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)

Arctic Exploration Journal

Hampton Sides uses historical information about the 19th century exploration of the arctic and creates a work that reads like an adventure novel. The characters are well fleshed out and interesting, and the action is constant throughout making it an excellent read. I found the book well paced and satisfying and the narration was excellent. In short, highly recommended reading even for those not history buffs or with a special interest in the arctic.

Excellent story

This is a fantastic story! For those just wanting an adventure story, it’s probably a little more detailed than you would like. If you’re interested in this specific incident then it is wonderful.

Gripping!

Would you consider the audio edition of In the Kingdom of Ice to be better than the print version?

Hard to say...I didn't read the print book, I only listened to the audio book. But the audio book was wonderful to listen to.

What was one of the most memorable moments of In the Kingdom of Ice?

There are many memorable moments. The separating of the rafts. The decision of what to do with the dogs. Etc/

What does Arthur Morey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This was very easy to listen to. I never got a sense of a being separated from the story because of the narrator. Instead, I was right in the middle of the story and it felt like Morey's story.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt a real sense of loss.

Any additional comments?

I recently worked on a documentary film in which some people were attempting to sail the Northwest Passage. Because of this, I developed an interest in learning more about some of the expeditions to the Arctic. When I saw this book available on Audible, I was quite eager to give it a listen. It does not disappoint.

In the late 1800's, the Arctic was one of the few, vast, unexplored regions on the planet and many people were fascinated by what might be there. One common belief was that there were warm currents that actually kept a land mass lush with plant life.

After his success sending Stanley to Africa to find Dr. Livingstone, James Gordon Bennett, the wealthy owner of the New York Herald, decided to so something similar with the Arctic and funded an official U.S. Navy expedition to head to the Pole.

Captained by George Washington De Long, a young officer, the voyage would have 32 men who would be sailing uncharted territory in a ship re-christened the USS Jeannette, on the way to be the first to plant a flag at the North Pole. Not long after embarking, the Jeannette is stuck in ice, and after two years on the dangerous journey, the ship's hull is breached by ice and the crew continue the journey on foot and sleds. All along, Captain De Long maintains a detailed journal that despite its cumbersome nature he carries with him.

I found the research here to be incredibly thorough and, unlike many non-fiction books of late that write about the thoughts and concerns of the major characters based primarily on presumption, author Hampton Sides does a good job of detailing facts and draws from personal journals and letters to give us a glimpse of what the people involved were going through. At the same time, Hampton builds a sense of mystery and tells the story as though it were a thriller.

Not knowing this story prior to this (other than that I know the North Pole was 'found' in 1908 or 1909 [depending on who you believe found it first]), I was completely captivated by this story and by the characters involved. Hampton really draws us in to the story and helps us get to know many of the crew members as individuals, which means we're much more invested in their story and we hope for their survival.

I don't want to give too much away because this is a book worth reading, but suffice it to say that they do not make it to the North Pole and not everyone will survive this journey. But where they do travel to, and who does live is well worth discovering.

I listened to the Audible version, and narrator Arthur Morey is the perfect reader for this book. He was easy to listen to and helped to keep me interested.

Looking for a good book? In the Kingdom of Ice, by Hampton Sides, is a gripping account of an early expedition to the North Pole and well worth reading.

Non fiction better on Audible

I am not a reader of non-fiction but have learned I am a listener of it instead. This story is fascinating, something I would have fallen asleep reading but lived yo listen to as I quilted or drove. I rate a book by how quickly I can go back inside it, details and all. I found myself looking at maps, wanting g to make this voyage. I would not have been one to meet this challenge. Take the journey back and enjoy the time travel.

Fantastic

A staggering true story that completely consumed me. I couldn't have been more taken with this tale - its nostalgia, tragedies, and triumphs.

Favorite Non-Fiction Audio Book in My Library

This is an inspiring story of commitment, vision, and countless challenges which often had me asking myself if I could have had the discipline and fortitude to survive. Answer was most often “no way”! Inspiring story and excellent narrator performance.

I have gone through several audio books a month for a number of years. This continues to be my favorite non-fiction audio book and author is always one of my favorites. It’s always my top recommendation if asked for a book to listen to.

Gripping Tragic story of George Delong

another great historical novel by Hampton Sides my favorite author. amazing attention to detail but not overly technical

One night sleep lost, worth it

Flawless performance, I didn’t even notice the narrator because he delivered the story so well.

I don’t know how many hours long this recording is but I could not stop listening. I didn’t know anything about this expedition and if you don’t either, you should do yourself a favor and not learn anything until you’ve finished this book.

This book will keep you on the edge of your seat

If you enjoy nonfiction books that keep you on the edge of your seat, this is a book for you. It chronicles the life of George Washington De Long, a naval explorer for whom the culmination of his career was captaining an 1879 expedition into the Arctic to search for the fabled tropical "polar sea" that at that time was believed to exist at the North Pole. The book chronicles the expedition and the hardships experienced by the crew in the unforgiving arctic landscape. To provide further details would be to spoil the read, but suffice it to say that this is a book that I could barely put down.

An excellent true life story

This book exemplified man’s ability to cope with the most challenging and harshest conditions in nature’s arsenal. An excellent read for anyone who appreciates true life stories of men dedicated to completion of their mission regardless of the odds and at all costs.