Against the Ice

The Classic Arctic Survival Story

De: Ejnar Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - foreword, Maurice Michael - translator

Narrado por: Tristan Wright

Now a major Netflix film co-written by and starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones)

The harrowing, amazing, and often amusing personal account of two mismatched Arctic explorers who banded together to keep themselves sane on an historic expedition gone horribly wrong

Ejnar Mikkelsen was devoted to Arctic exploration. In 1910 he decided to search for the diaries of the ill-fated Mylius-Erichsen expedition, which had set out to prove that Robert Peary’s outline of the East Greenland coast was a myth, erroneous and presumably self-serving. Iver Iversen was a mechanic who joined Mikkelsen in Iceland when the expedition’s boat needed repair.

Several months later, Mikkelsen and Iversen embarked on an incredible journey during which they would suffer every imaginable Arctic travail: implacable cold, scurvy, starvation, frostbite, snow blindness, plunges into icy seawater, impossible sledding conditions, Vitamin A poisoning, debilitated dogs, apocalyptic storms, gaping crevasses, and assorted mortifications of the flesh. Mikkelsen’s diary was even eaten by a bear.

Three years of this, coupled with seemingly no hope of rescue, would drive most crazy, yet the two retained both their sanity as well as their humor.

Indeed, what may have saved them was their refusal to become as desolate as their surroundings…

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who co-adapted the book into a screenplay, provides the foreword to this new edition of the classic exploration memoir, which was one of The Explorer's Club’s 100 Best Books of the 20th Century.

Originally published as Two Against the Ice: A Classic Arctic Survival Story and a Remarkable Account of Companionship in the Face of Adversity. Translated from the Danish by Maurice Michael.

©2022 Ejnar Mikkelsen (P)2022 Random House Audio

Reseñas de la Crítica

"One of the Hundred Best Books of Twentieth-Century Exploration"—The Explorer's Club

"Readers will be amazed and amused by the way the two explorers keep their spirits about them and downplay the terrifying dangers as though it were all in good fun. Fascinating and fun reading."—Booklist

"Mikkelsen is an artisan of cold places, and if his labors are mighty and consuming, they are also of love."—Kirkus Reviews

Going to the Arctic myself today

Well written first account of a true explorer. I marvel at the courage of these men. I also watched the movie based on the book which was accurate and brutal. Greenland belongs to Denmark and our current President is an idiot.

Great survival story!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well as the movie. The performance was spot on!!

Just like Being There

I couldn’t stop listening. The narrator made me feel like I was listening to the explorers themselves.

Amazing and beautiful

Incredible story. Beautiful writing. Excellent narrator. I'm happy I selected it to listen to.

Favorite

This is my favorite survival adventure story of all time. I love the relationship between the two and hearing about some of their most trying times and the moments of joy they have together. I will probably listen to this one several times.

superb book, about adventure and mental strength

amazing book, first saw the movie on Netflix and this audiobook is a gripping tale in the age of antarctic exploration..about mental strength, progress, goal achievement in a beautiful unexplored territory setting

FABULOUS.

I had trouble enjoying this at the beginning as I am a dog lover. However, the story gripped me in my guts and occupied my mind. There is no way to describe the struggle and isolation these men survived- you must hear it in their words. I often listen to audios while 'doing other things' but not with this one.
I have finished it and want to say that I feel a profound gratitude for all the comforts of life that I enjoy.
And a happy ending. What more could a history/adventure buff desire?
Shelve it beside Shakleton's Endurance.

Accent

wow that accent is rough. Just find a danish guy or a decent impersonation. Think I'll read this one

Very good

Highly recommend this audible. An excellent story of survival and sledging in Greenland against the odds.