End of the Earth

Brilliantly attuned to the transience of nature and painfully aware of the precariousness of a polar environment facing global warming, literary naturalist Peter Matthiessen provides an exquisite account of his voyage through the islands surrounding Antarctica. In lyrical prose, he describes the wildlife he encounters along with historical tales about the greatest pioneers and adventurers who preceded him. Matthiessen brings to life the waters of the richest whale feeding grounds in the world; the wandering albatross with its 11-foot wingspan arching through the sky; and the habits of every variety of seal, walrus, petrel, and penguin in the area. Matthiessen's story takes an unforeseen adventurous turn as he and the crew of the 384-foot research vessel are bombarded for two days by an unrelenting hurricane, injuring everyone on board. Matthiessen's inquisitiveness evokes an appreciation and sympathy for a region as harsh as it is beautiful.