To the end of the earth – a century of controversy

“Worth a read?” is not your ordinary book review; it is a meta-review – providing an overview of the opinions contained in a variety of book reviews published in the media at large.

This week’s meta-review is on the book “To the End of the Earth”, written by Tom Avery and released in South Africa in May 2009.  In 1909, after 37 days on the ice, American explorer Robert Peary became the first person to reach the geographic North Pole. Or did he?

What is it all about?

Peary’s claim to have reached the North Pole is regarded as one of the greatest controversies in the history of exploration. As a result of questions surrounding his travel speed and navigation, as well as omissions in his journal, the exploration world has been divided into pro-Peary and anti-Peary camps for more than 100 years.

In 2009, on the centenary of Peary’s expedition, Briton Tom Avery decided to put the matter to rest once and for all. Together with four other people, Avery recreated Peary’s journey to determine whether or not his alleged achievement would have been possible.

With dog teams and replica wooden sledges, Avery navigated bitterly cold temperatures, treacherous ridges and deadly channels of open water to cover the 413 nautical miles to the North Pole, four hours faster than Peary’s time, breaking the world record in the process. Weaving Arctic expedition history with thrilling extreme adventure, “To the End of the Earth” is Avery’s book on this historic trip.

Who is the author?

Tom Avery holds several exploration world records, including the record for having undertaken the fastest surface journey to the North Pole. He is one of only 41 people to have reached both the North and South Poles on foot.

What do others say?

The vast majority of comments on “To the End of the World” centre around whether or not Avery’s trip truly can confirm Peary’s claim to have been the first person to reach the North Pole.

By Avery’s own admission, however, while he set out to prove that Peary was, in fact, the first person to reach the North Pole, all he could prove was that Peary could have been the first person – given the time frames he claimed. The mystery surrounding who first reached the North Pole is therefore set to continue.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes: "…[F]or Avery and his team to travel in the style of the original polar pioneers, yet still manage to beat Peary’s disputed 37-day journey to the Pole, is quite breathtaking, and testament to their great courage, fitness and determination. ‘To the End of the Earth’ is a spellbinding account of one of the most important polar expeditions of recent times."

How do I get hold of it?

“To the End of the Earth” is published in South Africa by Penguin Books. It is available at Exclusive Books at a price of approximately R335.00.