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Nordvestpassasjen #1-2
De l'Atlantique au Pacifique par les glaces arctiques
For centuries, European explorers, beginning with Christopher Columbus in 1492, sought a navigable passage as a possible trade route to Asia, but were blocked by North, Central, and South America, by ice, or by rough waters (e.g. Tierra del Fuego). An ice-bound northern route was discovered in 1850 by the Irish explorer Robert McClure whose expedition completed the passage by hauling sledges. Scotsman John Rae explored a more southerly area in 1854 through which Norwegian Roald Amundsen made the first complete passage entirely by ship in 1903–1906.
215 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1907
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94 people want to read
About the author
Roald Amundsen
92 books47 followersRoald Amundsen (1872-1928) was Norwegian explorer, first man to reach the South Pole (1911).
Roald Amundsen first navigated completely Amundsen Gulf, an inlet, opening of the Arctic Ocean in Northwest Territories, Canada, on the Beaufort Sea, during his expedition of 1903 to 1906 to the region.
A Norwegian expedition explored and named Amundsen Sea, an arm of the southern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica, in the late 1920s.
At the turn of the late 19th century, Amundsen led the expedition successfully to traverse the Northwest Passage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_A...
Roald Amundsen first navigated completely Amundsen Gulf, an inlet, opening of the Arctic Ocean in Northwest Territories, Canada, on the Beaufort Sea, during his expedition of 1903 to 1906 to the region.
A Norwegian expedition explored and named Amundsen Sea, an arm of the southern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica, in the late 1920s.
At the turn of the late 19th century, Amundsen led the expedition successfully to traverse the Northwest Passage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_A...
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 17, 2024
A fantastic and easily accessible/VERY readable firsthand account of Amundsen’s navigation of the Northwest Passage in 1903-1906.
Okay first and foremost, some of the stuff in here is pretty yeeeeeshhh, particularly the racist/sexist descriptions of Inuit. There’s even some smack talk about a “conceited” man who has this funny little notion that “the colored man and the white man should be considered equals.” This is truly a product of its time - can you really expect a white European man (not to mention he’s an explorer so there’s a hint of colonialism) from the turn of the 20th century to have anything but problematic ideas about the subject? So just putting it out there from the start - those parts of the book do make you cringe pretty hard as a 21st century reader.
But everything else is fantastic. The details included in this account make you feel like you’re right there in the Gjøa. You want the scoop on the drama between the sled dogs? You’ve got it. You want pranks played on the ship’s cook? You’ve got it. You want detailed descriptions of how to dress and eat in every Arctic season? You’ve got it. The pictures included really add to the story and they occur at a wonderful frequency. This was an incredible feat to accomplish, and Amundsen was clearly up to the task in terms of preparedness.
Despite the “yikes” parts, the details about Inuit life are also really great. How to build igloos and kayaks, the goods they valued, seasonal traditions, etc. etc. Incredibly cool stuff.
Okay first and foremost, some of the stuff in here is pretty yeeeeeshhh, particularly the racist/sexist descriptions of Inuit. There’s even some smack talk about a “conceited” man who has this funny little notion that “the colored man and the white man should be considered equals.” This is truly a product of its time - can you really expect a white European man (not to mention he’s an explorer so there’s a hint of colonialism) from the turn of the 20th century to have anything but problematic ideas about the subject? So just putting it out there from the start - those parts of the book do make you cringe pretty hard as a 21st century reader.
But everything else is fantastic. The details included in this account make you feel like you’re right there in the Gjøa. You want the scoop on the drama between the sled dogs? You’ve got it. You want pranks played on the ship’s cook? You’ve got it. You want detailed descriptions of how to dress and eat in every Arctic season? You’ve got it. The pictures included really add to the story and they occur at a wonderful frequency. This was an incredible feat to accomplish, and Amundsen was clearly up to the task in terms of preparedness.
Despite the “yikes” parts, the details about Inuit life are also really great. How to build igloos and kayaks, the goods they valued, seasonal traditions, etc. etc. Incredibly cool stuff.
March 15, 2025
I'm fortunate to own a first UK edition from 1908, and it is a beautiful two-volume set. From the binding to the paper to the maps, it's a stunning publication. Amundsen and his crew achieved an amazing feat: the first sailing of the Northwest Passage using a single ship. They succeeded where many others, through many generations, failed. Their success came down to incredible planning, particularly by Amundsen, some great luck, and a willingness to learn and receive training and advice freely, whether from scientists and Sami in Europe before they left or from Inuit in Canada. For that, this book is a testament to one of the great exploration events in human history and is worth five stars.
That being said, there are a lot of complex thoughts as a 21st-century reader reading something from the turn of the 20th century. While the Norwegian crew, owing to Nordic egalitarianism, treated the Inuit well in the whole and were keen to learn from them, there is still a paternalistic attitude towards the Inuit that is unsettling. The Inuit taught Amundsen and crew how to survive, but the Inuit are still seen as children of nature and needing a firm hand, as we are reminded several times. For Amundsen, women are explicitly rated on their looks more than their character or the skills and knowledge they bring to the community. Amundsen was eager to learn, but he was not a respectful ethnographer. He pushed his way into restricted ceremonies and bullied the Inuit into selling, making for him, or giving him hundreds of articles of clothing and other cultural objects, even when it was taboo. Yes, the British were way worse, but this wasn't pretty, either.
