In the Kingdom of Ice

The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette

By: Hampton Sides

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times bestselling author Hampton Sides returns with a white-knuckle tale of polar exploration and survival in the Gilded Age

In the late nineteenth century, people were obsessed by one of the last unmapped areas of the globe: The North Pole. No one knew what existed beyond the fortress of ice rimming the northern oceans.

James Gordon Bennett, the eccentric and stupendously wealthy owner of The New York Herald, had recently captured the world's attention by dispatching Stanley to Africa to find Dr. Livingstone. Now he was keen to re-create that sensation on an even more epic scale. So he funded an official U.S. naval expedition to reach the Pole, choosing as its captain a young officer named George Washington De Long, who had gained fame for a rescue operation off the coast of Greenland. De Long led a team of 32 men deep into uncharted Arctic waters, carrying the aspirations of a young country burning to become a world power. On July 8, 1879, the USS Jeannette set sail from San Francisco to cheering crowds in the grip of "Arctic Fever."

The ship sailed into uncharted seas, but soon was trapped in pack ice. Two years into the harrowing voyage, the hull was breached. Amid the rush of water and the shrieks of breaking wooden boards, the crew abandoned the ship. Less than an hour later, the Jeannette sank to the bottom, and the men found themselves marooned a thousand miles north of Siberia with only the barest supplies. Thus began their long march across the endless ice - a frozen hell in the most lonesome corner of the world. Facing everything from snow blindness and polar bears to ferocious storms and frosty labyrinths, the expedition battled madness and starvation as they desperately strove for survival.

With twists and turns worthy of a thriller, In the Kingdom of Ice is a spellbinding tale of heroism and determination in the most unforgiving territory on Earth.

©2014 Hampton Sides (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Compelling....Sides spins a propulsive narrative from obscure documents, journals and his own firsthand visits to the Arctic regions visited by the Jeannette and its crew. In the Kingdom of Ice makes for harrowing reading as it recounts the grim aspects of the explorers' battle for survival: illness, crippling frostbite, snow-blindness and the prospect of starvation. As grisly as the details are, you keep turning pages to find out how DeLong and his men pull themselves past each setback - even though there's always another one looming ahead." (USA Today)

"First-rate polar history and adventure narrative...wonderfully evocative.... Sides vividly recounts the horrors [of the voyage]. In the Kingdom of Ice is a harrowing story, well told." (The New York Times Book Review)

“[A] stunningly vivid account....” (Mark Bowden, New York Times best-selling author of Black Hawk Down)

5 *****

incredible journey of death and survival from the waters of the artic to the Siberian tundra

Outstanding Historical Account!

Highly recommended! This is an outstanding account of the DeLong Arctic expedition. The author, Hampton Sides, through meticulous research has captured the totality of the mission and the men participating that risked everything. including life, for the purpose of expanding man's knowledge of the vast unknown Arctic regions. Arthur Morey narrates in a clear and gripping fashion. Outstanding!

Amazing tale of human endurance and dignity

Excellent true story about arctic exploration. Curiously, perseverance and courage. Didn't want it to end! Really enjoyed this book. Would recommend it to anyone who likes historical none fiction also loves the arctic landscape.

Fabulous historical novel

It was a little slow to start, but once the Jeanette set sail, it took off and i couldn't
stop listening. It was part love story, part adventure and part mystery all in one. You will feel like you set sail with the crew.

Fantastic story!

Any additional comments?

I am not sure I could have read it on paper because it is really long. While in the car for long drives, I was captivated. I found it interesting, historic and insightful. Prior to this book, I knew nothing about arctic exploration around 1879-82 and the theories of the North Pole at the time. I learned a lot about ice and the quest for exploration and survival. Perhaps it might have been more of a "guy's book" but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Good book

Great story, lots of facts. Got a little long at times. Overall, a very good read.

Stirring & gripping

A great recount of history & heroism that should never be forgotten. Thoroughly enjoyable, though sometimes overly detailed.

If you liked The Endurance

If you liked the Endurance, then this will satisfy your appetite for adventure! I found myself researching many of the different characters/places mentioned in the book, after I finished it.

As far as performance, the book reads well and the narrators voice is perfect for this book.

Stupendous historical adventure

Meticulous detail spiced with unbelievable feats of heroism, sacrifice, and tragedy. Historical figures like Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and Tsar Nicholas III are merely footnotes against some of the most colorful characters I've ever heard of all set against a United States just coming out of the Civil War and melding into a world power.

I highly recommend!

Excellent!

Could not stop listening to this. The story is captivating and the production is very well done. Highly recommended!