NOOSE OF LAURELS, THE

Rating:
Summary: Interesting reading
Review: I haven't read the 1990 National Geographic article on new evidencies of Peary's reaching the N. Pole, but I've certainly read other books on polar expeditions and I sure recommend this one. Although Mr. Wally's literary value is somehow restricted (he's an explorer in the first place, not a writer)and that makes the beginning a bit tiresome, when it gets to discuss facts and attitudes in polar travelling he's certainly very good.

It doesn't matter wether Mr. Peary did or not reach the Pole after all. If you take a look at the history of polar expeditions, you will see that for decades nobody really cared about a sportsmen challenge (albeit formidable)which would not mean any particular contribution to mankind's knowledge or well-being, but they'd rather focus on expanding the limits of science through adecuate research.

I certainly admire polar travellers, and Amundsen's raid to the S. Pole is a paradigma, but none of the qualities or higher ambitions of people like Amundsen (he did many more things), Nansen, Shakcleton or Scott I can see in Peary or Cook.

Peary's atttitude towards the inuit and their belongings (read the episodes about the meteorits and eskimos being almost deported and afterwards dissected) would have been rejected by any of the other explorers I mentioned, and even under the light of early 20th century must be deplored.

Enjoy yourselves

Rating:
Summary: The North Pole controversy , Peary exposed.
Review: Mr. Herbert has laid to rest the question of priority at the North Pole, Commander Peary did not reach it and lied to the world about his claim. Forget the National Geographic, they would look very foolish to refute the story after all these years. We can hardly expect them to be objective. Almost all polar scholars agree. Peary did not obtain his goal(nor did Dr. Cook). Read this book, come to your own conclusion. I'm sure you will agree.

Rating:
Summary: The North Pole controversy , Peary exposed.
Review: Wally Herbert has in this compelling and well researched dissertation, taken the claims of Robert E. Peary, and subjected them to a historical and geograhical judgement. It is the opinion of Mr. Herbert, that Peary never reached the pole. I feel that Mr. Herbert came to this conclusion not out of any vindictiveness, but rather to set the historical record straight. The book pays great respect to the bravery, craft and intelligence of Peary. Mr. Herbert is an explorer and expert navigator, and his knowledge of the Polar regions allows him to pass an objective opinion on this matter. The text is concise and also inspiring to a receptive mind.

Rating:
Summary: Getting to the bottom of the race to the North Pole
Review: Wally Herbert has presented a very thoroughly researched and documented book on the Peary/Cook race to the North Pole concluding that Cook flat out lied about arriving at the Pole (that's easy to correctly conclude)and Peary carelessly missed it by numerous navigational errors. This is a tale that can seemingly never be put to rest. Sir Wally Herbert is well qualified to research and write such a book as he himself dog sledded from Barrow Alaska, over the North Pole and back below the Arctic Circle to Spitzenberg in 1969. I thought the author was very even handed about his research and his fair presentation of the facts as he could best interpret them. I think however, Wally Herbert mistakenly concludes that Peary missed the Pole and presumably 'lied' about achieving his goal of being the first to arrive at the North Pole. After I read Herbert's book I took the opportunity to re-read a 1990 National Geographic article entitled "New Evidence Places Peary at the Pole". In the article an independent body of geographic, photographic and navigational experts from the Navigation Foundation of Rockville, MD were presented with all of the navigational details of Peary's diary notations, his photographs, ocean depth soundings and preserved navigational equipment. The article makes a very convincing and cogent presentation that Peary's photographs (the angle and extent of shadows within the exposures) when measured photogrammetrically present unalterable proof that the photos were taken with five miles of the pole. Further the ocean depth sounding results taken on the way to the pole by Peary are currently consistent with what we now know about the actual depth of the Arctic Ocean along the meridian travelled by the Peary Expedition. Although National Geographic and the Navigation Foundation have in my opinion substantiated Peary's success in attaining the pole this is no discredit to Herbert's well written book that should be read by anyone interested in polar and arctic history.