Across the Top of the World: The Quest for the Northwest Passage

by James P. Delgado

Book Overview

This text presents a comprehensive view of the centuries-long quest for the Northwest Passage, the fabled sea route through the Arctic linking Europe with Asia. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0816041245
• ISBN13: 9780816041244
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Facts on File
• Length: 228 Pages
• Weight: 2.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 9.4" x 11.3"

Customer Reviews

Wonderful

This book has the capacity to touch you intellectually and emotionally. It is a well written book on explorers and exploration. This book brings to life those searching for the Northwest Passage. Their struggles and hardships are well documented. I loaned this book to a friend, who is somewhat of a stoic, and inquired how he liked it. He responded the book brought tears to his eyes. He was able to clearly envision the hardships these people endured. Amazingly, they willingly faced those hardships again to assist others.This book takes you to a time when extrodinary hardships were dealt with as a fact of life.

Great Bargain Book!

I found this book a very interesting read. The photos were wonderful. It covers the varied expeditions on the quest for the Northwest Passage. Lots of people lost their lives and ultimately it was not, of course, a really usable shipping route.The Franklin expedition and the various search parties is well covered. The one existing daguerotype of Franklin, which I had not seen, is included, as are the recent discoveries and theories about what happened.At a bargain price, this is a nice gift book. Mine came without the tell tale black "bargain stripe" on the spine.

A coffee table book with a brain.

Well just what the hell was the Northwest Passage? was I confess a question I had to ask myself. Was it myth or was there actually such a passage, and why didn't I know. This book not only answers these questions but does so elegantly and concisely. Yes the illustrations are attractive, but the narrative can stand on its merits alone. If exploration and discovery narratives of the once unknown parts of the world are of interest to you, this book will charm and delight. And it can be read in a day.

I loved this book!

I really loved this book. Delgado's writing is so vivid and clear that you really feel like you are there! Everyone should read this.

Best book I have ever read on the Arctic.

The moment I picked up the book I couldn't put it down! It is truly a story of adventure, courage, tragedy, and triump.I am currently reading Endurance and this book with all of it's woderful photographs,and illustrations has given me insight into what it must have been like to have been there.I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Arctic and it's courageous explorer's. Mr Delgado I give your book five stars!!!