A History of Antarctica by Stephen Martin

The last 50 odd years of involvement with the great southern land has prompted many nations to share their experiences of the grandeur and deprivations of the forbidding continent.

This history was first published in 1996, yet it has now been revised and expanded by the author. It follows the patterns of human activity in Antarctica from the southern journeys of the sixteenth century to the modern expeditions of adventurers and tourists. Using material from books, diaries, letters and fresh research, Stephen Martin outlines the main themes of Antarctic history with the personal stories and images of the men and women who explored, worked and lived in this frozen and remote continent. This book is about the people of Antarctica: those who have chosen to endure the risks and enjoy the rewards of conquering the world's most forbidding land.