I read this two-volume set alongside the Fram Museum's recently-published private Amundsen diaries. This was revealing, because it was obvious that Amundsen had a much more nuanced and sympathetic understanding of the Inuit in his diaries that had come out in his narrative in these volumes. In his diaries, straightforward events that garnered passing mention were sometimes played way up in the narrative, providing drama (at the expense of the Inuit), likely to generate sales. Sometimes, in great explorations, almost nothing bad happens, which is a sign of excellent planning. However, how do you turn this into drama to capture the the public's attention? Usually, the Inuit played Amundsen's foil, which is unfortunate.
Amundsen was, especially in his earlier days, a considerate man and well liked by his crews. However, he was famously aloof, only providing very rare glimpses of his true feelings to people and in his writings. In writing style, he is like Hemingway: short, right-to-the-point sentences - no need for fancy vocabulary. This narrative reads like pure reportage. You will get a well written account of what happened (and well translated, since Amundsen wrote Nordvestpassasjen in Norwegian), but he never lifts the veil, except for brief moments of levity or annoyance. Likewise, he never shares feelings of fear or uncertainty. Early on, they ran the Gjøa aground on a shoal and almost foundered, but because Amundsen rarely shares his emotions, almost sinking the boat comes across as something mildly surprising that took a few minutes to settle.
Also, despite Amundsen being an amazing planner, he seems to not have the ability to provide a large-scale overview of what they accomplished. You read the two volumes and you realize it was an amazing feat, but to Amundsen, they pulled into Nome, Alaska at the end and it was literally the end of his tale! No summary or reflection needed! This must be contrasted with the narrative supplied by Lieutenant Godfred Hansen of his and Peder Ristvedt's sledge trip to Victoria Island, which is chronicled at the end of the second volume. In comparison to Amundsen, Hansen provides the narrative, but he also gives an explanation of why they took the trip, plus interesting reflections on the landscape, people, flora, and fauna. His description of how lemmings "fight" was cute but it also opened up the reader's imagination as to what life is like in the Arctic. If Amundsen had likewise been able to write like this, it would have made a very good book into an excellent one.
I recommend reading this book despite its faults. Amundsen was arguably the greatest explorer of the golden age of polar exploration (1818-1928), and since the Northwest Passage is a key part of Canada, it's worth reading.
That being said, there are a lot of complex thoughts as a 21st-century reader reading something from the turn of the 20th century. While the Norwegian crew, owing to Nordic egalitarianism, treated the Inuit well in the whole and were keen to learn from them, there is still a paternalistic attitude towards the Inuit that is unsettling. The Inuit taught Amundsen and crew how to survive, but the Inuit are still seen as children of nature and needing a firm hand, as we are reminded several times. For Amundsen, women are explicitly rated on their looks more than their character or the skills and knowledge they bring to the community. Amundsen was eager to learn, but he was not a respectful ethnographer. He pushed his way into restricted ceremonies and bullied the Inuit into selling, making for him, or giving him hundreds of articles of clothing and other cultural objects, even when it was taboo. Yes, the British were way worse, but this wasn't pretty, either.
I read this two-volume set alongside the Fram Museum's recently-published private Amundsen diaries. This was revealing, because it was obvious that Amundsen had a much more nuanced and sympathetic understanding of the Inuit in his diaries that had come out in his narrative in these volumes. In his diaries, straightforward events that garnered passing mention were sometimes played way up in the narrative, providing drama (at the expense of the Inuit), likely to generate sales. Sometimes, in great explorations, almost nothing bad happens, which is a sign of excellent planning. However, how do you turn this into drama to capture the the public's attention? Usually, the Inuit played Amundsen's foil, which is unfortunate.
Amundsen was, especially in his earlier days, a considerate man and well liked by his crews. However, he was famously aloof, only providing very rare glimpses of his true feelings to people and in his writings. In writing style, he is like Hemingway: short, right-to-the-point sentences - no need for fancy vocabulary. This narrative reads like pure reportage. You will get a well written account of what happened (and well translated, since Amundsen wrote Nordvestpassasjen in Norwegian), but he never lifts the veil, except for brief moments of levity or annoyance. Likewise, he never shares feelings of fear or uncertainty. Early on, they ran the Gjøa aground on a shoal and almost foundered, but because Amundsen rarely shares his emotions, almost sinking the boat comes across as something mildly surprising that took a few minutes to settle.
Also, despite Amundsen being an amazing planner, he seems to not have the ability to provide a large-scale overview of what they accomplished. You read the two volumes and you realize it was an amazing feat, but to Amundsen, they pulled into Nome, Alaska at the end and it was literally the end of his tale! No summary or reflection needed! This must be contrasted with the narrative supplied by Lieutenant Godfred Hansen of his and Peder Ristvedt's sledge trip to Victoria Island, which is chronicled at the end of the second volume. In comparison to Amundsen, Hansen provides the narrative, but he also gives an explanation of why they took the trip, plus interesting reflections on the landscape, people, flora, and fauna. His description of how lemmings "fight" was cute but it also opened up the reader's imagination as to what life is like in the Arctic. If Amundsen had likewise been able to write like this, it would have made a very good book into an excellent one.
I recommend reading this book despite its faults. Amundsen was arguably the greatest explorer of the golden age of polar exploration (1818-1928), and since the Northwest Passage is a key part of Canada, it's worth reading.
July 18, 2017
Details
It's worth knowing that next up for Amundsen was reaching the South Pole. Reading his accounts of learning from the Eskimo on such matters as clothing, working with dog teams, and survival skills in a forbidding landscape - it's like training day for him and his crew. It's also a tribute to him that he was so thorough and painstaking in his planning. The devil is in the details : nowhere is that more apparent than comparing Amundsen's success in the Anarctic to Scott 's.
It's worth knowing that next up for Amundsen was reaching the South Pole. Reading his accounts of learning from the Eskimo on such matters as clothing, working with dog teams, and survival skills in a forbidding landscape - it's like training day for him and his crew. It's also a tribute to him that he was so thorough and painstaking in his planning. The devil is in the details : nowhere is that more apparent than comparing Amundsen's success in the Anarctic to Scott 's.
July 27, 2024
Boeiend en persoonlijk verhaal van de ontdekkingsreis naar de Noordwestelijke doorvaart tussen de aan elkaar gevroren eiland van Noord-Canada door Roald Amundsen met zijn schip de Gjöa en zijn 6-koppige bemanning. Amundsen schreef dit verhaal op in 1907 en nadien is het door een groep vrijwilligers vertaald. Het is een zeer leesbaar en informatief en af en toe humoristisch boekje met name over de vele contacten met verschillende soorten Eskimo’s die zij onderweg ontmoeten en waarmee zij vriendschappen sloten. De reis duurde van 1903 tot 1906 met drie overwinteringen maar de missie slaagde: op 27 augustus 1905 is de doorvaart voltooid. Daarna volgt nog derde een overwintering waarbij een van de bemanningsleden en een meegevaren jonge Eskimo overlijden.
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September 16, 2025Impossible à donner une note, car c’est un récit de voyage où il y a en total de zéro investissement émotionnel. Néanmoins, ça reste pertinent et intéressant, c’est juste pas le type de livre qui te marque profondément.
Mais les gars ce sont des machines et vive les Inuits.
Mais les gars ce sont des machines et vive les Inuits.
June 5, 2025
Passionnant !
January 26, 2024
"War between Sweden and Norway?" These are the first news from home they receive after emerging from the ice and encountering an American whaling ship along the Alaskan coast. When they left their families, their country was a Swedish subject, and when they came back, it was a free and independent country. This story shows how much the world can change after just a few years away.
The best parts about this book were the many interactions with the local inuits. While the way Amundsen describe the Natives would, by modern standards, be considered quite offensive and racist, the important part is the growing respect the crewmen have towards the Inuit culture and way of life. As they enjoy Inuit hospitality, they learn many things about surviving in the cold north, such as how to make warm clothes from reindeer skin and how to build an iglo, lessons which Amundsen would later employ during his greatest achievement - the conquest of the south pole.
The best parts about this book were the many interactions with the local inuits. While the way Amundsen describe the Natives would, by modern standards, be considered quite offensive and racist, the important part is the growing respect the crewmen have towards the Inuit culture and way of life. As they enjoy Inuit hospitality, they learn many things about surviving in the cold north, such as how to make warm clothes from reindeer skin and how to build an iglo, lessons which Amundsen would later employ during his greatest achievement - the conquest of the south pole.
January 13, 2020
A Triumph in perservearence
Hands down the finiest piece of literature on polar explation either North or South ever penned. Amundsen schools them all: better english, storytelling, bravery and professionalism to mention a few. Read, share and know for yourself. As an Alaskan, after reading this epic I feel I've been ceated out of part of my own countries history 40 years late. I bought two copies and sent them to colleages..
Hands down the finiest piece of literature on polar explation either North or South ever penned. Amundsen schools them all: better english, storytelling, bravery and professionalism to mention a few. Read, share and know for yourself. As an Alaskan, after reading this epic I feel I've been ceated out of part of my own countries history 40 years late. I bought two copies and sent them to colleages..
September 9, 2025
Fascynująca i wciągająca opowieść o codzienności i tradycjach rdzennych mieszkańców Arktyki.
W tym etnograficznym reportażu Amundsen z niezwykłą wnikliwością opisuje kulturę, zwyczaje i umiejętności przetrwania ludności tamtych rejonów.
W tym etnograficznym reportażu Amundsen z niezwykłą wnikliwością opisuje kulturę, zwyczaje i umiejętności przetrwania ludności tamtych rejonów.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews