[.ca] Antarctic Oasis (ISBN 0393046052)

The definitive South Georgia pictorial:
I had the pleasure of visiting South Georgia January 1998, meet the authors, Tim and Pauline Carr, and see their home/transport/magic carpet, the tiny "Curlew" in Grytviken. This certainly added dimensionality to the book, but by itself it is arresting and filled with stunning photographs of haunting beauty showing the island and its unique fauna- only someone who actually lived there and loved it could create this gorgeous book. If you enjoy the Antarctic or sub-Antarctic islands, this is the book for you.

Impasioned account of the remote sub-antarctic:
Having been to South Georgia and met the Carr's three years ago, I was very excited to see their marvelous habitat so poignantly displayed. It is a world of the crossroads of many ecologic niches, man's tenuous and not always synergistic intersection with it, and and an adventuresome couple's love for the land, sea, and animals. A bit more could have been said about Shackleton and his place in its history, but over-all highly recommended. It only enforced my desire to return. RB Schoene Seattle, WA

Absolutely fantastic!:
Like another of the reviewers of this beautiful book, I had the pleasure of visiting South Georgia last December. The Carrs lectured to us aboard out ship after our stop in Gritviken where the Curlew is moored amid the remnants of the now-defunct commercial whaling industry. The Carrs are fascinating people, and they have done more than justice to South Georgia, a place of haunting, rusting, other-worldly ghost towns as well as rampant wildlife. The Carr's pictures really capture the island, and their story is fascinating. I can't recommend the book highly enough. It sits in a place of honor in my home and I make everyone who enters at least look at the pictures. A marvelous book!

A book for adventurers in body or spirit:
Smitten by South Georgia after 20+ years of sailing the world in a 28' cutter, the Carrs have generously chosen to share the object of their affection through breathtaking photographs and charming text. The reader accompanies them as they explore the coastal bays, ski across glaciers, and wonder at being preened by an albatross. Holding this book in your hands is a reminder of the truth of the definition of work as "love made visible."

5 Stars for the Colour Photography. Next best to going there:
Fitting tribute to the sometimes threatened wildlife on this island - South Georgia. Apart from the stunning bird photographs with those amazing snow-capped peaks, there is the effusive commentary, emphasizing the natural moods of the place, with journeys by boat, hiking, on skis, explorations made more meaningful with some of the scientists from their bases. In fact the Carr's are the only permanent residents here, so taken with the wildness of the place, and actually run the Whaling museum. Not the least of characters is the famed one hundred year old Falmouth (England, UK) built cutter with whom we can share it's history in the final chapter of the book. This is no ordinary boat, not for all that the Carr's have taken her through these last 25 years. First hearing of the Carr's exploits in John Ridgeway's 'Then we sailed away', somehow the dangers of their journeys, although not exactly glossed over, are not depicted as felt experience as in the Ridgeway work, feeling more like the safe narrative encountered in a childrens' version of a day at sea. The reader is not aware of the friction and general mayhem that is so well recounted by John. Also there is no sense of the 'burden of the possession of mind', lonely outposts bringing on philosophical musings than is done here, unless of course they were were always an idyllically matched and happy couple. It is not that sort of book, rather allowing the displacement of humanity as much as possible in order to bring out into greatest relief, the exorbitant wildlife.