Did you ever read stories of the explorers of the 19th and 20th centuries, some maybe earlier, and thought "I'd like to do that"? Really, did you? I read the stories, and I have to admit I was very glad to be in my reading chair with my pole lamp, my hot tea, and my book. You won't get me out there in the wild, and this book is a very good reason why. I'm too much like the inept hero.
Our nameless narrator has, for many years, either written the stories for a diminishing audience or given lectures in the infotainment industry supported by museums and cruise ships. He's been doing this complete with props, pretending he's one of the explorers who's lives he talks about. He gets challenged to prove he's as adventurous as the men he lectures about. To show his bonafides, he decides to go to the EDGE, the place where ice and sea meet. A more ill-advised journey was never contemplated, nor attempted by one so ill-prepared.
The novel is written in a memoir style. We go step by step into disaster with our guide and his soon lost guide. Many points in time he could have stopped, but he was impelled to run headlong into his poor destiny. We go laughing along.
I was very glad, reading this book, to be safely at home. I think you will be also. Read this cautionary tale as the gift it is and be happy.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from the publisher through a Goodreads contest.
Our nameless narrator has, for many years, either written the stories for a diminishing audience or given lectures in the infotainment industry supported by museums and cruise ships. He's been doing this complete with props, pretending he's one of the explorers who's lives he talks about. He gets challenged to prove he's as adventurous as the men he lectures about. To show his bonafides, he decides to go to the EDGE, the place where ice and sea meet. A more ill-advised journey was never contemplated, nor attempted by one so ill-prepared.
The novel is written in a memoir style. We go step by step into disaster with our guide and his soon lost guide. Many points in time he could have stopped, but he was impelled to run headlong into his poor destiny. We go laughing along.
I was very glad, reading this book, to be safely at home. I think you will be also. Read this cautionary tale as the gift it is and be happy.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from the publisher through a Goodreads contest.