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Trial by Ice: The True Story of Murder and Survival on the 1871 Polaris Expedition
In 1871, the Polaris sailed with great fanfare from New York harbor and began a historic journey to one of the earth’s final frontiers. Seven months later, a handful of half-starved survivors returned with a story that shocked the entire nation. . . .
In the dark, divisive years following the Civil War, America’s foremost Arctic explorer, Charles Francis Hall, became a figure of national pride and renown when he embarked on a harrowing, landmark expedition. With financial backing from Congress and the personal support of President Grant, Captain Hall and his crew boarded the Polaris, a steam schooner carefully refitted for its rigorous journey, and began their quest to be the first men to reach the North Pole.
Hall was a veteran of the Arctic and a man of great physical stamina, but all his strength and experience couldn’t combat the conflicts brewing among his officers and crew. Beset by bad luck, a lack of discipline, and an unclear chain of command, the Polaris entered the icy waters off the coast of Greenland. Neither the ship nor its captain would ever return.
As the expedition reached its most crucial stage, Hall inexplicably sickened and died. Whispers of murder swept through the ship. Still, the Polaris forged on, only to meet with a further disaster that left half the crew separated from the ship and most of their supplies at the bottom of the ocean. What followed was a horrifying, seven-month ordeal through the heart of an Arctic winter, when men fought starvation, madness, and each other upon the ever-shifting ice.
Trial by Ice is an incredible adventure that pits men against the natural elements and their own fragile human nature. Beyond this, it is also an authentic murder mystery that, in its time, led to accusations of foul play and a dramatic, unresolved investigation. Now, more than a century after the crime was committed, the author draws on recent evidence to recount the amazing story of the killer who boarded the Polaris–and got away with murder.
In this powerful true story of death and survival, courage and intrigue aboard a doomed ship, Richard Parry chronicles one of the most astonishing, little known tragedies at sea in American history.
In the dark, divisive years following the Civil War, America’s foremost Arctic explorer, Charles Francis Hall, became a figure of national pride and renown when he embarked on a harrowing, landmark expedition. With financial backing from Congress and the personal support of President Grant, Captain Hall and his crew boarded the Polaris, a steam schooner carefully refitted for its rigorous journey, and began their quest to be the first men to reach the North Pole.
Hall was a veteran of the Arctic and a man of great physical stamina, but all his strength and experience couldn’t combat the conflicts brewing among his officers and crew. Beset by bad luck, a lack of discipline, and an unclear chain of command, the Polaris entered the icy waters off the coast of Greenland. Neither the ship nor its captain would ever return.
As the expedition reached its most crucial stage, Hall inexplicably sickened and died. Whispers of murder swept through the ship. Still, the Polaris forged on, only to meet with a further disaster that left half the crew separated from the ship and most of their supplies at the bottom of the ocean. What followed was a horrifying, seven-month ordeal through the heart of an Arctic winter, when men fought starvation, madness, and each other upon the ever-shifting ice.
Trial by Ice is an incredible adventure that pits men against the natural elements and their own fragile human nature. Beyond this, it is also an authentic murder mystery that, in its time, led to accusations of foul play and a dramatic, unresolved investigation. Now, more than a century after the crime was committed, the author draws on recent evidence to recount the amazing story of the killer who boarded the Polaris–and got away with murder.
In this powerful true story of death and survival, courage and intrigue aboard a doomed ship, Richard Parry chronicles one of the most astonishing, little known tragedies at sea in American history.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 27, 2001
17 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
May 2, 2019
I enjoyed this book. At first, I thought I wasn't going to really get into it, but I kept going, and soon enough I became hooked on the tale.
As the blurb says, it is about the horrific experiences of the 1871 Polaris Expedition to reach the North Pole. But ... wow ... this is one ship you would never want to be on because the so-called crew are like little grenades just bouncing off each other until BOOM.
My heart went out to the leader, Charles Hall. He tried, he surely did. I was glad to know that Charles Loomis was able to get definitive answers, even if it was decades too late.
Of course, there's a cover-up ... if the government (or big business) is involved, it seems a given, unfortunately. Damn them.
Interesting medical bits.
Interesting bits on the white man's view of the Inuit in that age.
Also, the book has an index! I love indexes.
I also love maps, and sadly this needed one (or several!).
Anyway, if you like nonfiction Artic tales, you'll probably like this one.
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.
As the blurb says, it is about the horrific experiences of the 1871 Polaris Expedition to reach the North Pole. But ... wow ... this is one ship you would never want to be on because the so-called crew are like little grenades just bouncing off each other until BOOM.
My heart went out to the leader, Charles Hall. He tried, he surely did. I was glad to know that Charles Loomis was able to get definitive answers, even if it was decades too late.
Of course, there's a cover-up ... if the government (or big business) is involved, it seems a given, unfortunately. Damn them.
Interesting medical bits.
Interesting bits on the white man's view of the Inuit in that age.
Also, the book has an index! I love indexes.
I also love maps, and sadly this needed one (or several!).
Anyway, if you like nonfiction Artic tales, you'll probably like this one.
4 Stars = Outstanding. It definitely held my interest.
October 12, 2017
So glad to go back to the ice with this book. I must be honest I wasn’t wowed by this book, but it wasn’t as dry and repetitive as other books that I have read on the topic . One complaint I have about this book was the format , the chapters were very long and there wasn’t any picture worth of mentioning. Irregardless I found myself captivated by the narrative of the book once the ship starts getting into trouble and you see how the different dynamics that come with manning a 19th century ship on its way to the North Pole . In conclusion if you like books about ice exploration you will not be disappointed by this book, but if yo are expecting the greatest book about ice exploration then look for something else.
March 20, 2016
Insubordination. Sabotage. Drunkenness. Poisoning. And so much plain stupidity. No one should have survived this search for the North Pole, yet everyone does except, oh yeah, the leader, and he was murdered. It seems like almost everyone was doing everything they could to make the expedition fail. I've read other exploration tales, and they are uplifting and you are really rooting for the people to survive and make it home. I found this story very aggravating because these people did things wrong at every turn and yet they all lived. They made bad decisions, they ignored orders, they stole from the stores of food that were keeping everyone alive, they sabotaged the ship because they didn't want to have to man the pumps that were keeping it afloat. I guess it makes a good guide for what NOT to do in an Arctic exploration. It was a good book, the story interesting, but it's hard to like it too much when you want to hit most of the people sharply upside the head with an oar. And the narrator had a nice, deep, serious voice, but I could hear him turning pages a LOT! I've heard the odd page now and again on other audiobooks, but there were stretches here where I could hear every page turning. Distracting.
March 6, 2014
Rather fed up with contemporary fiction at the moment so this is my new 'craft by audio' book.
I had little knowledge of this American thrust for the north pole as, hailing from Northern Europe, there is much to absorb more locally on the subject but this is yet another dismal look at mans' inhumanity to fellow man.
It reads like a film plot.
Emil Bessel wasan evil, self-serving little shite a force for the worse; who would be best to portray him on the silver screen?
I had little knowledge of this American thrust for the north pole as, hailing from Northern Europe, there is much to absorb more locally on the subject but this is yet another dismal look at mans' inhumanity to fellow man.
It reads like a film plot.
Emil Bessel was
March 30, 2016
If someone wanted to write a gothic horror novel set in the Arctic, this would be a great starting point. The hero would be the leader of the Polaris Expedition, but the point of view character would be the doctor who may have poisoned his Captain. They are but two of a crew filled with warped and shady characters, all part of a true story of deceit and lawlessness aboard an ill-fated expedition to the North Pole. Interesting reading.
January 21, 2019
“Stretching as far as their eyes could see was a steely ocean and a brooding umber land that killed humans with total indifference.” Here is an expedition that was doomed from the start—from an ill-fitted ship and sabotage, to an untested and ill-suited captain, so bent on fulfilling his dream that common sense and the welfare of his crew be damned—not to mention a rift between himself and his second in command (and the second in command with the assistant navigator) and problems with the German scientist before the trip even began. The thing Hall did right, however, was to include the two Inuit families, whose hunting sledding and kayak skills possibly were the only saving grace for the stranded men (along with the other Inuits who invaded their camp later on).
.I have yet to read another Arctic, Antarctic, or Siberian expedition account with less camaraderie, teamwork, or survival skills than this ill-fated “American” voyage. It is inconceivable that a single man survived, but “After two years [1871-1873], the last of the Polaris expedition had finally escaped from the grasp of the Arctic. Miraculously, only one man—their leader, Charles Francis Hall—had died.”
Since C.F. Hall’s suspicious death, “…little remained of the U.S. North Polar expedition but an unruly, self-serving mob bent on having their own way with no regard for the consequences.” The fractious men cared so little about following orders or putting forth any extra effort save to further their own causes and appetites, they practically undermined their own safety.
Unbelievably (or perhaps par for the course), the politicians and backers of the expedition cared less about the truth and more about appearances, to wit: “To the relief of all the bureaucrats, the case was closed. All the dirt was swept under the rug. But it made a sizable bump, one that refused to flatten out of view.”
Parry imbues a bit of humor in this telling, with statements like: “the earthy seamen used profanity like a second set of clothing,” and he includes interesting facts, i.e., shrimp will eat the flesh off bones, thus preserving skeletal remains for scientific study, and sealskin sewn along the bottom of Inuit mukluks with the hairs facing backwards allows the skilled hunter to skim across the ice, yet resist sliding backward.
Sorely missing is a map! Each time a new geographical location was mentioned or latitudes/longitudes expressed, I found myself hunting for reference material. I also wonder that Parry failed to give any credit to John Rae, a member of the Hudson’s Bay Company for delivering the first accounts of evidence that the crews of the Franklin expedition did not survive, which led to Sir John Ross’s discoveries. He also insinuates that Hall was the first white man (between 1860-1863) to successfully adopt the Inuit methods and gain the trust of the Eskimos when others had succeeded in this endeavor (with published works in the 1840s) and had in fact lived among the Inuit for many more years than the mere two or three of Hall, but perhaps these differing authors had slanted views about the men to whom they were attempting to distinguish among Arctic explorers. All-in-all, though, a nicely penned account that kept me turning the pages to discover every misstep, act of debauchery, and poor leadership that placed this expedition in the annuls of history of failed quests to be the first to reach the North Pole. A fast-paced and interesting read.
.I have yet to read another Arctic, Antarctic, or Siberian expedition account with less camaraderie, teamwork, or survival skills than this ill-fated “American” voyage. It is inconceivable that a single man survived, but “After two years [1871-1873], the last of the Polaris expedition had finally escaped from the grasp of the Arctic. Miraculously, only one man—their leader, Charles Francis Hall—had died.”
Since C.F. Hall’s suspicious death, “…little remained of the U.S. North Polar expedition but an unruly, self-serving mob bent on having their own way with no regard for the consequences.” The fractious men cared so little about following orders or putting forth any extra effort save to further their own causes and appetites, they practically undermined their own safety.
Unbelievably (or perhaps par for the course), the politicians and backers of the expedition cared less about the truth and more about appearances, to wit: “To the relief of all the bureaucrats, the case was closed. All the dirt was swept under the rug. But it made a sizable bump, one that refused to flatten out of view.”
Parry imbues a bit of humor in this telling, with statements like: “the earthy seamen used profanity like a second set of clothing,” and he includes interesting facts, i.e., shrimp will eat the flesh off bones, thus preserving skeletal remains for scientific study, and sealskin sewn along the bottom of Inuit mukluks with the hairs facing backwards allows the skilled hunter to skim across the ice, yet resist sliding backward.
