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421 reviews for:
Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North
Blair Braverman
3.89 AVERAGE
421 reviews for:
Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North
Blair Braverman
3.89 AVERAGE
It's difficult for me to put into words how much I loved this book. I laughed out loud, I cried more than a few times, I gripped the book and sat straight up at the parts that were intense. This is such a beautiful memoir about the importance of 'making your own north.'
I will never understand craving the cold, but [Lucille Bluth Good For Her GIF].
I really wanted to love this book, but... it was just ok. I ended up agreeing with the many reviewers who said that this book suffers from having one storyline that is just not as interesting. And I feel bad about that, because this was likely a very hard, very personal, book to write. I get what she was trying to do by arranging it the way she did. And I'm glad that she is open about the shitty, abusive situations she found herself in - unlike some reviewers I don't think the whole book should have been about dog sledding, nor did I expect it to be. Just maybe the "present" storyline could be shortened considerably and still say what it needs to say.
Rated not because I believe it's objectively terrible, but because it was mis-sold by the author. Braverman's Twitter presence (back when we were all on Twitter) is entirely about sled dogs, and there was some promotion along the lines of 'Like my tweets? Buy my book!'
The book's entirely a memoir about the experience of being a pretty white girl among tough Alaskan men, some of whom are rapists. Nooot what I thought I was buying, pass, sorry
The book's entirely a memoir about the experience of being a pretty white girl among tough Alaskan men, some of whom are rapists. Nooot what I thought I was buying, pass, sorry
I really liked this one, largely because Blair captures the hopelessness, the fear, and the constant vigilance of being a woman in male-dominated spaces. It’s a universal feeling among women and yet, rarely have I read about someone else’s experiences and been afforded the chance to think, “well fuck, that’s why I felt trapped/caged/stalked in those instances.” It’s reassuring to find instances of your own experience in others.
As noted by others, I went in expecting a dogsledding book, like say, Gary Paulsen's Winterdance. What I found instead was an at time harrowing story of a young woman's stress, and possible PTSD due to abuse and how pervasive that can be. It gave me (a man) an understanding of the harms of the male gaze in a way that helped me understand how that makes one feel, where previously I had just understood it in an intellectual manner. It is also a story of some pretty remarkable life experiences. It wasn't what I was expecting, but I wasn't disappointed.
I picked this up on a whim. I like travel books, I like arctic books, sure!
This book was not the lighthearted trip I was expecting. The writing is evocative. Remember being a teenager, and being in a situation that didn't seem quite right? And when you finally spoke up, the people you trusted to save you told you to suck it up? She captures that well.
Also when you're in a relationship and you're young and you can't tell if anything is like it should be. And maybe it shouldn't, but maybe the good is worth it?
Yeah, not exactly a fun read. Nor linear storytelling, which got distracting at parts. But a lot of hanging out in rural Norway. (And some bits that tie in really interestingly to some bits in [b:Debt: The First 5,000 Years|6617037|Debt The First 5,000 Years|David Graeber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390408633s/6617037.jpg|6811142].)
This book was not the lighthearted trip I was expecting. The writing is evocative. Remember being a teenager, and being in a situation that didn't seem quite right? And when you finally spoke up, the people you trusted to save you told you to suck it up? She captures that well.
Also when you're in a relationship and you're young and you can't tell if anything is like it should be. And maybe it shouldn't, but maybe the good is worth it?
Yeah, not exactly a fun read. Nor linear storytelling, which got distracting at parts. But a lot of hanging out in rural Norway. (And some bits that tie in really interestingly to some bits in [b:Debt: The First 5,000 Years|6617037|Debt The First 5,000 Years|David Graeber|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390408633s/6617037.jpg|6811142].)
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this, and I'm glad, because it defies expectations in some ways. Blair Braverman is known as a tough and articulate musher and journalist, and this book *wasn't* one long adventure log. She is very open and detailed in her descriptions of self-doubt and confusion, and about the many, many instances of misogynist behavior she's encountered over the course of her life. I was frustrated at times that she seemed almost whiny, but then I caught myself- I think my frustration was part of the internalized devaluation that tells me women should just buck up and deal with Men Behaving Badly. We shouldn't have to, and she's right to be honest about her experience. Her admissions of fear during solo adventures resonated- I love outdoor activity, but I've never felt safe enough to do a solo overnight camping, and sometimes don't even feel safe during solo hikes. I enjoyed the cultural observations about life up northern Norway (glad I did this as an audiobook, so I could hear how Norwegian words were pronounced!) and the turn towards optimism at the end. This book holds definite reminders that men can be awful, but also includes excellent cultural observation and quality time with dogs.
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced