Island of the Blue Foxes

Disaster and Triumph on the World's Greatest Scientific Expedition

By: Stephen R. Bown

Narrated by: Steven Crossley

The story of the world's largest, longest, and best-financed scientific expedition of all time, triumphantly successful, gruesomely tragic, and never before fully told. The immense 18th-century scientific journey, variously known as the Second Kamchatka Expedition or the Great Northern Expedition, from St. Petersburg across Siberia to the coast of North America, involved over 3,000 people and cost Peter the Great over one-sixth of his empire's annual revenue.

Until now recorded only in academic works, this 10-year venture, led by the legendary Danish captain Vitus Bering and including scientists, artists, mariners, soldiers, and laborers, discovered Alaska, opened the Pacific fur trade, and led to fame, shipwreck, and "one of the most tragic and ghastly trials of suffering in the annals of maritime and arctic history."

©2017 Stephen R. Bown (P)2018 Tantor

Russian politics and science

I learned quite a bit about Russian politics of the time. very interesting. The story of the men at sea itself was engrossing.

Great

Really enjoyed this. One of the rare books I actually finished. Short reviews not accepted

Riveting, revealing & well read.

While only the last 1/3 of this true historical account has to do with the actual “Island of the Blue foxes”, the author did a fantastic job of explaining what led up to the survivors being shipwrecked there, in the first place, which brought so much more depth to the tale. The backstory was critical, and as interesting to me as the title subject of the story. I enjoy history in general, as it enlightens one as to why things are the way they are today.
So much of what “not to do”, can be learned from history, and that is certainly the case here. While every high school student has heard of Russian Tzars, Peter the Great, and Catherine the Great, this book fleshes out the lesser known details of life and politics in Russia in the mid 1700s.
I couldn’t stop listening, and actually re-listened to several parts. I was especially interested and saddened by the ecological ignorance of the people of the time.
At first, narrator’s measured, unhurried speech temped me to increase the speed, sit quickly realized it was allowing me to better
visualize the scenes being described. I’m glad I didn’t speed through it, as it gave my brain time to absorb and digest it all. Good Book!

An excellent read

Although, as a long time fan of “heroic age” explorations , I had originally purchased this title on the promise of “gruesome suffering”, the previously untold story of heroism, of Bering, moreover of the redemption of naturalist, Steller, who had shed both entitlement and privilege to evolve into a highly compassionate physician, and minister, is, alone, worth the “price of admission “.

Great historical context to an epic adventure

The story of the Northern Expedition is well established in historical context. But the narration is not the most inspiring. And while the story is well researched I would have like to see this book incorporated into a wider history of the area, with more details dedicated to the expeditions aftermath and consequences.