End of the Earth: Voyaging to Antarctica

by Peter Matthiessen, Kenneth Garrett (Photographer)

End of the Earth brings to life the waters of the richest whale feeding grounds in the world, the wandering albatross with its 11-foot wingspan arching through the sky, and the habits of every variety of seal, walrus, petrel, and penguin in the area, all with boundless and contagious inquisitiveness. Magnificently written, the book evokes an appreciation and sympathy for a region as harsh as it is beautiful.

"Luminous and haunting . . . the contemporary Thoreau."--The Wall Street Journal

"[Matthiessen] doesn't waste words, and in End of the Earth: Voyages to Antarctica, his homage to the austere splendor of that frozen continent, he hasn't deployed a single one whose choice I would care to take issue with. . . . Matthiessen writes crusty, chiseled sentences that demand to be read slowly--the perfect prose equivalent of the landscapes he's describing."--The New York Times Book Review

"Matthiessen and polar landscapes seem perfectly suited. . . . I found myself constantly re-reading sentences or paragraphs to savour all of their rich resonances. . . . Few if any authors on the region have so successfully compressed . . . Antarctic life . . . and I suspect it will become standard reading."--The Guardian

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Nature, History, Memoir, Science, Adventure

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Peter Matthiessen is the author of more than thirty books and the only writer to win the National Book Award for both non-fiction (The Snow Leopard, in two categories, in 1979 and 1980) and fiction (Shadow Country, in 2008). A co-founder of The Paris Review and a world-renowned naturalist, explorer and activist, he died in April 2014.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Matthiessen is well known for his works on birds, animals, ecology and philosophy. This is a little different to his other work I have read - in that is doesn't delve into his philosophy.

Matthiessen writes with passion for the many Antarctic birds and whales in particular while recounting his various trips to Antarctica, but concentrating on his two major ones - one from Tierra del Fuego in South America to the Antarctic Peninsular, the second from Tasmania to the Ross Sea. He also outlines the history and in particular the voyages of Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen, and their contributions to Antarctic exploration.

Environmental and ecological issues are also examined - global warming / reduction of polar icecap / rising sea levels, the Japanese with their 'scientific' whaling, Antarctic toothfish over-fishing, as well as historic whaling and penguin culling, and the long road to recovery from those times.

This is perhaps not the most high paced read, but it is thorough and thoughtful nevertheless.

Three and a half stars, rounded down.

[Quo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been aware of Peter Matthiessen's books for quite some time but had never previously managed to read anything by the author prior to checking out End of the Earth: Voyaging to Antarctica from my local library. Alas, I may have picked less than his best work and while I read the book covering Matthiessen's Antarctica journeys with keen anticipation, I did not really become invested in his style of writing. End of the Earth is a merging of journals the author kept of two specific voyages to Antarctica with historical background information on previous exploration of the continent. For some reason, I was left unsatisfied with the nature of the effort & found some of the terminology less than easy to assimilate. Some authors have a facility for drawing the reader in, something I did not found to be the case with Matthiessen's book about Antarctica in spite of my fascination with this ice-bound part of the world, part of which I have had the good fortune to visit.

What I did enjoy were some of the quotes, including the one from Ernest Shackleton: The longing for ice, the sadness of departure...it is as if I cannot bear to leave this bleak waste of ice, glaciers, cold & toil. With books about travel, it sometimes seems an author fails to invite the reader to fully share the recapitulation of a journey but is merely content to remember the details aloud, with the author reminding himself of particular moments experienced far from home. However, when Matthiessen spoke of Shackleton, Cherry-Garrard, Dr. Edward Wilson, Robert Falcon Scott, Captain James Cook & others, the tone of End of the Earth seemed to heighten & my interest was aroused to a greater degree. For example, here is some commentary from Cherry-Garrard:

Why do men who have returned from the Antarctic always wish to go back to that hard & simple life? I believe it to be this: A man on such an expedition lives so close to nature, in whom he realizes a giant force which is visibly, before his eyes, carving out the world.

Matthiessen adds that "more than any other region left on earth, Antarctica is immaculate, inviolable, a white fastness of pristine air & ice & virgin glacier at the farthest end of the earth, still marvelously intact."

