The Amundsen Photographs

A serendipitous discovery in 1986 by the widow of the great Norwegian explorer's nephew uncovered the glass "lantern slides" taken by Amundsen and his cohorts on Amundsen's three most important expeditions: through the Northwest Passage in 1903; the triumphant 1911 attainment of the South Pole; and along the Siberian Coast and through the North East Passage in 1918. The 100 photographs in this handsome book comprise a unique panorama of shipboard life, crews, natives, sled dogs, equipment, and the overland treks. There is a brisk, informative text. A blend of "immediacy, artlessness, and authenticity," comments Huntford.