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Roland Huntford
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Nansen Paperback – December 1, 2001

by Roland Huntford (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 109 ratings
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Behind the great polar explorers of the early twentieth century—Amundsen, Shackleton, Scott in the South, and Peary in the North—looms the spirit of Fridtjof Nansen, the mentor of them all. He was the father of modern polar exploration, the last act of territorial discovery before the leap into space began. A restless, unquiet Faustian spirit, Nansen was a Renaissance Man born out of his time in Norway. He was an adventurer, an artist and historian, and a diplomat who had dealings with Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin, and played a part in the Versailles Peace Conference.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    800 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Little, Brown Book Group
  4. Publication date
    December 1, 2001
  5. Dimensions
    5 x 2 x 7.6 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0349114927
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0349114927
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

[NANSEN] is a rare thing, a work of immense scholarship blazing with insight...―Beryl Bainbridge, LITERARY REVIEW

[Huntford's] NANSEN has been longawaited. It is a triumph ... a hugely satisfying biography―Paul Theroux, GUARDIAN

It is a book which takes us outward through the life of another and from there inward into our own. What more can you ask of a biography?―DAILY TELEGRAPH

Roland Huntford has captured something of the restless romantic within. It is an accomplished biography at every level.―SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

From the Publisher

Behind the great polar explorers of the early twentieth century — Amundsen, Shackleton, Scott in the South, and Peary in the North — looms the spirit of Fridtjof Nansen (1861–1930), the father of modern polar exploration. Roland Huntford’s remarkable biography draws on a wealth of new material, including diaries and hitherto untapped documents. It uncovers a restless, Faustian spirit, a Renaissance man born out of his time, a pioneer in oceanography and skiing, one of the founders of neurology, an artist, historian, and diplomat. Above all, Nansen illustrates Carlyle’s dictum that "the history of the world is but the biography “of great men.²

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Little, Brown Book Group (December 1, 2001)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 800 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0349114927
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0349114927
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 2 x 7.6 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 109 ratings

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Roland Huntford

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
109 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

George E. Manners Jr.
5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most significant men of the 19th/20th centuries
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2020
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First, Roland Huntford is a masterful biographer. But with Nansen, he had incredible raw material to begin with. Nansen went from a classic little fat boy to a championship skier. Essentially invented the sport of mountain skying. Leveraged a zoology undergraduate degree into a world-wide leadership position in the field of neurology. First man to travel across the Greenland ice cap. Set a record for the highest northern latitude in one of the riskiest expeditions of all time. Became the 'father' of polar explorers. Founder of the field oceanography. Instrumental figure in Norwegian independence. Leader of: (1) post-WWI prisoner exchanges; (2) feeding millions of starving post-revolution Russians without regards to politics or power; and (3) the 'placement' of millions of post-WWI refugees. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1922. Other than that, Huntford had very little to work with.
One person found this helpful
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Robert R. Briggs
4.0 out of 5 stars Not your usual explorer
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2003
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Roland Huntford is, without a doubt, one of our greatest biographers on Polar explorers. His writings on Scott, Amundsen and Shackleton are among the very best. It is no less the case in NANSEN In this story of a very unusual, complex and troubled man, Huntford pictures Nansen as he really was, not some trumped up hero of his own making. Nansen was not a great leader of men, nor was he easy to be around. Yet, he had incredible drive and determination in all he did. His scientific research in his early days was ahead of its time and sadly, much of what he accomplished he was never given credit for. When he turned his life to Arctic pursuits, his drive was no less intense, as he perfected the art of Cross country skiing, was the first to cross Greenland and eventually ended up on one of the greatest epics of our time with his quest for the North Pole. Nansen's own account of the North Pole adventure was his book "Farthest North". Huntford, in his biography, covers this story in depth, drawing from Nansen's diaries as well as those of the other men involved. The result is that we have a deeper insight into what really happened rather than just relying on Nansen's own account. Whatever the case, this adventure was one of the most remarkable of all polar explorations and this alone is worth reading.
The story of Nansen's life after this great episode, seems to bog down a bit. Nansen lived off his North Pole quest which made him a household name worldwide. This result was to put him into the political world in a way he never dreamed. Throughout the remainder of his life one has the feeling he really wanted to be exporing again and just get away from people and fame. He was a troubled and often unhappy man. Nonetheless, he certainly deserves his place as the father of Polar Exploration and many of those who followed owe much to him. An interesting story well worth the time.
17 people found this helpful
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Vasilisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent biography of a Norwegian Superman
Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2018
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Nansen was a real life superman of his age-a polar explorer, a skier,a scientist, a diplomat, a humanitarian, and a Noble prize winner. He also was a pretty lousy husband and father, a passionate lover, and a moody, tortured soul-not a particularly likable, but an endlessly charismatic human.

This is a great biography, well written and well researched. The parts about Nansen's life and explorations are true page turners. I am less excited about sections of his diplomatic career, but they are a good history lesson.
2 people found this helpful
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Gwen Chopin
5.0 out of 5 stars great book, leaves an imprint in the memory
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2016
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Bought as Christmas present however I read this book myself years ago . Riveting read , it was such a vivid account that I felt that I journeyed with them albeit from the comfort of my armchair. Gripping stuff ,great book , leaves an imprint in the memory .
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Grandma Bella
4.0 out of 5 stars Too many pages for a mere paperback, but then ...
Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2016
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Too many pages for a mere paperback, but then a hard cover would wear you out because of the size. Well told life of a hero, stateman and explorer.
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John Feesey
5.0 out of 5 stars Greatwork for a Greatman
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2011
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Compelling, balanced, well written and complete story of the original Norweigan explorer.As a Canuck guy I was brought up during the 1950s on the Scott/Shacklteton expeditions.That was a study of death, loss, miscommunication, misdirection, misappropriation frustration and incomprehensibly bad luck.
Nansen's life was a study of intelligent scientific observation application, preparation and a dose of what has to be insanely good luck was a joy to read from cover to cover.The fact that I have never heard of his life or work before tells a great deal about my native land,which calls itself an Arctic based country.
8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 3, 2023
Verified Purchase
Great book for the price very hard to put down
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mike
3.0 out of 5 stars a great definitive biography
Reviewed in Australia on January 11, 2023
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great attention to detail and avoids over over melodramatics - a bit too long winded at stages but a great piece of work
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Mr. R. Burridge
4.0 out of 5 stars Keen follower of all things Norwegian
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2009
Verified Purchase
Very well researched biography. Described the development of Nansen's character and his relationships with contemporaries. There was more to this man than polar exploration, and the author showed Nansen's important role in Norwegian politics.He easily ranks with Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen as one of the great explorers. There is more to him than polar adventures, and we see in the end a man who didn't entirely fulfil his dreams. This book is thoroughly absorbing.
8 people found this helpful
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Gill
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2017
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Can’t rate book as it was a Christmas Present. However Nansen sounded an inspiring individual
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2017
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Excellent book, meaty and full of information I needed
2 people found this helpful
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