The mention of Dr. Edward Wilson caught my attention because I'd met his great grand-nephew, a former policeman turned naturalist & eminent ornithologist, D.M. "Chris" Wilson, on the deck of the "Marco Polo" when I sailed about the Antarctic peninsula in 2006. Dr. Edward Wilson was born in 1872 to a family of ornithologist-physicians & served on Scott's Antarctic expeditions as doctor-scientist, ornithologist, artist & confidant to both officers & men, ultimately perishing with Scott & Bowers on that imperfect attempt to be first to reach the South Pole, only to learn that Amundsen had narrowly beaten them. On an earlier expedition with Scott & Shakleton, Dr. Wilson failed to salvage an egg to bring back home in order to study the embryology of the largest of penguins but may have been among the first to document Emperor Penguins by making sketches of them.

Prior to WWI, there remained a kind of innocence with these voyages to Antarctica, long before powerful icebreaking ships & enhanced equipment made exploration much less life-threatening & I continue to find these early expeditions enthralling. They carried a sense of hopeful quest to expand the frontiers of knowledge about parts of the world not fully mapped at the time, even if somewhat cloaked in nationalism--the funds required for the expedition also involved planting a British flag.

There are 17 species of penguins & on one of Matthiessen's voyages, someone on board his ship had encountered each of the species of these amazing flightless birds, with the penguins having developed flightlessness & weight in order "to exploit a new ecological niche" as the author phrases it. Matthiessen also provides evidence of the impact on Antarctica caused by Global Warming with melting ice, rising seas & the elimination of habitats but also resultant harm to the human population around the globe due to the breaking down of the ozone shield, with an increase of cancerous melanoma just one of the results of climate change. And Matthiessen points out that with well over a billion of the earth's population lacking safe water to drink, Antarctica's ice represents "the repository & treasury of 75% of the planet's fresh water."

Two books dealing with polar regions that I enjoyed more are Endurance by Alfred Lansing, Cheltenham in Antarctica: The Life of Edward Wilson by D.M. Wilson & D.B. Elder & also the little-reviewed book by John Maxtone-Graham, Safe Return Doubtful. And beyond these & the fabled Cherry-Garrard book, The Worst Journey in the World, a recent long article by David Grann in The New Yorker (Feb. 12th & 19th) The White Darkness, very memorably explores how passion for Antarctica can become a fatal obsession with the continent. Perhaps, this is what Ernest Shackleton meant when he commented that "we all have our White South." *A very interesting article by Jeff Himmelman on Peter Matthiessen appeared in The New York Times Magazine on April 3rd, 2014, just 2 days before the author's death. **There are 8 pages of color photos included within End of the Earth.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost lyrically written, this chronicle of a sea voyage in the Antarctic Sea is lovely. Lots of good info on birds and geology, punctuated with anecdotes from historical voyages. This is a great one for the armchair traveler.

[Stephen Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peter Matthiessen writes about two journeys to Antarctica, one from Tierra del Fuego in South America to the shore of the Antarctic Peninula west of the Weddell Sea, and the second from Tasmania to the Ross Sea, almost on the other side of the continent.

On both occasions he travelled on Russian ships, which, because of the economic situation in Russia, no longer ply the northern coast of Russia, but find tourist trips at the other end of the world more profitable.

Matthiesen describes not just the journeys, but the history of the places they visit, most of which have no permanent human inhabitants. He describes the wild life (most of the passengers of the ships are keen bird watchers), and the highlight of the second trip, the Emperor Penguin, the only bird species on earth that never lives on land, and breeds on the ice shelf.

I would probably not have given the book a second glance if it had not been going cheap at a sale, and two things made me buy it. Last year I went to a gathering at African Enterprise in Pietermaritzburg, where Michael Cassidy showed slides of a trip to Antarctica that had been a 70th birthday present. He had followed more or less the route of Matthiessen's first trip from Tierra del Fuego, and having seen the pictures I was quite interested to read about it. A second reason that I had read and enjoyed a couple of other books by Peter Matthiessen, The Snow Leopard and At play in the fields of the Lord.

I thought this would be a book that I might dip into, and read a few interesting parts of, but as I read I became quite absorbed in it. It is more than just a travelogue, but it is also the story of our planet.

