Scan barcode
jarichan's review
4.0
In diesem Buch geht es um einen Mann und seine Träume. Um einen Mann, der alles daran setzt, diese Träume zu verwirklichen. Dafür schickt er andere Männer auf gefährliche Abenteuer, entsendet sie in die tiefste Kälte und die brütenste Hitze. Er macht Helden aus ihnen oder zerstört ihr Ansehen in der Gesellschaft.
"Barrow's Boys" ist ein gut und flüssig geschriebenes Werk, in welchem es um Barrow und seine Expeditionen geht. Was hat man damit erreicht? Welchen widrigen Umständen waren die Crews ausgesetzt? Wie erging es ihnen, nachdem sie in die Gesellschaft zurückgekehrt waren? Wie reagierte Barrow auf ihre Ergebnisse?
Ganz unterschiedliche Reisen werden hier vorgestellt; jedoch trifft man immer wieder auf dieselben Namen, die sich um Barrow tummeln. Manche vertragen sich mit ihm, manche brechen mit ihm. Viele sterben. Manche verschwinden in den Wüsten oder dem ewigen Eis.
Fleming hat eine packende Chronik geschrieben, die beinahe alle wichtigen Forschungsreisen abdeckt. Hier erhält man somit einen guten ersten Eindruck über die Expeditionen in die Arktis, die Antarktis und nach Afrika. Abwechslungsreich berichtet der Autor von Gewinnern, Verlierern und leidenschaftlichen Abenteurern. Von Forschern, Taugenichtsen, Seemännern mit dem Herzen am rechten Fleck.
Wer sich also für dieses historische Thema interessiert, der sollte zugreifen. Das Buch bietet sehr viel Wissen, gekonnt vermittelt und oft auch mit Humor erzählt. Eindeutig eines meiner Lesehighlights im November.
"Barrow's Boys" ist ein gut und flüssig geschriebenes Werk, in welchem es um Barrow und seine Expeditionen geht. Was hat man damit erreicht? Welchen widrigen Umständen waren die Crews ausgesetzt? Wie erging es ihnen, nachdem sie in die Gesellschaft zurückgekehrt waren? Wie reagierte Barrow auf ihre Ergebnisse?
Ganz unterschiedliche Reisen werden hier vorgestellt; jedoch trifft man immer wieder auf dieselben Namen, die sich um Barrow tummeln. Manche vertragen sich mit ihm, manche brechen mit ihm. Viele sterben. Manche verschwinden in den Wüsten oder dem ewigen Eis.
Fleming hat eine packende Chronik geschrieben, die beinahe alle wichtigen Forschungsreisen abdeckt. Hier erhält man somit einen guten ersten Eindruck über die Expeditionen in die Arktis, die Antarktis und nach Afrika. Abwechslungsreich berichtet der Autor von Gewinnern, Verlierern und leidenschaftlichen Abenteurern. Von Forschern, Taugenichtsen, Seemännern mit dem Herzen am rechten Fleck.
Wer sich also für dieses historische Thema interessiert, der sollte zugreifen. Das Buch bietet sehr viel Wissen, gekonnt vermittelt und oft auch mit Humor erzählt. Eindeutig eines meiner Lesehighlights im November.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
This is a fascinating story of an ambitious program of exploration launched by John Barrow, Second Secretary to the Admiralty in 1816.
Between 1816 and 1845 ‘Barrow’s Boys’ worked – sometimes with each other and sometimes against each other – to fill in some of the blank spaces around the globe. Some of the questions they set out to answer:
What was at the North Pole?
Was there a North-West Passage?
Where did the Niger go, and what was at the heart of Africa?
Did Antarctica exist?
To a large extent, John Barrow’s ambitious program was only possible because of the oversupply of officers and ships as the Royal Navy reduced in size following the Napoleonic Wars. The politics of the bureaucracy, the unfettered ambition of some of the key players, the bravery of many, and the stupidity of others makes for intriguing reading.
Were these expeditions successful? The answer to that depends on how success is measured and who is applying the measure. It is indeed true that most (if not all) of Barrow’s goals were of dubious value once found. However, the heroic activities of men, however badly directed, should not be dismissed so simply. We know far more about the geography of the world in which we live as a consequence of these expeditions and that knowledge is invaluable.
I invite you to read the book and decide for yourself.
Between 1816 and 1845 ‘Barrow’s Boys’ worked – sometimes with each other and sometimes against each other – to fill in some of the blank spaces around the globe. Some of the questions they set out to answer:
What was at the North Pole?
Was there a North-West Passage?
Where did the Niger go, and what was at the heart of Africa?
Did Antarctica exist?
To a large extent, John Barrow’s ambitious program was only possible because of the oversupply of officers and ships as the Royal Navy reduced in size following the Napoleonic Wars. The politics of the bureaucracy, the unfettered ambition of some of the key players, the bravery of many, and the stupidity of others makes for intriguing reading.
Were these expeditions successful? The answer to that depends on how success is measured and who is applying the measure. It is indeed true that most (if not all) of Barrow’s goals were of dubious value once found. However, the heroic activities of men, however badly directed, should not be dismissed so simply. We know far more about the geography of the world in which we live as a consequence of these expeditions and that knowledge is invaluable.
I invite you to read the book and decide for yourself.
anfribogart's review against another edition
4.0
Le esplorazioni inglesi nella prima metà dell'800 erano finanziate dall'Ammiragliato Britannico, di cui John Barrow fu il secondo segretario ed essenzialmente prendeva le decisioni operative. Sotto la sua egida vennero quindi organizzate le prime spedizioni al Polo Nord per la ricerca del passaggio a Nord-Ovest, in Africa per la ricerca dello sbocco in mare del Niger, in Australia e al Polo Sud.
Anche se Fleming usa un tono abbastanza scanzonato (un certo ironico distacco è d'altra parte tipicamente britannico), queste prime esplorazioni "scientifiche" furono organizzate con una scriteriatezza criminale, la maggior parte degli esploratori morirono di terribili stenti e micidiali malattie, pochi tornarono per raccontare e quei pochi furono acclamati come eroi.
Eppure fu così che le mappe vennero disegnate e a poco a poco gli ultimi territori inesplorati del pianeta vennero conosciuti.
Un misto di ambizione, incoscienza, caparbietà accomuna questi avventurieri che nel nome di Sua Maestà si avventurarono nei territori più inospitali del pianeta, senza equipaggiamento e senza mappe, con un puro gusto dell'ignoto che forse trova eguali solo nei navigatori del '400.
Una critica che posso muovere all'edizione Adelphi (che comunque è uno dei miei editori preferiti) è una certa parsimonia nelle mappe, che ha reso difficile seguire con precisione gli itinerari raccontati nel libro.
Anche se Fleming usa un tono abbastanza scanzonato (un certo ironico distacco è d'altra parte tipicamente britannico), queste prime esplorazioni "scientifiche" furono organizzate con una scriteriatezza criminale, la maggior parte degli esploratori morirono di terribili stenti e micidiali malattie, pochi tornarono per raccontare e quei pochi furono acclamati come eroi.
Eppure fu così che le mappe vennero disegnate e a poco a poco gli ultimi territori inesplorati del pianeta vennero conosciuti.
Un misto di ambizione, incoscienza, caparbietà accomuna questi avventurieri che nel nome di Sua Maestà si avventurarono nei territori più inospitali del pianeta, senza equipaggiamento e senza mappe, con un puro gusto dell'ignoto che forse trova eguali solo nei navigatori del '400.
Una critica che posso muovere all'edizione Adelphi (che comunque è uno dei miei editori preferiti) è una certa parsimonia nelle mappe, che ha reso difficile seguire con precisione gli itinerari raccontati nel libro.
attoliseugenides's review against another edition
4.0
it started off really slow, but i really enjoyed this book! it's a great resource for anyone who wants to get into polar exploration history. it won't go deep into each expedition, but i find it a fairly ambitious attempt at a narrative of half a century of feats and failures.
it's no gilded painting though, and one of the things i appreciate about fleming is while he describes the expeditions as stories of adventure and thrill, he doesn't shy away from pointing out the malice, prejudice, and low regard for lives lost that pervaded in the admiralty during this period. the book ends with a neat glossary of the key characters in the expeditions, and on reading them, one realizes that very few of these men (whether they died early or not) ever lived a happy life.
it's no gilded painting though, and one of the things i appreciate about fleming is while he describes the expeditions as stories of adventure and thrill, he doesn't shy away from pointing out the malice, prejudice, and low regard for lives lost that pervaded in the admiralty during this period. the book ends with a neat glossary of the key characters in the expeditions, and on reading them, one realizes that very few of these men (whether they died early or not) ever lived a happy life.
athenalindia's review against another edition
3.0
Barrow's Boys. It's nonfiction. It's about explorers funded by the Royal Navy (mostly under the urging of Barrow), including the most famously ill-fated Franklin Expedition. Fleming does a really excellent job of writing about these often disastrous trips engagingly, with some snark and well-deserved English sarcasm directly from some of the correspondents involved.
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.
In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook
More...