In Gilded Age America; Arctic explorers were fabulous celebrities—assured of riches and near-immortality so long as they reached the North Pole first. Of the many attempts to meet that goal; three American expeditions; launched from the Russian archipelago of Franz Josef Land; ended in abject failure; their exploits consigned to near-oblivion. Even so; these ventures—the Wellman expedition (1898–99); the Baldwin-Ziegler (1901–2); and the Fiala-Ziegler (1903–5)—have much to tell us about the personalities; politics; and economics of exploration in their day. In The Greatest Show in the Arctic; the first book to chronicle all three expeditions; P. J. Capelotti explores what went right and what; in the end; went tragically wrong. The cast of colorful characters from the Franz Josef Land forays included Walter Wellman; a Chicago journalist and bon vivant running from debts; his mistress; and an illegitimate daughter; Evelyn Briggs Baldwin; a deranged meteorologist with a fetish for balloons and a passion for Swedish conserves; and Anthony Fiala; a pious photographer in search of God in the Arctic. Featuring an international cast of supporting characters worthy of a three-ring circus; The Greatest Show in the Arctic follows each of the three expeditions in turn; from spectacular feats of financing to their bitter ends. Along the way; the explorers accumulated considerable geographic knowledge and left a legacy of place-names. Through close study of the expeditions’ journals; Capelotti reveals that the Franz Josef Land endeavors foundered chiefly because of poor leadership and internal friction; not for lack of funding; as historians have previously suspected. Presenting tales of noble intentions; novel inventions; and epic miscalculations; The Greatest Show in the Arctic brings fresh life to a unique and underappreciated story of American exploration.
#922230 in Books 2006-02-13Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.50 x .57 x 5.50l; .70 #File Name: 0806137703272 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Fascinating book!By AppleseedEdVery interesting book. The author presents lots of historic facts and explains his point of view. I like that he doesn't claim to know with certainty what really happened; but presents a few possibilities and why he holds a particular point of view.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Pamela JohnsonExcellent book that tells the story of the Oatman Massacre and subsequent captivity of Olive Oatman.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Great BookBy MaxineWatched Hot Wheels on TV and first learned about this girl. When I came across the tattoo on the chin I had to get the book not knowing she was for real on the show. Loved the book and recommend reading great history in America.
