Driving to Greenland: Arctic Travel, Northern Sport, and Other Ventures into the Heart of Winter

by Peter Stark

Plimptonesque jaunts and essays on winter sports and arctic travel, by a contributing editor to Outside Magazine.

Genres: Travel

192 pages, Hardcover

First published December 29, 1997

Reviews

[Nick Jarrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adjusting for inflation this book was $50 when it came out

[Elderberrywine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book ever to read on a scorching summer's day.

Stark is in love with all things winter, be it childhood winter pastimes, or the more obscure winter sports, or the farthest lands to the North, or even just the nature of snow and ice itself - and writes on all these topics brilliantly.

Describing his now middle-aged friends' and his jury-rigged ice rink, carefully cultivated for their pick-up game of Old-Guys' Hockey, he stresses the need for a smooth surface. Which also requires a bootleg Zamboni - created by placing a propane stove on a lawncart and bolting down a cattle trough. As this contraption is towed along, a swatch of flowered curtain fabric drags behind it to smooth the flow of warm water over the old pitted surface.. Would love to see that in action. :D

And did you know Midwestern snow shovel guys refer to the typical combination of snow and dirt that they plow as snirt? *loves*

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read though not one I would read again. This book was written by one of my student's uncles. I liked learning about all the crazy winter sports he does as well as the different areas of North America that seem to be in perpetual winter.

[Michael Gruskin · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointing collection of short stories. First, he doesn't really drive to Greenland. Second, lots of his stories sound like the worst of your friends slide shows: here's were we stayed. here's where we ate, here's what we ate. And the style is like trying to eat dry oatmeal.

Take a pass.