The Ice: A Journey to Antarctica (Cycle of Fire/Stephen J. Pyne)

"Stephen Pyne long ago realized that life is but a special case of the more general chemistry of carbon and exygen that are constantly setting earth aflame. The frozen waste of Antarctica is thus a glimpse at the future that awaits us at the end of all time, when life and fire finally cease." --William Cronon

"The Ice is a compilation of more about ice than you knew you wanted to know, yet sheer compelling significance holds attention page by page...Pyne conveys a view of Antarctica that interweaves physical science with humanistic inquiry and perception. His audacity as well as his presentation warrant admiration, for the implications of The Ice are vast." -New York Times Book Review

"Stephen Pyne has written an imaginative book that combines a geophysical description of Antarctica with a history of attempts to explore and assimilate intellectually this remote and strange continent." -Isis