A Nice Cold Read for the Heat of Summer

True North: Peary, Cook, and the Race to the Pole
by Bruce Henderson

nonfiction

If you are of a certain age, you probably learned in school that Admiral Peary was the first to reach the North Pole. If you are of another age, you probably learned that his African-American assistant, Matthew Henson, was really first. However, for quite a few years now, scholars have known that this may not have been the case. Henderson presents the stories of both Peary and the lesser-known Dr. Cook in a compelling way. Both men were remarkable in different ways. A polar expedition is about the last thing on earth that I would want to do myself, but it sure is fascinating to read about. These men, along with their Eskimo guides, tested the limits of human endurance.