[Tassava · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Peter Matthiessen, so I'm definitely a biased reviewer, but this is a wonderful account of two different cruises to Antarctica – one to the Antarctic Peninsula south of Tierra del Fuego, the other to the Ross Sea south of New Zealand. Matthiessen writes beautifully about the oceans, the ice (glaciers and bergs), and the animals, especially the birds. Though he took these journeys in the late 1990s, the book is shot through with concern and indignation about climate change, among other forms of environmental despoliation. Still, this book is not an obituary; it's full of wonderful prose about the grandeur of these unusual places and about the mysteries of the natural world.

[Karyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've already mentioned my fascination with the frozen reaches of this planet, so when I saw this book during our library field trip (my family and I visited five branches of the Ocean State Library system in one day), I decided it was worth checking out. Yes, it's a slow read. Just 200 pages of prose (the last 40-ish pages are endnotes), but it took me five days to plow my way through it, much like the Kapitan Khlebnikov plowing her way through the ice off the coast of Antarctica.

That said, there are some truly fascinating bits. I had no idea that albatrosses, thanks to their years at sea, have a mechanism by which their bodies remove the salt from the water they ingest and excrete it through a tube near their nostrils. After telling him this story, my husband related that while he was on deployment with the US Navy, a bird of some type had hitched a ride on the ship, and the sailors were concerned for its welfare, worried that it would die without access to fresh water. Once I told him about the way in which pelagic birds are able to desalinate ocean water, he felt silly for not knowing this information.

Matthiessen also discusses various polar expeditions and their outcomes. He pulls no punches in his honest feelings about them either, especially in the epilogue, which I found amusing. He also tends to preach about the terrible effects of global warming and the ways in which humans are killing off the planet, which may turn off some readers.

This book is more for people fascinated by birds than by the Antarctic itself, though I did learn quite a bit. I would prefer there to have been either more photos or drawings of the birds Matthiessen describes, since it's difficult to imagine something one has never seen.

For the love of God, can we please force all authors to use footnotes instead of endnotes??

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm kind of obsessed with Antarctica, and one book I read of Matthiessen's (The Tree Where Man Was Born) was really excellent, so I assumed I would love this. Wrong! So, one thing I've noticed about Matthiessen is that, sometimes, he just seems to kind of go places and describe things, but it doesn't feel like he's actually super interested in them. And that's how this book reads to me. Up to this point (I made it about a third of the way through), there's been no hint of his own personal feelings about the things he's seeing. He talks about everything in a way that's so dry and distancing, and then every now and then there's a preachy bit about environmental issues, but nothing really feels genuine or passionate or...anything to me. I'm going to give this one up, but I am still holding out high hopes for The Snow Leopard one day...

[Iano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recounts some trips Mattheissen made while working as a wildlife guide on an antarctic cruise ship. A lovely read. Not as philosophical as The Snow Leopard (the only other book of his that I've read) but introspective all the same. Beautiful descriptions of the landscape and wildlife. Interesting on birds in particular and some exlporation history. Made me want to go to Antarctica if I ever win the lottery.

[Divya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Want to go there - to the ends of the earth - with PM

[Thaveesha Piyasiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mattheissen embarks on the ambition task of writing a book that combines history, social justice and a bit of descriptive poetry, the ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’ of books. While Mattheissen has sections that were interesting to read such as the recounts of early journeys, the gradual but significant reduction of the Antarctic ecosystem and the early penguin oil industry; it’s not consistent throughout the whole book.

[Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

He could have subtitled the book 'Birds of Antarctica' which would have given readers a heads up that his voyages were ornithological in nature. All of the bird information got tedious but Matthiessen rescues the book with scathing mini-diatribes against the government/corporate despoilers of the earth. His thoughts regarding the impact of Antarctica are introspective, philosophical and life-affirming. It's not about the journey but rather what it brings out in a person.

[Rafelmenmell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Para contar un crucero por la Antártida y que no parezca cosa de viejos adinerados hay que ser Matthiessen. Pero la cosa patina un poco. Cuando has conocido a Matthiessen buscando al leporado de las nieves y viviendo aventuras de verdad esto queda un poco crepuscular.

