Here we are, back in the Arctic, because apparently I never learn. I thought this would just be a standard, journalistic read about yet another doomed Arctic quest, and until I got to the epilogue, that's exactly what it was. If you read this book, whatever you do, do not skip the epilogue. That's where the real drama unfolds, and the aspect of the narrative revealed in the epilogue changes everything. You have to read the rest of the book for the bombshell to land, however.

A very little known Russian arctic exploration story . If you are into polar exploration , then Brusilov Exploration story is a must read.It is on par with Shackleton's story. It vividly captures the travail this team endured to reach terra firma by foot/Kayak from a ice stranded ship "Saint Anna" from some where in Barents sea all the way to Franz Joseph islands. I finished this 230 pages book in a day as it is very gripping and couldn't put it down. Highly recommended. Another must read Russian polar exploration story is "The Two Captains" by Veniamin Kaverin..

Not sure what I’m doing reading polar exploration books right as spring’s starting, but after The Kingdom of Ice I just had to read more! Even though this is a first hand account from 1917 it reads like a modern book (possibly because of the translation) and is quite gripping all the way through. I only wish the introduction or something would have given more background/context on the Russian arctic. 4.5 rounded up.

A story of survival

Trapped for two years in the ice part of the Russian crew decided to walk towards land not knowing where it is. Pulling crudely made sleds and kayaks they weaved their way forward gaining and losing miles. Sometimes starving and sometimes half mad they trudged
forward while fighting off the urge to surrender to sleep.
Very well written.

An amazing account of an Artic expedition told by one of the two survivors! It's unbelievable what they went through and still managed to survive. The writing is beautiful and the imagery is wonderful!

An excellent arctic narrative - it's a shame it's such a short book but there's so much story packed it. I love reading these sorts of stories in first-person and it's so hard to find the older autobiographies so I'm very glad that this series of exploration stories has been published so more people can enjoy them.
The introduction and epilogue provide clear context for the expedition, and I especially loved the interesting information in the epilogue  the research process is interesting for books like this, and it was amazing to compare the story in Albanov and Konrad's respective diaries, the reveal that Konrad was one of the scoundrals who abandoned the party was an exciting twist!
Albanov's writing is not as dry as you might expect. I found this book very well written and it's infused with a great human element. I enjoyed his honesty about the others in his team, and his bitching and moaning about them too, it made the whole book seem very down-to-earth and contemporary.
An amazing story of a difficult journey and a must read for any fans of arctic adventure.

Incredible

This is the very best historical adventure story of survival I've ever read.
What an amazing feat for those that survived

I would rate this 4.5

In The Land of White Death, is a must read for those who are fascinated about Arctic and the adventure and survival there. A true story narrated in first person by Valerian Ivanovich Albanov navigator and second commanding officer, whose ship Saint Anna was locked in ice for 2 years and starts to drift north, without the hope of ever breaking free and how Albanov and 13 others leave the ship in search of land with the help of crude sledges and kayaks to escape certain icy death, battling subzero temperature, starvation, moving glaciers and iceflowes without any warm cloth and even gloves, fighting dangerous walruses and facing death like experience every hour of the day and finally only 2 survive the ordeal out of 14.

An unputtable down harrowing account of survival in an unforgiving land, when the choice of lying down in ice and sleeping your way to death seem more enticing than fighting the vagaries of nature. This book is both fascinating as well as horrifying in its narration which will make your bone chill. An engrossing read indeed more so because after escaping a certain death, Albanov boards another ship to Arctic within 2 months after being rescued. A hardcore adventurist or a hardcore idiot, it is for the reader to decide. 3.5 Stars.

Favorite Quote:

...I have been worried by a secondary phenomenon that i have kept hidden, for the moment, from my companions. The ice is drifting to the south-southwest... this rapid southwest drift will cause us to miss land altogether, and eventually sweep us into the Barents Sea... We might miss Franz Joseph Land altogether...

Albanov è l'alter ego russo di Shackleton. Mentre la nave di Shackleton rimaneva intrappolata in Antartide, quella di Albanov rimaneva bloccata allo stesso modo nel ghiaccio. Anche Albanov e i suoi uomini dovettero affrontare la marcia per la sopravvivenza tra le distese polari costellate di pericoli.
Ma hey, questi erano ruvidi russi, mica gentlemen inglesi, l'attitudine - e gli esiti - della loro disavventura furono assai diversi.
Ne parlo in modo più approfondito nel podcast Il Milione

Well, it's January and that means it's time once again to vicariously trek to the far north (or south) to insanely frigid regions. Yes, this is the perfect way to keep from succumbing to the impulse to turn up the heat. It's chilly.... but so much warmer than in Siberia, after all. (I do a similar thing in the summer, reading about, say, the Bataan Death March when the weather seems unbearably hot and muggy. How can I complain?)

But enough about my odd ways of coping with the weather. This short account of an ill-prepared and short-sighted arctic expedition clips along at a bracing pace. Footnotes throughout the text add clarification and interesting side notes. Albanov writes with emotion and clarity, though at times he's a bit of a pill, moaning on about the shortcomings of his fellow crew members. But in terms of bad weather, bad timing, and all-around bad luck, combined with heroic effort and determination, this account is hard to beat. A fine addition to my "harrowing tales" shelf.

Gripping chronicle of a harrowing arctic journey, taken from the author's journal and first published in 1917.