The North Pole

Reviews / Votes

An adventure that can't be topped . . . Kagge journeys into the past to uncover the myths, politics and pure joy of the northernmost point on Earth . . . heart-catching . . . a big book of ripping yarns and existential angst . . . fabulous -- Stuart Jeffries * Observer * Thrilling . . . a compelling mix of history, memoir and polar arcana . . . Coming to the end of this strange, often beautiful book, it becomes clear that The North Pole is in fact a love story, a record of an infatuation -- Alex Diggins * The Telegraph * An adventure-lusting Norwegian explorer vividly chronicles our obsession with the North Pole . . . Engaging . . . bracing . . . fascinating . . . Why go? That masochistic drive is captured with great verve, as are the beauty of the Arctic and its terrifying hazards -- Christian House * The Times * Absorbing from the start . . . it seems there's nothing better than a fairly pointless journey into the middle of nowhere to tell us about ourselves . . . all these boreal goings-on are interlaced with Kagge's own hard-won experience -- Benedict Allen * Spectator * Erling Kagge's decades-long obsession with the North Pole has produced an extraordinary book that defies genre: an elegant travel account, a learned history and a psychological thriller wrapped in one -- Anne Applebaum Erling Kagge is a deeply thoughtful writer who has a strong and very individual style. The North Pole proves to be the perfect subject for him -- Michael Palin Kagge's achievement in this compelling, expansive book is to present the North Pole in all its aspects - not just as a geographical point sought by generations of explorers, but also as a dream, myth and mirror . . . gripping . . . epic -- Mark Nayler * Times Literary Supplement * A beautiful book which is as much about our inner world as our outer one, a book that helps us find the vast calm empty spaces within us and returns us to a feeling of being at home in the world -- Alain de Botton As an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted -- Sir Ranulph Fiennes A wonderful book about the sublime, eerie place known as the North Pole. A place that has doubled as a fertile dreamscape as much as a hard, inhospitable landscape for human beings over the centuries. This is the book of a lifetime, from a rare writer-adventurer whose obsession and passion for his subject know no bounds -- Elif Shafak Revealing and highly readable -- John Keay * Literary Review * Erling Kagge charts a wondrous way to the North Pole, exploring the marvel and complexity of a place that exists both in reality and in our symbolic imagination. A fascinating and richly detailed book -- Paul Lynch, Booker Prize-winning author of Prophet Song It's impossible to read Erling Kagge and not fall in love with the North Pole. His enthusiasm is infectious and his adventures are epic -- Elizabeth Kolbert Fascinating . . . an excellent guide to the strangest of terrain -- Pat Carty * Irish Independent * The North Pole is an enchanting pursuit of a place that lies both far away at the top of our planet and deep within us all -- Peter Moore It's rare to find an author and a subject so perfectly matched . . . This book is full of extraordinary stories and wisdom earned through hard experience. "Think ahead, travel light, and leave your fears behind you," one explorer advises. Much like the place itself, The North Pole is memorable, inspiring, unsettling, and poetic -- Eric Schlosser A dazzling book - soulful, awe-inspiring, and deeply thought-provoking. Erling Kagge takes readers on a journey they'll never forget -- Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life A philosophical adventurer or perhaps an adventurous philosopher * New York Times * The concept of a meaningful life is something Kagge, it's fair to say, is an authority on -- Hilary A White * Irish Independent *