Commentary/review

A lot of work, over many years, went into this book. Not overly emotional, maybe a bit on the long side. Very informative and detailed.

There is a surprising number of intuitions the Author had, having dived deep into the topics that otherwise have no end. The mental space created by this selection of essays is vast and perhaps a little frustrating: we will never know all about the Arctic but we also know too much and collectively have done too much – without consciously doing anything at all. The result of this vantage point is a worthwhile production not only because of the topic but also because of the method. The Author tends to use all possible sources, even very brief interactions, to draw conclusions. Were they not marked as speculations, they would be out of place. With these reservations, they provide a mental background where the Author lends us his deep knowledge with a genuine effort to understand what hides behind appearances.

The Arctic has already taken center stage in world politics so the book is almost overdue and certainly worth a read.

A lovely cover – perfect colors, theme and freshness of image.

Cover photo by Hubert Neufeld on Unsplash