The First Crossing of Greenland

"The reason I chose this book is that it was the beginning of modern polar exploration. Nansen devised a technique using skis, and – by devising specialised equipment – particularly the broad-runnered sledge. The main point was that by the application of technology, and by abandoning any kind of emotion, he demythologised polar exploration. The other side of that coin is that he came from a society which has an affinity with nature. Paradoxically, because of living so close to nature he demythologised the whole polar environment by accepting her dictates. That was the start of modern polar exploration. The first crossing of Greenland was one of the factitious goals that marked the end of terrestrial exploration before the leap into space. Yes he did, in 1888. It was the first of the great polar goals ever to be achieved. People had been trying to do this since the Middle Ages. And this is that story. He went with a man called Otto Sverdrup, who was a seaman and a skier. And he had two Laplanders with him because it was felt that the Laps, apart from being great skiers, had an ancient tradition there too and knew how to find their way in the snow. He also had a military officer, Oluf Christian Dietrichson, and finally a peasant from central Norway called Kristian Kristiansen. They were six all together. They were all skiers first and explorers second. Oh yes. They not only survived, they got across with the minimum of trouble. They all came from a tradition where it wasn’t clever to suffer. Suffering was a sign of incompetence. There was no point in punishing yourself – you had to do it in such a way that you have some fun. And there is nothing that is worth the sacrifice of the tip of a little finger. They got across with very little physical or mental harm."