Sorely missing is a map! Each time a new geographical location was mentioned or latitudes/longitudes expressed, I found myself hunting for reference material. I also wonder that Parry failed to give any credit to John Rae, a member of the Hudson’s Bay Company for delivering the first accounts of evidence that the crews of the Franklin expedition did not survive, which led to Sir John Ross’s discoveries. He also insinuates that Hall was the first white man (between 1860-1863) to successfully adopt the Inuit methods and gain the trust of the Eskimos when others had succeeded in this endeavor (with published works in the 1840s) and had in fact lived among the Inuit for many more years than the mere two or three of Hall, but perhaps these differing authors had slanted views about the men to whom they were attempting to distinguish among Arctic explorers. All-in-all, though, a nicely penned account that kept me turning the pages to discover every misstep, act of debauchery, and poor leadership that placed this expedition in the annuls of history of failed quests to be the first to reach the North Pole. A fast-paced and interesting read.
December 7, 2024
I picked this up at the subscription library at which I’m a member, mainly because I always check the polar exploration area of any library I visit. I had no real expectations going in, but now this has to be one of my favorite “sad boat” books.
As much as I love the genre of books that research various expeditions during the Heroic Age of Exploration, occasionally the beginning is slow, going over every last detail of the funding of the expedition and the choosing of supplies. Parry doesn’t get super bogged down in these details, instead giving a good mini bio of all the main characters and talks about the refitting of the ship that had been initially named Periwinkle but was now rechristened the Polaris. The captain of the expedition, Charles Francis Hall, was interested in reaching the North Pole for the United States, but oddly enough much of his crew hailed from Germany. Not only that, but he was also saddled with a captain of the ship, as well as a captain of the scientist arm of the expedition. Three captains are two captains too many, something that Bessel, the head of the scientific arm, sought to rectify when he apparently poisoned Hall with arsenic. After Hall’s death, any discipline the crew had fell apart, and Captain Buddington, the captain of the ship, descended into alcohol as the ship looked likely to be stuck in the ice. Concerned the ship was sinking, the men made ready to abandon ship, except only half the crew got off the ship and were carried away by ice floes. The other half stayed with the Polaris, though eventually they had to abandon ship as well. Both halves of the crew faced starvation and exposure to the elements, but after seven months, both groups were finally rescued. However, no justice was ever meted out for Hall’s death, and strangely enough, he was the only man to die on this expedition.
Parry’s writing is very vivid, and it grips the reader so that she doesn’t want to put the book down. While a few maps would not have gone amiss, so that the reader could follow along with the perambulations of the Polaris as it floated stuck in the ice, as well as the way the ice floes traveled with Capt Tyson’s group aboard. It is absolutely mind-blowing that they all survived with very little food, almost no shelter unless the Inuit with them were able to build igloos, and clothing insufficient for Arctic travel.
Near the end of the book, Parry mentions the Greely expedition, so that may where I travel next in my reading.
As much as I love the genre of books that research various expeditions during the Heroic Age of Exploration, occasionally the beginning is slow, going over every last detail of the funding of the expedition and the choosing of supplies. Parry doesn’t get super bogged down in these details, instead giving a good mini bio of all the main characters and talks about the refitting of the ship that had been initially named Periwinkle but was now rechristened the Polaris. The captain of the expedition, Charles Francis Hall, was interested in reaching the North Pole for the United States, but oddly enough much of his crew hailed from Germany. Not only that, but he was also saddled with a captain of the ship, as well as a captain of the scientist arm of the expedition. Three captains are two captains too many, something that Bessel, the head of the scientific arm, sought to rectify when he apparently poisoned Hall with arsenic. After Hall’s death, any discipline the crew had fell apart, and Captain Buddington, the captain of the ship, descended into alcohol as the ship looked likely to be stuck in the ice. Concerned the ship was sinking, the men made ready to abandon ship, except only half the crew got off the ship and were carried away by ice floes. The other half stayed with the Polaris, though eventually they had to abandon ship as well. Both halves of the crew faced starvation and exposure to the elements, but after seven months, both groups were finally rescued. However, no justice was ever meted out for Hall’s death, and strangely enough, he was the only man to die on this expedition.
