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Arctic Autumn: A Journey to Season's Edge
The Arctic doesn't spring to mind when most people think about autumn. Yet in his continuing effort to invite readers' curiosity through unpredictability, Pete Dunne chose to pair the transitional season of autumn with this fragile environment in flux.
The book begins on Bylot Island in Nunavut, Canada, at the retreating edge of the seasonal ice sheet, then moves to Alaska, where the needs of molting geese go head to head with society's need for oil. Then on to the Barren Lands of Canada, and a search for the celebrated caribou herds that mean life and death for human and animal predators alike.
A canoe trip down the John River is filled with memories, laughter, and contemplation; a caribou hunt with a professional trapper leads to a polemic on hunting; and Pete travels to an island in the Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska, to look for rare birds and ponder the passionate nature of competitive bird listers.
No trip to the Arctic would be complete without a trip to see polar bears, so Pete and his wife visit Churchill, Manitoba, the polar bear capital of the world. These majestic, but threatened, creatures lead Pete to think about his own life, our interactions with the natural world, and the importance of the Arctic, North America's last great wilderness.
The book begins on Bylot Island in Nunavut, Canada, at the retreating edge of the seasonal ice sheet, then moves to Alaska, where the needs of molting geese go head to head with society's need for oil. Then on to the Barren Lands of Canada, and a search for the celebrated caribou herds that mean life and death for human and animal predators alike.
A canoe trip down the John River is filled with memories, laughter, and contemplation; a caribou hunt with a professional trapper leads to a polemic on hunting; and Pete travels to an island in the Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska, to look for rare birds and ponder the passionate nature of competitive bird listers.
No trip to the Arctic would be complete without a trip to see polar bears, so Pete and his wife visit Churchill, Manitoba, the polar bear capital of the world. These majestic, but threatened, creatures lead Pete to think about his own life, our interactions with the natural world, and the importance of the Arctic, North America's last great wilderness.
258 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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51 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 23, 2022
I loved the atmosphere of the book, but the writing of the author annoyed me and a lot of his views did too. I don't like how he talks about hunting or women. Not my cup of tea, even though I really love stories about the Arctic.
October 14, 2017
After having read one of his other books and being a bit on the leery side I chose to try this author again and see if another of his books would hold my interest. Unfortunately this book was more or less the one that I should have steered away from for although it was interesting there was lots of red flags while instead of helping me feel good and find some pleasure in either the Arctic or autumn I ended up finding myself reading a book that was more or less an environmental message that also faced the declining years of one's life and also a rub-in that more or less for an eco-friendly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I must be rich.
First of all what threw me for this particular book was the fact that the author acknowledged that he really didn't know the Arctic landscape. As a result I was highly hoping to learn more and to be able to dive into the mystical world of the land that doesn't seem to end but instead upon looking at resources included I found more or less that Peter seemed to rely more and more on Wikipedia. As a result I was quite disappointed since although Wiki is good it isn't reliable.
Furthermore although the reader was introduced to the Arctic along with some of its plants and animals it wasn't all-inclusive thus any marine life was missing, the musk ox and even more than a passing description of the lemming. Other symbolic cornerstone Arctic animals were felt upon, their plight given and how they influence the world around them although the majority of the book was more or less about the birds yet again.
Otherwise the author was too much self-seeking with long rants about the environment and how we are destroying it (I am not against these books but when I want to read about those types of subjects then I will find a non-seasonal book whose main subject is environmental issues) or in exploring how his aging years has gotten him to the autumn of his own life. Just not my type of tea....
First of all what threw me for this particular book was the fact that the author acknowledged that he really didn't know the Arctic landscape. As a result I was highly hoping to learn more and to be able to dive into the mystical world of the land that doesn't seem to end but instead upon looking at resources included I found more or less that Peter seemed to rely more and more on Wikipedia. As a result I was quite disappointed since although Wiki is good it isn't reliable.
Furthermore although the reader was introduced to the Arctic along with some of its plants and animals it wasn't all-inclusive thus any marine life was missing, the musk ox and even more than a passing description of the lemming. Other symbolic cornerstone Arctic animals were felt upon, their plight given and how they influence the world around them although the majority of the book was more or less about the birds yet again.
Otherwise the author was too much self-seeking with long rants about the environment and how we are destroying it (I am not against these books but when I want to read about those types of subjects then I will find a non-seasonal book whose main subject is environmental issues) or in exploring how his aging years has gotten him to the autumn of his own life. Just not my type of tea....
March 18, 2017
Arctic Autumn is part travelogue, part science, and part philosophy, in an entirely approachable package. Dunne relates the tales of several autumn adventures throughout Canada and Alaska, most taken along with his wife, a photographer whose striking work is also featured in the book. In its opening chapter, Arctic Autumn appeals to the reader's latent urge to explore the Arctic. I admit that I recalled long-ago days playing Arctic explorer at recess on the frozen tundra of my Minnesota elementary school. And the book did, to some extent, rekindle that explorer's instinct.
