.
Jet-black guillemots streaking over the white ice
I loved the landscape parts of the book, his eye for details on the landscape and the people are really good, and the writing comes across so well you could be there watching the aurora borealis with him. His writing is clear and concise, without being too showy. Whilst I understand it is important to set the context of how we came to know this place, there was a little too much history for a travel and nature book really, and I would have preferred much more on the landscape. It was worth reading, but I have read better though.
The celestial light on an arctic cusp
This hostile landscape is a place that Lopez has returned to time and time again to discover the people and animals that navigate and migrate across this land of ice. The ecosystem there is finely balanced and part of his story tells us how these closely interlocked systems are so susceptible to external influences, in particular with regards to climate. As well as writing about his journeys, we learn about the discoveries that were made by sailors and explorers over the past four hundred years, many of whom lost their lives as sailed into the freezing oceans. He describes his scientific observations, packing in details about the millions of birds and animals in the region.
Jet-black guillemots streaking over the white ice
I loved the landscape parts of the book, his eye for details on the landscape and the people are really good, and the writing comes across so well you could be there watching the aurora borealis with him. His writing is clear and concise, without being too showy. Whilst I understand it is important to set the context of how we came to know this place, there was a little too much history for a travel and nature book really, and I would have preferred much more on the landscape. It was worth reading, but I have read better though.
Very comprehensive book about the Arctic that will make you glad you decided to learn more about a place many have never been. I really enjoyed the chapters about the polar bears and narwhals. Some parts definitely took longer to read because of all the information packed into them. It took me over 2 months to finish this book. Over all I'm glad I read it and would definitely consider learning more about the Arctic.
A very in-depth look at a region that has long fascinated me. Lopez is one of those guys I'd love to take a walk with, as he'd be able to identify every animal and plant we passed!
