Stephen Pyne's overwhelming fascination with Antarctica is the compelling force behind this major book on this stark and largely unknown continent. It combines a geophysical examination of the ice with an inspirational survey of how one of the most alien landscapes of our planet has shaped and affected man's life on earth throughout the centuries. The sheer immensity of the ice sheet is staggering. Its weight is sufficient to deform the globe. Interleaved with each scientific examination are historical surveys dealing with man's assimilation of Antarctica. Pyne reveals how Cook's voyages to Antarctica not only affected the history of science, but inspired such works as MOBY DICK and THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER.