Roberts, Leslie Carol. The Entire Earth and Sky: Views on Antarctica. Univ. of Nebraska. Oct. 2008. c.256p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-8032-1617-4. $24.95. NAT HIST
Roberts, a Fulbright fellow at Gateway Antarctica New Zealand and a teacher at the California College of the Arts, blends in her first book the natural, geological, and (human) history of Antarctica with her own experiences on the continent as a researcher and seawoman. While revealing her profound respect for legendary explorers like James Clark Ross, Roald Amundsen, and Robert Scott, who came to "breathe deeply the entire Earth and sky," she focuses on the supporting players like Captain Worsley of the Endurance, who navigated the lifeboat to South Georgia Island, enabling the rescue of Ernest Shackleton and his men. Samples of her field notes, historic quotations, and photos add interest. This title makes a good companion for Michael Smith's Tom Crean, about another lesser-known hero of the Shackleton adventure; it's complementary to Sara Wheeler's Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica.... Readers with little knowledge of Antarctica will read with enjoyment. Recommended for public libraries and broad Antarctic collections.—Jean E. Crampon, Science & Engineering Lib., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles