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Antarctica Ahoy: The Ice Book
This book won the highest literary award in the Soviet Union, the Lenin Prize. It is an amazing, fascinating book. It plunges you into a new world of people, their feelings and views about life. It makes you remember all the travel books you have read and yet does not resemble any of them. Written as a diary, it is an authentic document speaking of living people and giving their names and the story of their life. Is this journalism? It is, and of a very high class, too. It has been written by a journalist and an artist, and reading it you will agree that it is a work of art, a book of reflections, and an unusual narrative.
Juhan Smuul takes you with him on a voyage in the Kooperatsia, and with him you get to know new people, read books together with him, ponder over what you have read, struggle through the first act of a play that he has begun, and share the joys and sorrows of members of an Antarctic expedition.
There are no principal heroes. The author is surrounded by many interesting people and speaks briefly of every meeting, of every contact, sketching astonishingly faithful portraits. We have just said that there are no principal heroes. But on second thoughts, there is one, the author himself - the Estonian poet and playwright Juhan Smuul. His humanity dominates the book's intonation, its manly humour and lyrical warmth. His keen, tireless and honest search for truth infects the reader. His eager and shrewd studies lend this book its colour.
Juhan Smuul uses the time given him by a long voyage as a gift and generously tells us not only of his many impressions but also of his thoughts and meditations, shared by the people of his time, about the meaning of motherland, love, science, literature, films and, chiefly, about man, his inner duty and his moral responsibility.
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
7 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Juhan Smuul
32 books3 followersJuhan Smuul was born on the 18th February in 1922 on the island of Muhu as his father’s 19th child. He was supposed to be the heir of the farm and a farmer, but instead he became a sea writer, publicist and a active member of society. He died on the 13th of April in 1971 in Tallinn.
Juhan Smuul studied at the period from 1930 to 1936 in the Piiri elementary school, afterwards he studied for a short period of time in Järvamaa Jäneda agricultural school. He quit his studies when he got a cold and ended up with a glands infection to a clinic in Tartu. That ended his official education period.
In 1941 he was mobilized to the Soviet army. He was not sent to the front, because of his health. He was demobilized in the begginning of 1944. He became a literary co-worker in the editorial board of a soviet rear newspaper „Rahva Hääl“. There started his nearer acquaintance with modern Estonian literature and authors.
During the war, he wanted to fulfill his dream of many years to enter the seaschool, but he was not accepted. Then he worked for a short period of time as the substitute of the editor for Sirp ja Vasar and the editor of Pioneer in Tallinn. Since 1947 a freelance writer, 1951-1953 the vice-chairman of Writer’s Union, chairman from 1953 to 1971. Was the member of the USSR 5th and 6th Supreme Council. Was a member of the ESSR 4th Supreme Council. Has recieved many high rewards of that time: Soviet Estonia award in 1949 and 1950; Stalin award in 1952; Lenin award in 1961; ESSR Honored Writer in 1955; People's Writer 1965.
All his free summer moments he spent on his home island, that is the most important starting point and source of inspiration of his creation. Significant were also the sea voyages he managed to participate as a newspaper correspondent or a writer: with a herring ship to the North-Atlantic in 1955, with a polar expedition ship to the Antartic in 1957-58; with a research ship to the Japanese sea in 1959; to the Spitzbergen in 1960. Juhan Smuul has been married with the translator Ita Saks, with the poet Debora Vaarandi and to the editor of radio broadcast Ellen Noot. He didn’t have descendants.
Juhan Smuul studied at the period from 1930 to 1936 in the Piiri elementary school, afterwards he studied for a short period of time in Järvamaa Jäneda agricultural school. He quit his studies when he got a cold and ended up with a glands infection to a clinic in Tartu. That ended his official education period.
In 1941 he was mobilized to the Soviet army. He was not sent to the front, because of his health. He was demobilized in the begginning of 1944. He became a literary co-worker in the editorial board of a soviet rear newspaper „Rahva Hääl“. There started his nearer acquaintance with modern Estonian literature and authors.
During the war, he wanted to fulfill his dream of many years to enter the seaschool, but he was not accepted. Then he worked for a short period of time as the substitute of the editor for Sirp ja Vasar and the editor of Pioneer in Tallinn. Since 1947 a freelance writer, 1951-1953 the vice-chairman of Writer’s Union, chairman from 1953 to 1971. Was the member of the USSR 5th and 6th Supreme Council. Was a member of the ESSR 4th Supreme Council. Has recieved many high rewards of that time: Soviet Estonia award in 1949 and 1950; Stalin award in 1952; Lenin award in 1961; ESSR Honored Writer in 1955; People's Writer 1965.
All his free summer moments he spent on his home island, that is the most important starting point and source of inspiration of his creation. Significant were also the sea voyages he managed to participate as a newspaper correspondent or a writer: with a herring ship to the North-Atlantic in 1955, with a polar expedition ship to the Antartic in 1957-58; with a research ship to the Japanese sea in 1959; to the Spitzbergen in 1960. Juhan Smuul has been married with the translator Ita Saks, with the poet Debora Vaarandi and to the editor of radio broadcast Ellen Noot. He didn’t have descendants.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 4, 2021
Antarctica Ahoy: The Ice Book (as I believe Jäine raamat was translated into English) is a literary travelogue mainly focused on the third Soviet expedition on Antarctica (that the author joined in a function of a journalist). The fact that the author was a writer as well as a journalist is important for understanding this book as some parts of it are quite philosophical and poetical. There is even a bit of literary criticism thrown in there. Antarctica Ahoy is a mixture of objective (journalist), artistic (essay) and personal (diary form) writing. I would recommend it both to those who want to read it for historical/educational (as a testament of its times) and literary reasons.
Juhan Smuul was an Estonian writer of Soviet era that won the Lenin literary prize. The book was written to cover the third Soviet expedition to Antarctica. In one sense, this book is a testament of the Soviet times. The author describes the ship and the crew in detail. He speaks of the scientific work and sacrifice made by brave people in the name of progress. As I said, this book is both a report of the expedition (a travelogue of sorts) and a personal diary. Both in his personal and objective writing, Smuul is a man of his (Soviet) times. What makes this book different from some other books published in that time is that it is more a work of literature than propaganda. Yes, there is some (possibly at times even unconscious) Soviet propaganda in there but it is not overwhelming. In other words, it is a well written and interesting book that mostly serves to the credit of its writer. Obviously, J. Smuul expresses positive views and outlook on Soviet times, expressing his believes in Soviet technology and progress. However, his views are neither too pushy nor do they dominate the book. You can see that these views are something that the author believed in as a man of his times. Nothing terrible in that. We are all influenced by the times and places we live in and mimic the prevailing views of our times one way or another.
It is easy to see Smuul's optimism in regards to Soviet Union as naive and misplaced from a modern perspective, but it is important to remember when this book was written. At any rate, there is an atmosphere of optimism in this book that isn't limited to Soviet countries and that makes it an attractive read. This was an era of discoveries, when many believed that scientific progress and exploration will solve all problems. An era when something as silly as communism could be honestly believed in by intelligent man.
What is interesting about this book is that it doesn't seem to hold any extremely negative views about the West. It sometimes expresses concern at the way Soviet countries are portrayed at the West (as for example during the visit to Australia), but as far as Western countries are portrayed there is no visible hostility. Some things are criticized like buying things on credit, but nothing extraordinary negative is said. On the contrary, the author often praises Western art and artists. I would say this book gives a unique historical perspective both as a travelogue and as a personal diary expressing the author's views (and these views are also a testament of the times, not less relevant that the expedition itself). I'm not an expert on the topic, but this book seems to be significant in the sense that it shows a more positive view of the West. Perhaps the reason for its popularity was that it was one of the few literary insights into West (for its readers) during the Soviet times. It is also worth mentioning that the author is Estonian, so he brings the Baltic cultural and artistic perspective into his writing. All in all, definitely a book worth reading.
You can find a more detailed review for this book bellow:
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2...
Juhan Smuul was an Estonian writer of Soviet era that won the Lenin literary prize. The book was written to cover the third Soviet expedition to Antarctica. In one sense, this book is a testament of the Soviet times. The author describes the ship and the crew in detail. He speaks of the scientific work and sacrifice made by brave people in the name of progress. As I said, this book is both a report of the expedition (a travelogue of sorts) and a personal diary. Both in his personal and objective writing, Smuul is a man of his (Soviet) times. What makes this book different from some other books published in that time is that it is more a work of literature than propaganda. Yes, there is some (possibly at times even unconscious) Soviet propaganda in there but it is not overwhelming. In other words, it is a well written and interesting book that mostly serves to the credit of its writer. Obviously, J. Smuul expresses positive views and outlook on Soviet times, expressing his believes in Soviet technology and progress. However, his views are neither too pushy nor do they dominate the book. You can see that these views are something that the author believed in as a man of his times. Nothing terrible in that. We are all influenced by the times and places we live in and mimic the prevailing views of our times one way or another.
It is easy to see Smuul's optimism in regards to Soviet Union as naive and misplaced from a modern perspective, but it is important to remember when this book was written. At any rate, there is an atmosphere of optimism in this book that isn't limited to Soviet countries and that makes it an attractive read. This was an era of discoveries, when many believed that scientific progress and exploration will solve all problems. An era when something as silly as communism could be honestly believed in by intelligent man.
What is interesting about this book is that it doesn't seem to hold any extremely negative views about the West. It sometimes expresses concern at the way Soviet countries are portrayed at the West (as for example during the visit to Australia), but as far as Western countries are portrayed there is no visible hostility. Some things are criticized like buying things on credit, but nothing extraordinary negative is said. On the contrary, the author often praises Western art and artists. I would say this book gives a unique historical perspective both as a travelogue and as a personal diary expressing the author's views (and these views are also a testament of the times, not less relevant that the expedition itself). I'm not an expert on the topic, but this book seems to be significant in the sense that it shows a more positive view of the West. Perhaps the reason for its popularity was that it was one of the few literary insights into West (for its readers) during the Soviet times. It is also worth mentioning that the author is Estonian, so he brings the Baltic cultural and artistic perspective into his writing. All in all, definitely a book worth reading.
You can find a more detailed review for this book bellow:
https://modaodaradosti.blogspot.com/2...
June 20, 2020
Jäine raamat is a book by Estonian (and Soviet, which characterizes the style and ideology) writer Juhan Smuul. It is a travel journal, recording Smuul’s journey to Soviet Antarctic station Mirny, a month he spent there and the biggest part of his way back home. It was published in 1959, next year after its author came back home from the Ice Continent. I read it in Russian translation, made by Leon Toom in 1959.
From what I have found on Russian book forums and learned from my parents, Jäine raamat is an outstanding travel book not only in Estonian but in Soviet literature. It earned Lenin prize in 1961, translation was republished several times in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s; I discovered that in one of his interviews Dmitry Bykov, famous Russian writer and a popular lecturer, advises Smuul’s book as an example of “fascinating and moderately heroic” soviet book. And I can see, why it was praised. First, Soviet people did not have many sources of information about other countries, which makes Smuul’s depictions of foreign cities a window outside. Second, the book contains first-hand observations of the 3d Soviet Antarctic Expedition. Positive observations, importantly, ones that can enhance the patriotic feelings of citizens. However, there are things in the book that were not safe to write in 1957 in USSR, and the acknowledgment from the officials can be considered both luck and a result of Smuul’s caution.
Smuul reflects on soviet ideology and lifestyle a lot, but it is not inserted just for pleasing censors or editors. From Smuul’s biography, one can tell that at least at a time of writing this book he was an actual communist, and he believed in this ideology. But as an intellectual and an honest man, he is here and there critical about it – for example, he notices that soviet art, paintings, in particular, is sometimes dull and puts form above the feeling and thought if compared with some western abstract art. It is especially interesting if the reader knows about the Manege Affair of 1962, just 3 years after the publication: Khrushchev attended art exhibition which included avant-garde art and did not understand it at all, becoming enraged. This eventually led to the Party taking more control over the arts. This shows that writing about such issues was not safe for Smuul. The irony of Soviet censorship and even repression policy is that being a too inspired communist can be as dangerous as being a dissident.
The journal starts on 30th of October 1957 in Kaliningrad and ends on 17th of April 1958 after Smuul transfers from the ship by which he traveled to Antarctica and then from there to Alexandria – “Kooperatsia” – to the ship that will bring him back home through Beirut, Piraeus, Athens, Istanbul, and Odessa. Entries cover almost every day, with rare exceptions. I was surprised, that Smuul leaves all these cities out of the book, as he was very excited about Cape Town, Adelaide, Alexandria, and Cairo, describing them carefully and with enthusiasm. Maybe he was too tired and homesick at this point, maybe wanted to keep Antarctica in focus, as its description takes only about a third or a quarter of the book as it is. I hoped, however, to read about Smuul’s emotions when he is back in Estonia. Besides illustrating the beginning of the expedition and colorfully depicting foreign cities and sea landscape, Smuul, stimulated by the dullness of routine on a ship, reasons about the arts, his life, and his youth. He misses his home, often mentions Estonian nature, towns, and village where he grew up. His starting point for ocean descriptions is the Baltic sea.
“Every time I am on the deck, a dark azure of the ocean strikes me. It is so smooth and clean as if it was invented by poets. For us, children of the gray sea, this is like a fairy tale”. Nature plays a big role to him, he considers himself a son of Estonia in every sense. “Those who grow up among junipers, hazels, and boulders sooner or later switch to the prose”. This journal is an example of the way how we realize what is our home and what it means for us only when we are on a road. Smuul writes about it on the 22nd of December extensively.
The topic of homeland is also touched in entries from Adelaide, Australia. A large part of the city’s population consists of immigrants, including Russians and Estonians. Smuul does another dangerous thing here – despite being sure that these people are wrong in their spite towards USSR, he describes the majority of them with sympathy, considering the difficulty of the situation that made them flee. Seeing people without a homeland (as their home, independent Estonia, no longer exists; it is not mentioned directly, but I feel this is the biggest part of their tragedy) makes Smuul sad. The outstanding character is the man who left Estonia many years ago with his family and now desperately wants to go back and die on his land.
Ironically, for me the description of Antarctica was not the most interesting thing in the book about the Antarctic expedition. In comparison to Amundsen’s or Peary’s expeditions, the 3d Soviet Antarctic expedition was far more well organized, used technology and, as the name implies, was continuing what was already established by the first two expeditions, and new stations were easier to build. The history of this expedition is much less dark than those of pioneers. The only death described in Jäine raamat is due to the gas accident. I expected more adventures and danger from it, to be honest. Book turned out to be much more poetic and philosophical.
The world Smuul lives in, the world he presents to the reader, maybe never existed. It resembles me the world in early works of Strugatsky Brothers, before they become disappointed in regimen – the world of simple people, honest, brave, living for their work. I do not believe it now, but it still feels comforting to read about it.
From what I have found on Russian book forums and learned from my parents, Jäine raamat is an outstanding travel book not only in Estonian but in Soviet literature. It earned Lenin prize in 1961, translation was republished several times in the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s; I discovered that in one of his interviews Dmitry Bykov, famous Russian writer and a popular lecturer, advises Smuul’s book as an example of “fascinating and moderately heroic” soviet book. And I can see, why it was praised. First, Soviet people did not have many sources of information about other countries, which makes Smuul’s depictions of foreign cities a window outside. Second, the book contains first-hand observations of the 3d Soviet Antarctic Expedition. Positive observations, importantly, ones that can enhance the patriotic feelings of citizens. However, there are things in the book that were not safe to write in 1957 in USSR, and the acknowledgment from the officials can be considered both luck and a result of Smuul’s caution.
Smuul reflects on soviet ideology and lifestyle a lot, but it is not inserted just for pleasing censors or editors. From Smuul’s biography, one can tell that at least at a time of writing this book he was an actual communist, and he believed in this ideology. But as an intellectual and an honest man, he is here and there critical about it – for example, he notices that soviet art, paintings, in particular, is sometimes dull and puts form above the feeling and thought if compared with some western abstract art. It is especially interesting if the reader knows about the Manege Affair of 1962, just 3 years after the publication: Khrushchev attended art exhibition which included avant-garde art and did not understand it at all, becoming enraged. This eventually led to the Party taking more control over the arts. This shows that writing about such issues was not safe for Smuul. The irony of Soviet censorship and even repression policy is that being a too inspired communist can be as dangerous as being a dissident.
The journal starts on 30th of October 1957 in Kaliningrad and ends on 17th of April 1958 after Smuul transfers from the ship by which he traveled to Antarctica and then from there to Alexandria – “Kooperatsia” – to the ship that will bring him back home through Beirut, Piraeus, Athens, Istanbul, and Odessa. Entries cover almost every day, with rare exceptions. I was surprised, that Smuul leaves all these cities out of the book, as he was very excited about Cape Town, Adelaide, Alexandria, and Cairo, describing them carefully and with enthusiasm. Maybe he was too tired and homesick at this point, maybe wanted to keep Antarctica in focus, as its description takes only about a third or a quarter of the book as it is. I hoped, however, to read about Smuul’s emotions when he is back in Estonia. Besides illustrating the beginning of the expedition and colorfully depicting foreign cities and sea landscape, Smuul, stimulated by the dullness of routine on a ship, reasons about the arts, his life, and his youth. He misses his home, often mentions Estonian nature, towns, and village where he grew up. His starting point for ocean descriptions is the Baltic sea.
“Every time I am on the deck, a dark azure of the ocean strikes me. It is so smooth and clean as if it was invented by poets. For us, children of the gray sea, this is like a fairy tale”. Nature plays a big role to him, he considers himself a son of Estonia in every sense. “Those who grow up among junipers, hazels, and boulders sooner or later switch to the prose”. This journal is an example of the way how we realize what is our home and what it means for us only when we are on a road. Smuul writes about it on the 22nd of December extensively.
The topic of homeland is also touched in entries from Adelaide, Australia. A large part of the city’s population consists of immigrants, including Russians and Estonians. Smuul does another dangerous thing here – despite being sure that these people are wrong in their spite towards USSR, he describes the majority of them with sympathy, considering the difficulty of the situation that made them flee. Seeing people without a homeland (as their home, independent Estonia, no longer exists; it is not mentioned directly, but I feel this is the biggest part of their tragedy) makes Smuul sad. The outstanding character is the man who left Estonia many years ago with his family and now desperately wants to go back and die on his land.
Ironically, for me the description of Antarctica was not the most interesting thing in the book about the Antarctic expedition. In comparison to Amundsen’s or Peary’s expeditions, the 3d Soviet Antarctic expedition was far more well organized, used technology and, as the name implies, was continuing what was already established by the first two expeditions, and new stations were easier to build. The history of this expedition is much less dark than those of pioneers. The only death described in Jäine raamat is due to the gas accident. I expected more adventures and danger from it, to be honest. Book turned out to be much more poetic and philosophical.
The world Smuul lives in, the world he presents to the reader, maybe never existed. It resembles me the world in early works of Strugatsky Brothers, before they become disappointed in regimen – the world of simple people, honest, brave, living for their work. I do not believe it now, but it still feels comforting to read about it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2020
This book was written in the 1950s at the height of the Cold War by a preeminent Soviet Writer. It is a travelogue of his trip by boat to Antarctica, and afterwards Australia and other countries.
His descriptions of his travels are interesting while on the ship and also on the bottom continent.
What is also interesting are his plaintive pro-communist views and anti-capitalist views. He is sure the Soviet Union will forge on forever and all capitalist countries will self-destruct. I did not know that Australia had such a strong communist community, at least in the 1950s.
This book was published in English by a Soviet printing press. I found it on eBay. I wonder if such a book sold in the U.S. was a propaganda effort on the part of the Soviet Union. The book won the Lenin Prize, which at the time was the highest literary award in the Soviet Union.
I really like reading books that are contemporary to the times because they reveal the inside workings of the attitude and culture of people from countries during specific time periods.
There are a lot of black and white photos of Smuul's time in Antarctica, which are interesting to look at.
His descriptions of his travels are interesting while on the ship and also on the bottom continent.
What is also interesting are his plaintive pro-communist views and anti-capitalist views. He is sure the Soviet Union will forge on forever and all capitalist countries will self-destruct. I did not know that Australia had such a strong communist community, at least in the 1950s.
This book was published in English by a Soviet printing press. I found it on eBay. I wonder if such a book sold in the U.S. was a propaganda effort on the part of the Soviet Union. The book won the Lenin Prize, which at the time was the highest literary award in the Soviet Union.
I really like reading books that are contemporary to the times because they reveal the inside workings of the attitude and culture of people from countries during specific time periods.
There are a lot of black and white photos of Smuul's time in Antarctica, which are interesting to look at.
August 2, 2010
An interesting glimpse into life on a Soviet expedition to the Antarctic in the 1950s. While there is a good deal of propoganda--all the characters are oh so happy to be crammed into tiny spaces for months on end--the author's style is very smooth and easy to follow and his point of view fresh. I found his depictions of the decadent West (Adelaide, Australia) particularly interesting, especially his continual ranting on the foolishness of buying goods on credit, as was his depiction of Egypt's less decadent, but equally backward views on religion. Winner of the Lenin prize in 1961.
January 29, 2025
3.5/5
Interesting and poetical at times, really liked the detailed impressions and descriptions of the people Smuul met at the expedition and the vast landscape of Antarctic. I also enjoyed the life philosophical paragraphs and the self-reflections of the writer on the sea and away from home for so long. There’s some pro-Soviet thoughts and ideas of Smuul, who was a man of his time. It’s not overwhelming and sometimes not even noticeable, however it still bothered in some places, the expressions of love for the Great Soviet Union, the ideological pondering.
Interesting and poetical at times, really liked the detailed impressions and descriptions of the people Smuul met at the expedition and the vast landscape of Antarctic. I also enjoyed the life philosophical paragraphs and the self-reflections of the writer on the sea and away from home for so long. There’s some pro-Soviet thoughts and ideas of Smuul, who was a man of his time. It’s not overwhelming and sometimes not even noticeable, however it still bothered in some places, the expressions of love for the Great Soviet Union, the ideological pondering.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews