Arctic Labyrinth: The Quest for the Northwest Passage

Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2010. Cloth, xix, 439 pages, [16] pages of plates, illustrations (some colour), maps (some colour); 24 cm. Firm binding, clean inside copy. First American Edition. Fine DJ. "The elusive dream of locating the Northwest Passage--an ocean route over the top of North America that promised a shortcut to the fabulous wealth of Asia--obsessed explorers for centuries. While global warming has brought several such routes into existence, until recently these channels were hopelessly choked by impassible ice. Voyagers faced unimaginable horrors--entire ships crushed, mass starvation, disabling frostbite, even cannibalism--in pursuit of a futile goal. In Arctic Labyrinth, Glyn Williams charts the entire sweep of this extraordinary history, from the tiny, woefully equipped vessels of the first Tudor expeditions to the twentieth-century ventures that finally opened the Passage. Williams's thrilling narrative delves into private letters and journals to expose the gritty reality behind the often self-serving accounts of those in charge. An important work of maritime history and exploration--and as exciting a tale of heroism and fortitude as readers will find--Arctic Labyrinth is also a remarkable study in human delusion." - Publisher.. 1st. Hardcover. Fine/Fine. 8vo. Collectible.