Pero eso si, es la ANTÁRTIDA.

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I wasn’t traveling to Antarctica, I’m not sure I would have endured this book. As travel prep it is a great little look at the wild and bird life as well as a great deal of exploration history and some facts about 2 of his voyages. With my travel in mind, I think I learned a fair amount about Antarctica.

[Dj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous turns of phrase. Evocative land & sea descriptions. Fascinating bird & wildlife info. Deep contemplations. Environmental activism. Lots of background on polar explorers. Some wry humor. I enjoyed it comparably to his classic Snow Leopard.

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matthiessen's story of his trip to the Seventh Continent is difficult to put down. As usual, he writes with poetic descriptions while discussing scientific and factual information. I read this book before going to Antarctica, and then I couldn't leave it behind. Absolutely gorgeous writing!

[Yudhvir Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice

[Caitlin Skellett · Rating 1 out of 5]

He seems racist, sexist, overly wordy. The book was difficult to get through with no real point. Didn’t seem to have any form of organization.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

NF
204 pages

Matthiessen, a gifted writer, had me feeling
the cold as I read about this frozen land.

[Shakera]

good

[Sarah F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was totally drawn in. If you want to visit Antarctica, then this is it.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb book! Great info on the wildlife of Antarctica as well as beautiful prose on the mesmerizing characteristics of the continent.

[Olga Vannucci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penguins, penguins, other birds
At the bottom of the world.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthiessen's writing is incredibly visual, and while this is a calm read that's far more interested in describing the arctic than entertaining a reader who might not be automatically interested without more plot or character, many of the passages are little short of intoxicating. Reading the work, it often feels like watching images scroll by in a documentary, zooming in on creatures and on phenomena to offer brief explorations.

I admit, there were moments when I wanted something more--more character, more progression--but this book had a way of calming the outside world, and letting me sink into it, more and more as I went along. All told, I doubt it will end up being my favorite of his works, but I'm glad to have read and explored it.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

3 stars would, perhaps, be more accurate, especially if the book had ended 50 or 100 pages sooner, but the fact is that by the time I was that far into it, I was just skimming severely. I hate to give such a low rating, as I think so highly of Peter Matthiessen and I have truly enjoyed some of his books. This one, though, was too much like a field trip report, and, even though I love to bird watch, there is too much about all kinds of birds that I really know nothing about (I love birdwatching, but I'm not particularly good at it). Would I reread this if I ever decided to take a trip to Antarctica? Absolutely, but that is the only thing that would make me do it!

[Rick Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Matthiessen delivers another masterful travel memoir. In End of the Earth, he takes the reader to the still pristine world of the Southern Ocean to view penguins, seabirds, and other marine life, in addition to blue-white icebergs and lonely mountains.

Matthiessen uses sparse prose to describe the endless ocean and the wildlife that carves out its cold and difficult existence, while also offering an informal summary of Antarctic exploration and commentary on the seventh continent's natural history.

This is must-reading for anybody who's interested in armchair traveling to a seldom seen part of the world.

[Darth Birder · Rating 2 out of 5]

The approach is interesting, nevertheless it has so many mistakes that if you have been to antarctica (or worse, if you work there EVERY summer season, EVERY year), its reading becomes a hillarious experience. The funniest part is knowing some of the people described in the book (all contemporary, their names could have been changed for privacy's sake). Surprising that a book with so many errors was published by National Geographic.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breezy account of Mattiesson's two expeditions to Antarctica, the first one aboard the Ioffe - the same boat I took down to the peninsula. Easy read, though was surprised that the first edition was riddled with errors on the dates of Shackleton's Endurance voyage. The epilogue, a thoughtful and well written essay about the different explorers and their place in polar history, is probably the best part of the book.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

End of the Earth: Voyaging to Antarctica by Peter Matthiessen (National Geographic Society 2004) (508.989). Peter Matthiessen and National Geographic literally trek to the end of the earth on the ultimate wildlife safari. My rating: 7/10, finished 2005. I purchased my like new HB copy 3/12/17 from McKay's Books for $1.50. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Gil Reavill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

[Bob Peru · Rating 5 out of 5]

peter matthiessen. hero.