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Title details for Polar Wives by Kari Herbert - Available

Polar Wives

The Remarkable Women behind the World's Most Daring Explorers

by Kari Herbert
Jon Bowermaster
ebook
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The lives and adventures of seven intrepid women are revealed in “this gem of a book . . . as captivating as the northern landscape itself” (Portland Book Review).
Polar explorers were the superstars of the "heroic age" of exploration, a period spanning the Victorian and Edwardian eras. In Polar Wives, Kari Herbert reveals the unpredictable, often heartbreaking lives of seven remarkable women whose husbands became world-famous for their Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. As the daughter of a polar explorer, Herbert brings a unique and intimate perspective to these stories.
In her portraits of the gifted sculptor Kathleen Scott; eccentric traveler Jane Franklin; spirited poet Eleanor Anne Franklin; Jo Peary, the first white woman to travel and give birth in the High Arctic; talented and determined Emily Shackleton; Norwegian singer Eva Nansen; and her own mother, writer and pioneer Marie Herbert, Kari Herbert blends deeply personal accounts of longing, betrayal, and hope with stories of peril and adventure.
Previously consigned to historical footnotes, these pioneering women played vital roles in their husbands' expeditions. Their stories—many drawn from previously unpublished journals and letters—take us not only to the polar wastelands but also through war-torn Macedonia, the lawless outback of Australia, and the plague-riddled ancient cities of the Holy Land.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 9, 2012

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9781926812632

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9781926812632
      • File size: 6270 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      Starred review from June 15, 2012

      In polar history, much has been written about the explorers, men like Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, and John Franklin. In contrast, little is known about the women who married and supported them. In this work, Herbert (founding director, Polarworld; The Explorer's Daughter) delves into the lives of seven women to bring this often neglected aspect of history into focus. As the daughter of polar explorer Wally Herbert, the author is ideally situated to understand the hardships that explorers' families endure while waiting for information about an expedition's outcome. Chapters on Eva Nansen, Jo Peary, Eleanor and Jane Franklin, Emily Shackleton, Kathleen Scott, and Marie Herbert bring to life their relationships and personal lives through letters, diaries, and other sources, starting with coverage of their early years, followed by their lives with their husbands and their work in relation to crucial support of their husbands during and after their expeditions. Many of these strong women were accomplished in their own right: Eva was a celebrated singer, Kathleen a sculptor and artist, Eleanor a poet, and Marie an adventurer and author. VERDICT This highly enjoyable book is an important addition to polar and exploration history collections or for biography or women's studies shelves.--Margaret Atwater-Singer, Univ. of Evansville Libs., IN

      Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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