Parry’s writing is very vivid, and it grips the reader so that she doesn’t want to put the book down. While a few maps would not have gone amiss, so that the reader could follow along with the perambulations of the Polaris as it floated stuck in the ice, as well as the way the ice floes traveled with Capt Tyson’s group aboard. It is absolutely mind-blowing that they all survived with very little food, almost no shelter unless the Inuit with them were able to build igloos, and clothing insufficient for Arctic travel.
Near the end of the book, Parry mentions the Greely expedition, so that may where I travel next in my reading.
May 28, 2021
If this story was published as a novel it would be criticised for being ridiculous, unrealistic, and full of OTT drama. So the fact that the Polaris expedition happened this way is crazy - from the start this thing was a shit show! It's like a Polar-based sitcom, and it would be hilarious if it didn't lead to so much suffering.
The people involved come through well in the writing, and you have to feel sorry for some of them for being a part of one of the worst planned expeditions. I liked that the author said that he used first-hand sources as much as possible because there were so many different versions that he didn't want hindsight to muddy the waters of what probably happened.
I thought the chapters on the aftermath were really interesting, and I liked that there was one from the inquest and one from the disovery of the body in the 1960's. It was a good solid way to end their story.
This is a really good book and a must for any fan of arctic adventure.
The people involved come through well in the writing, and you have to feel sorry for some of them for being a part of one of the worst planned expeditions. I liked that the author said that he used first-hand sources as much as possible because there were so many different versions that he didn't want hindsight to muddy the waters of what probably happened.
I thought the chapters on the aftermath were really interesting, and I liked that there was one from the inquest and one from the disovery of the body in the 1960's. It was a good solid way to end their story.
This is a really good book and a must for any fan of arctic adventure.
July 29, 2015
Captivating. I read Shackleton's story and found this nearly as immersive and enthralling. Parry obviously put in a great deal of research before writing this book. It doesn't take long before his feelings about various characters come through in the text. I came to appreciate certain characters while despising others. I appreciated how Parry was able to provide modern knowledge and information about geography, physiology, and so forth to illuminate the text. I was blown away to find that only one person died on this expedition. I was not, however, surprised to hear about the scientific results when Captain Hall's body was exhumed and autopsied. This story is another one of those sad examples of how one man's selfishness can impact the lives of many.
If you enjoy adventure or expeditionary novels this one is worth the read!
If you enjoy adventure or expeditionary novels this one is worth the read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2025
I actually listened to the audiobook edition of this book, back when they were still on cassette tapes.. literally Books on Tape. It made my 90 minute (each way) commute not only bearable, but dare I say, enjoyable.
As a big fan of true life account of exploration to remote corners of the earth and the frequent tribulations that often troubled these brave explorers, this story did not disappoint. Less known than the Franklin, Greely and other big name expeditions, Charles Francis Hall's ill fated Polaris Expedition has all the elements of a well-written mini-series. I won't spoil the story, so you'll have to check it out yourself. Allow me to indulge in a few teaser clues: murder (?), cannibalism, madness, frostbite, death. Is there a satisfying payoff at the end? Well...
Incidentally, there is one other well-known book on this trip, "Weird and Tragic Shores" originally published in 1971. I haven't yet read that but you might be interested to seek it out after reading this one.
The prose is tight and informative and well paced. It delves deep into historical circumstances of the time. Tangential explanations to round out the story and provide context don't leave the reader in the weeds. It's all fascinating. It is particularly amazing to look read about tale from a vantage 100+ years into the future. These folks were without GPS, satellites, radios nor radar. Even scurvy wasn't that well understood. It's all grit, gumption, and the will to survive.
My only criticism is them not mentioning an Inuk interpreter and guide, known sometimes as Tooqulitu (and other names and spellings) as she is quite important to the story. Her contributions are maybe underestimated and/or highlighted.
I'm shelving this book and reviewing it in 2025 despite having finished it 20 years previous. It's that good that I remember many of the details. That's saying something. I highly recommend it.
As a big fan of true life account of exploration to remote corners of the earth and the frequent tribulations that often troubled these brave explorers, this story did not disappoint. Less known than the Franklin, Greely and other big name expeditions, Charles Francis Hall's ill fated Polaris Expedition has all the elements of a well-written mini-series. I won't spoil the story, so you'll have to check it out yourself. Allow me to indulge in a few teaser clues: murder (?), cannibalism, madness, frostbite, death. Is there a satisfying payoff at the end? Well...
Incidentally, there is one other well-known book on this trip, "Weird and Tragic Shores" originally published in 1971. I haven't yet read that but you might be interested to seek it out after reading this one.
The prose is tight and informative and well paced. It delves deep into historical circumstances of the time. Tangential explanations to round out the story and provide context don't leave the reader in the weeds. It's all fascinating. It is particularly amazing to look read about tale from a vantage 100+ years into the future. These folks were without GPS, satellites, radios nor radar. Even scurvy wasn't that well understood. It's all grit, gumption, and the will to survive.
My only criticism is them not mentioning an Inuk interpreter and guide, known sometimes as Tooqulitu (and other names and spellings) as she is quite important to the story. Her contributions are maybe underestimated and/or highlighted.
I'm shelving this book and reviewing it in 2025 despite having finished it 20 years previous. It's that good that I remember many of the details. That's saying something. I highly recommend it.
November 6, 2022
Astonishing work by Richard Parry.
POSTED BY ME AT AMAZON 2002
I did not expect to find "Trial by Ice" so good.
Using very colorful and vivid writing style, author presents events during the ill-fated polar expedition. Action takes place on the deck of steamer Polaris, along the north/west Greenland's shore and on the ice floes of Baffin Bay.
This is a classic tale of survival describing international motley crew of officers, seamen, scientists and Inuits fighting for their lives after Polaris destruction.
Without leadership and teamwork all efforts are difficult and dramatic. Dark human nature and low morality quite often prevails, hardship creates lack of loyalty, national partiality and racism.
This book has an extra flavor - elements of crime and detective story.
Writing and explanations are enhanced by author's scientific and medical knowledge combined with his experience of living in a harsh climate of Alaska. He knows what he is writing about.
The story of Polaris is just another example of how little we usually know about causes and reality of current political, criminal and social events. True facts and motives stay hidden and masked to be fully exposed and published at much later time.
I rank this book in the same category as "Wreck of the Medusa", "In the Heart of the Sea" and "South".
If Dr. Parry was as good surgeon as he is now a writer, then many patients must be missing his medical practice.
POSTED BY ME AT AMAZON 2002
I did not expect to find "Trial by Ice" so good.
Using very colorful and vivid writing style, author presents events during the ill-fated polar expedition. Action takes place on the deck of steamer Polaris, along the north/west Greenland's shore and on the ice floes of Baffin Bay.
This is a classic tale of survival describing international motley crew of officers, seamen, scientists and Inuits fighting for their lives after Polaris destruction.
Without leadership and teamwork all efforts are difficult and dramatic. Dark human nature and low morality quite often prevails, hardship creates lack of loyalty, national partiality and racism.
This book has an extra flavor - elements of crime and detective story.
Writing and explanations are enhanced by author's scientific and medical knowledge combined with his experience of living in a harsh climate of Alaska. He knows what he is writing about.
The story of Polaris is just another example of how little we usually know about causes and reality of current political, criminal and social events. True facts and motives stay hidden and masked to be fully exposed and published at much later time.
I rank this book in the same category as "Wreck of the Medusa", "In the Heart of the Sea" and "South".
If Dr. Parry was as good surgeon as he is now a writer, then many patients must be missing his medical practice.
May 27, 2022
Just before reading this book I had read Shackleton's Endurance. While Shackleton's text was often written in a matter-of-fact style, the first chapter of this book was so (over) dramatic that I had to lay my Kindle down and try and digest all the adjectives and overboiling drama. After the initial shock, the rest of the book was well written and captivating.
However, the Kindle edition I received suffers from infuriating amounts of typo s, weird symbols and incomprehensible words. Did no-one proofread this edition? At times the masses of typos really made reading a burden and in few occasions I could not understand what was being said.
The story is amazing, brimming with interesting details and information about arctic exploration. C.F. Hall's fate was told in gripping detail and Captain Tyson's amazing survival story with his party had me sitting on the edge of my seat until the very end.
However, the Kindle edition I received suffers from infuriating amounts of typo s, weird symbols and incomprehensible words. Did no-one proofread this edition? At times the masses of typos really made reading a burden and in few occasions I could not understand what was being said.
The story is amazing, brimming with interesting details and information about arctic exploration. C.F. Hall's fate was told in gripping detail and Captain Tyson's amazing survival story with his party had me sitting on the edge of my seat until the very end.
November 24, 2020
I did not think I was going to enjoy this book, but it turned out excellent. Months later I still find myself thinking about the pitfalls of German Scientist Emil Bessel planning glory for his country at all costs and Ice Master Buddington, a drunk, careless and afraid. Captain Charles Hall's unlikely crew experienced major hardships, which George Tyson saved the day.
A great read. Love just enough detail to not bog the story down. Love the insights into men's motivation, and what they can accomplish together.
A great read. Love just enough detail to not bog the story down. Love the insights into men's motivation, and what they can accomplish together.
November 10, 2025
Solid 3.5 stars. Trial by Ice by Richard Perry gets 3.5 out of 5 stars. It’s a solid, well-researched account of the mostly failed 1871 Arctic expedition, though the writing can feel a bit dry. Compared to Alfred Lansing’s book Endurance (1959), which tells the gripping story of Shackleton’s ill-fated South Pole expedition and the crew’s incredible survival, Perry’s book doesn’t quite capture the same drama, but it’s still an informative read.
March 15, 2019
Well written, but misses a map badly. Also could do with more around the subsequent failures.
June 4, 2019
A comedy of errors from the start, that the Polaris Expedition was doomed was a foregone conclusion.
May 5, 2020
True story but reads like fiction, great book!
Want to read
July 19, 2020elibrary
December 1, 2020
What a shit show on behalf of the American government. poor "captain" Hall
February 28, 2021
Totally sucked me in. Also egad never going on the ocean again. Amazing story
July 31, 2022
A true story that is so harrowing it could be a horror or thriller novel. One of the best books I’ve read this year.
August 27, 2022
The ending is the best part :)
July 31, 2023
A fascinating page-turner mystery. Loved it and highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery and arctic exploration.
November 8, 2023
True story of a remarkable adventure, filled with mystery, intrigue, & lots of details. I liked it!
January 19, 2016
Trial by Ice: The True Story…
By
Richard Parry
This is a true very-well researched history of a post Civil War sea venture exploring the Arctic Ocean and attempting to reach the North Pole, authorized by President U.S. Grant. The story is related in minute detail. Don’t expect it to read like a novel; the characters are not so very well developed in character or appearance. Yet you learn very much about 19th century sea-faring , preparing for all possible difficulties, and man’s ingenuity during extremely desperate circumstances.
In addition to that, we learn about the harrowing relationships among the crew and their leaders during this particular voyage. The men, including the officers and captain, evolved into three distinct rancorous groups leading to devastating consequences affecting the horrendously dangerous trip itself.
I found the part describing starvation and survival through the most impossible situations (such as avoiding freezing to death or resorting to killing seals and eating their raw skins) even more captivating than the actual murder itself, including the official inquiries of the survivors at the end.
By
Richard Parry
This is a true very-well researched history of a post Civil War sea venture exploring the Arctic Ocean and attempting to reach the North Pole, authorized by President U.S. Grant. The story is related in minute detail. Don’t expect it to read like a novel; the characters are not so very well developed in character or appearance. Yet you learn very much about 19th century sea-faring , preparing for all possible difficulties, and man’s ingenuity during extremely desperate circumstances.
In addition to that, we learn about the harrowing relationships among the crew and their leaders during this particular voyage. The men, including the officers and captain, evolved into three distinct rancorous groups leading to devastating consequences affecting the horrendously dangerous trip itself.
I found the part describing starvation and survival through the most impossible situations (such as avoiding freezing to death or resorting to killing seals and eating their raw skins) even more captivating than the actual murder itself, including the official inquiries of the survivors at the end.
May 4, 2013
This is a fascinating tale of the controversial and doomed Hall expedition; I expected to be drawn into the story immediately since exploration is a favourite genre of mine. I was, but throughout the entire book, the typos, stuck-together words, strange symbols, mis-spelled words, lack of correct punctuation--and on and on--took away the joy of reading, and at times made the book practically unreadable.
These mistakes and lack of proofing are worse than almost any independently published mobi format book I have ever read. That this was released as a $12.00 product by Random House digital (one of the famous big 6) is totally unacceptable in my view. It has been practically 3 years since the last review (on Amazon) and nothing has been done to correct and improve the formatting issues.
If you can make it through the book without losing patience, it provides invaluable insight into the early Arctic explorations
ADDED NOTE: If you are not reading the ebook format, the mistakes mentioned might not be an issue. (The hardover is a Ballentine book release)
These mistakes and lack of proofing are worse than almost any independently published mobi format book I have ever read. That this was released as a $12.00 product by Random House digital (one of the famous big 6) is totally unacceptable in my view. It has been practically 3 years since the last review (on Amazon) and nothing has been done to correct and improve the formatting issues.
If you can make it through the book without losing patience, it provides invaluable insight into the early Arctic explorations
ADDED NOTE: If you are not reading the ebook format, the mistakes mentioned might not be an issue. (The hardover is a Ballentine book release)
March 23, 2013
This story blew my mind. I listened to it while experiencing a very challenging winter. Then and so many times since I have thought "if they could survive that, I should be able to handle this!" Tookoolito (an Inuit guide from Greenland and wife of Inuit guide Joseph Ebierbing) remains one of my most revered women in history. An incredible though true story masterfully brought to life. I found it every bit as riveting as any of the action films my housemate likes to watch. My local library has a copy of "The Polar Passion", accounts of many arctic explorations compiled by Farley Mowat in the late 1960s, There are actual journal entries and drawings from this mission and others. I recommend this as companion material.
December 31, 2013
These poor bastards had a spot of bother in the Arctic that makes Shackleton's problems look like a summer picnic! In 1871 a US-led expedition tried to get to the North Pole. Due to poor leadership and the murder (yes murder) of the leader, the attempt fell apart in a spectacular fashion. The boat sank, the crew split into two groups, one of which rode 1800 miles on icebergs over a period of months! Despite this everyone, save the murdered leader, survived - although it is quite obvious they were just lucky. But wait! That's not all! What followed was an inquest with an equally interesting story of the whitewash by The Grant Administration. This whole thing is just incredible.
January 25, 2011
I thought this was a really well written account of what must have been a harrowing experience for everyone on the Polaris. I really enjoyed how Richard Parry included just enough details without bogging down the narrative of the book. He also included modern research on topics like frostbite, to help the reader better understand what the men on the ship were going though. Anyone interested in polar exploration should put this book on their to-read list.
August 16, 2013
I found this story to be distressing. The author asserts that professional and nationalistic jealousies, as well as a US government coverup, were responsible for the death of Commander C.F. Hall, as the Polaris attempted to reach the North Pole. The story is compelling, following the two segments of the crew as they get separated in the arctic.
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