Overview

Jay Ruzesky recalls a childhood of snow caves, literary ambitions, and a fascination with polar exploration that was ignited by the genes he shares with famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. As a boy, Ruzesky was captivated by Amundsen's diaries: an Antarctic exploration aboard Belgica when Amundsen was a twenty-five-year-old mate bent on earning his stripes; his historic navigation of the Northwest Passage from 1903 to 1906 where he intentionally froze in with his ship Gjoa over the winters to drift with the pack ice; and his triumph onboard his ship Fram to be the first to reach the South Pole on December 14, 1911. Now a poet and teacher of English at a small university on Vancouver Island, Ruzesky became motivated by the approaching centennial of Amundsen's South Pole accomplishment to pursue his own quest to Antarctica--not only as a following of Amundsen's footsteps, but also a pilgrimage to a near-mythical place where heroes were made and died. He books his voyage aboard a 71-metre ice-strengthened research vessel, Polar Pioneer, bound for Antarctica. Ruzesky skilfully interweaves three stories creatively extrapolated from Amundsen's experiences on both Belgica and Fram, and his own observations leading up to and during his voyage on Polar Pioneer. In the tradition of Bruce Chatwin and with a poet's heart, Ruzesky offers a historically accurate tale while traversing both time and place--paralleling a century of explorers' dreams from Pole to Pole with stops in Canada, Norway, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Antarctica. In Antarctica Book Trailer from Jay Ruzesky on Vimeo.

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9780889712829

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Reviews

In Antarctica may not be a book of poetry, but the respect and command of language that makes Ruzesky such a wonderful poet is on display throughout the book...He vividly brings to life the beauty of Antarctica, a place that to the unfamiliar may seem like just a white barren wasteland...Ruzesky is such a fine writer - fact or fiction - that he is worth following to the end of the Earth. --Colin Holt, Victoria Times-Colonist In Antarctica is a fascinating and eminently readable memoir...In addition to a lifetime of anticipation, Ruzesky brings along his poet's palette as he discovers what it's really like to set foot on the last truly wild place on Earth. In Antarctica is a finely crafted piece of creative non-fiction, well suited for either the veteran or armchair traveler. Since few of us will ever reach Antarctica ourselves, it's a treat to have an author as accomplished as Ruzesky capture the experience for us. --John Threlfall, CVV Magazine

In Antarctica is a fascinating and eminently readable memoir...In addition to a lifetime of anticipation, Ruzesky brings along his poet's palette as he discovers what it's really like to set foot on the last truly wild place on Earth. In Antarctica is a finely crafted piece of creative non-fiction, well suited for either the veteran or armchair traveler. Since few of us will ever reach Antarctica ourselves, it's a treat to have an author as accomplished as Ruzesky capture the experience for us. <br/>--John Threlfall, CVV Magazine

In Antarctica is a fascinating and eminently readable memoir...In addition to a lifetime of anticipation, Ruzesky brings along his poet's palette as he discovers what it's really like to set foot on the last truly wild place on Earth. In Antarctica is a finely crafted piece of creative non-fiction, well suited for either the veteran or armchair traveler. Since few of us will ever reach Antarctica ourselves, it's a treat to have an author as accomplished as Ruzesky capture the experience for us. <br>--John Threlfall, CVV Magazine

In Antarctica is a fascinating and eminently readable memoir...In addition to a lifetime of anticipation, Ruzesky brings along his poet's palette as he discovers what it's really like to set foot on the last truly wild place on Earth. In Antarctica is a finely crafted piece of creative non-fiction, well suited for either the veteran or armchair traveler. Since few of us will ever reach Antarctica ourselves, it's a treat to have an author as accomplished as Ruzesky capture the experience for us. --John Threlfall, CVV Magazine

<i>In Antarctica</i> is a fascinating and eminently readable memoir...In addition to a lifetime of anticipation, Ruzesky brings along his poet's palette as he discovers what it's really like to set foot on the last truly wild place on Earth. <i>In Antarctica</i> is a finely crafted piece of creative non-fiction, well suited for either the veteran or armchair traveler. Since few of us will ever reach Antarctica ourselves, it's a treat to have an author as accomplished as Ruzesky capture the experience for us. <br/><b>--John Threlfall, <i>CVV Magazine</i></b>

Author Information

Jay Ruzesky's fiction, poetry, and non-fiction has been published in Canada and internationally and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian. His previous books include Blue Himalayan Poppies, Painting the Yellow House Blue, and Am I Glad To See You. His first novel, The Wolsenburg Clock, was shortlisted for the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize and a ReLit Award. He has been on the editorial board of The Malahat Review for over twenty years and is co-founder of Outlaw Editions. He teaches English, Film Studies, and Creative Writing at Vancouver Island University and lives on Vancouver Island.

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