My Attainment of the Pole [Press Edition [Polar Exploration Controversy]

Cook, Dr. Frederick A. (1865-1940)

Edité par Mitchell Kennerley, New York and London, 1913

A propos de cet article

ONE OF THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL EXPLORATION NARRATIVES EVER PUBLISHED. Dr. Frederick A. Cook's dramatic account of the expedition he claimed reached the North Pole in April 1908, a full year before Robert Peary's rival expedition. More than a travel narrative, the work became a central document in one of the most enduring controversies in the history of exploration, placing Cook at the center of an international debate that continues to attract scholarly interest. Richly illustrated and detailed, the volume chronicles Arctic travel by dog sled, survival under extreme conditions, encounters with Inuit communities, scientific observations, and the final push toward the Pole. The book remains an essential primary source for understanding both the heroic age of polar exploration and the public battle over priority and proof that followed Cook's announcement. PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Original pale blue cloth lettered in dark blue on the upper board and spine. 7.75 inches tall; 610 pages followed by an 8-page index and one page of publisher advertisements. Illustrated throughout with photographic plates and documentary reproductions, including images of Arctic travel, sledging expeditions, and Cook's navigational records. Press Edition; Third Printing, 60th Thousand. CONDITION: Moderate shelf handling wear with mild rubbing and age-soiling to the cloth. A spot of loss of color on the top front inthe title. Interior remains remarkably well-preserved with plates clean and bright. A solid, attractive example of an important polar exploration narrative. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE - Few exploration books generated more controversy than My Attainment of the Pole. Cook maintained that he reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908, preceding Robert Peary's celebrated claim by nearly a year. The competing assertions ignited a bitter international dispute involving scientific organizations, newspapers, governments, and fellow explorers. Published only a few years after the events it describes, this volume served as Cook's most comprehensive presentation of his case. In addition to recounting the expedition itself, the work seeks to defend his claim through photographs, observations, calculations, and supporting documentation reproduced throughout the text. Today the book is valued not only as a narrative of Arctic exploration but also as a primary source in one of the defining controversies of twentieth-century geographic discovery. Whether viewed as an account of triumph, miscalculation, or disputed achievement, it remains indispensable to collections of exploration, Arctic history, and the history of science. CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS +++ Detailed account of Cook's 1907-1909 Arctic expedition +++ Central document in the Cook-Peary North Pole controversy +++ Numerous photographic illustrations +++ Reproductions of navigational and observational records +++ Contemporary discussion of Inuit travel methods and Arctic survival +++ Published during the height of public interest in polar exploration SUBJECTS: Frederick A. Cook, North Pole, Arctic Exploration, Robert Peary, Polar Expeditions, Inuit Culture, Exploration Controversies, Geographic Discovery, Polar Travel, History of Science, Adventure Literature, Polar Exploration, Arctic History, Travel Narrative, Exploration Literature, History of Science.

N° de réf. du vendeur 22121

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: My Attainment of the Pole [Press Edition [Polar Exploration Controversy]
• Éditeur: Mitchell Kennerley, New York and London
• Date de parution: 1913
• État de l'article: Good
• État de la jaquette: No Dust Jacket
• Poids: 2 livres
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • LITERATURE [Many Sub-Catagories]
  • TRAVEL, EXPLORATION & GEOGRAPHY