Woven through Dunne's personable narrative and often-amusing anecdotes, there is a current of deep respect and thoughtful contemplation of the remote landscape and its denizens. Dunne is a birder and a hunter, with a clearly extensive knowledge of the Arctic ecosystem and its natural history. Discussions range from reflections on Alexis de Tocqueville’s thoughts on the American frontier, through the debate over the further pipeline-related development on Alaska's north slope and its impact on waterfowl molting habitat, to an on-going meditation on the philosophical similarities between hunting and vegetarianism. And, of course, no book on the Arctic would be complete without discussing climate change, which Dunne does in several chapters. A large part of the final chapter consists of a monologue directed toward a curious polar bear that gets to the heart of the difficulty we as a society have with addressing climate change:
The one weak point of the book, from my perspective, is that it has a self-conscious middle-aged, upper middle class guy perspective. Given that most of the content is engaging, entertaining, and informative for a broader audience, I found the frequent references and appeals to this demographic rather off-putting.
Overall, Arctic Autumn is a compelling, and often thought-provoking read.
Woven through Dunne's personable narrative and often-amusing anecdotes, there is a current of deep respect and thoughtful contemplation of the remote landscape and its denizens. Dunne is a birder and a hunter, with a clearly extensive knowledge of the Arctic ecosystem and its natural history. Discussions range from reflections on Alexis de Tocqueville’s thoughts on the American frontier, through the debate over the further pipeline-related development on Alaska's north slope and its impact on waterfowl molting habitat, to an on-going meditation on the philosophical similarities between hunting and vegetarianism. And, of course, no book on the Arctic would be complete without discussing climate change, which Dunne does in several chapters. A large part of the final chapter consists of a monologue directed toward a curious polar bear that gets to the heart of the difficulty we as a society have with addressing climate change:
So when we have mediocre leaders who tell us that the problem is exaggerated, the data inconclusive, we’re willing to accept their assurance over our misgivings. It’s what we want to hear. It’s why we we elected them in the first place and why candidates who espouse inconvenient truths come in second…
And climate change is just too big a challenge to be solved by individuals alone. That’s why we’ve got this system that brings collective wisdom to bear on problems that affect everyone. It is based on the premise that everyone is vested and that whatever a majority of the people want will be right. It works pretty well most of the time, but…
But what happens when what the majority wants is to not be bothered?
The one weak point of the book, from my perspective, is that it has a self-conscious middle-aged, upper middle class guy perspective. Given that most of the content is engaging, entertaining, and informative for a broader audience, I found the frequent references and appeals to this demographic rather off-putting.
Overall, Arctic Autumn is a compelling, and often thought-provoking read.
June 10, 2020
I'll read anything with "Arctic" in the title. Thus, I came to Dunn's "Arctic Autumn." Dunn is a good writer, not great. I did enjoy this book. He's at his best when musing about growing older or why he is a hunter. The descriptions of the various Arctic settings are not as good but still interesting.
I found the description of the North Slope oil extraction infrastructure an eye-opener. The damage done to the environment is shocking. The best chapter, I thought, was the one on the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba. Dunn is very good at explaining why we're where we are at vis-a-vis climate change and environmental depredation and why it's so hard to make positive change.
I found the description of the North Slope oil extraction infrastructure an eye-opener. The damage done to the environment is shocking. The best chapter, I thought, was the one on the polar bears of Churchill, Manitoba. Dunn is very good at explaining why we're where we are at vis-a-vis climate change and environmental depredation and why it's so hard to make positive change.
July 10, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. It’s like I’m having a conversation with the author. Like many conversations, the subject can jump from casual descriptions, to comical situations, to thoughtful ideas about the environment and nature, to serious commentary about life and living - from both animal and human aspects. One may not agree with all of the ideas or comments provided by the author, but these things bring up new ways of thinking.
January 26, 2023
Lyrical, enchanting.
November 10, 2011
Arctic Autumn: A Journey to Season's Edge is the latest in Pete Dunne's four-part series of books based on seasons in North America. The "autumn" of the book's title is not autumn as readers in a temperate climate might conceive it. At northerly latitudes, the warm season is short and summer is fleeting. Thus Dunne begins his narrative at the summer solstice in June, when days begin to shorten and animals begin preparations for the long winter. The impact of humans on the Arctic is never far from Dunne's narrative, especially the large-scale changes wrought by energy development and climate change. Thought-provoking on these impacts are interwoven with Dunne's experience of Arctic wildlife and landscapes. The narrative is engaging and informative. At several points, I found myself wanting to visit the places Dunne describes. The book is definitely worth a read for anyone interested in the Arctic.
See my full review on A DC Birding Blog.
See my full review on A DC Birding Blog.
December 7, 2011
Pete Dunne is an excellent writer in that he can relate any of his experiences to a (sometimes serious, sometimes humorous)universal human situation. He is at times kind of a complicated man (I've met him) but his writing is captivating, whether he is discussing Arctic polar bears or grumpy outfitters. good book; third in a series. i can't wait for the next one to come out.
March 22, 2012
Pete Dunne, writing a four-part seasonal story, picks the place on earth where autumn lasts the longest. In fact there is hardly a summer in some of the places he writes about. Arctic Autumn is full of word-pictures of the landscape and the animals and birds that inhabit the far north of out continent. Can't wait to see what he does for winter.
August 13, 2013
Interesting, pleasant reading, no urgency but a good read. Birder (both professional and from love/passion) and photographer wife and some of their adventures in the Arctic.
August 18, 2011
Please see review on Amazon.com as part of the Vine program.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews