Empire of Ice and Stone: the ill-fated arctic expedition and the two men who would define it.

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Journey of the Karluk by Buddy Levy is the true and harrowing story of the ill-fated 1913 Canadian Arctic Expedition and the two men who would define it. It was the summer of 1913 when Captain Bob Bartlett, the world’s greatest living ice navigator, took the wooden-hulled Karluk and its crew to the Arctic Ocean. The expedition was fueled by the flamboyant Vihjalmur Stefansson, a man who had vision, ambition and hunger for fame. After six weeks, giant ice formed about the ship, trapping her and her crew, Stefansson would leave for a hunting trip, only to never return. Twenty-two men and an Inuit woman with two small daughters were left on board. They would look to Captain Bartlett and his leadership for their survival. He would make a difficult and courageous decision. Would his plan work? Will they survive the harsh Polar environment? 

I don’t know much about the expeditions to the icy regions of Earth but I have heard of some of the men made famous from these adventures. The expedition of the Karluk and the men in charge was a story I hadn’t heard before. Set at a time of great expeditions and discoveries, as well as historical events like the Titanic disaster and World War I, Empire of Ice and Stone is the story of two men and their very different leadership ideas. One would be selfless, the other self-serving. One would be remembered as a hero and the other would be vilified. From bad decisions and hurried organization, in the search for fame and glory,  the journey of the Karluk and her crew were truly doomed from the start. Empire of Ice and Stone is a very interesting historical book filled with the words of the men who were there. I highly recommend Empire of Ice and Stone. 

Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Journey of the Karluk 

is available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook