Fiction: Mikko Lensu: Varatohtori Virta Etelänavalla (Teos, 2006) This the sequel to Mikko Lensu’s first polar children’s book, Varatohtori Virta Pohjoisnavalla. Although this book suffers from the usual sequel problem of recycled jokes, it was more fun to read. The fantastic parts didn’t seem quite so forced and the general Continue Reading

Fiction: Marie Darrieussecq: White (Faber & Faber, 2006) One of the rare Antarctic novels I’ve read that’s proper, high-brow literature and not a genre excercise. It’s a slim, compact novel, a simple love story with a very effective, stream-of-consciousness voice. It’s about the weight of the past and deals with Continue Reading

Film: John Sturges: Ice Station Zebra (U.S.A. 1968) A Cold War thriller about a secret mission to the North Pole on a nuclear submarine. The underwater imagery of the sub is cool,  and it looks like a big budget production for its time. Unfortunately, it feels like the people who Continue Reading

Fiction: Mikko Lensu: Varatohtori Virta Pohjoisnavalla (Teos, 2005) A children’s book about an expedition through the polar sea. The author makes an effort towards whimsy, but his style doesn’t really stretch that far. It reads like someone in the natural sciences trying to be lighthearted and failing. On the upside, Continue Reading