Consumer Critique: The Other Side of the Ice

If you've never heard of the Northwest Passage, it's the sea route that goes through the Arctic Circle to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. First crossed by Roald Amundsen in 1906, it has since only been successfully traversed by 24 pleasure boats. Potential dangers include cutting through the ice, polar bears, severe weather, loss of communication, and much more.

Knowing all of this, Sprague Theobald chose to make the journey anyway. As an award-winning documentary filmmaker and experienced sailor, he looked at this as the ultimate challenge. Through a series of events, he embarked with his children and stepchildren on a voyage that seems doomed from the start.

The Other Side of the Ice: One Family's Treacherous Journey Negotiating the Northwest Passage recounts the journey - both physical and emotional - the family experiences and the challenges on the way. The book is written with a tone that sounds partly like a diary and partly like a documentary - incorporating emotions and reflections with detailed descriptions of events and experiences. It was a very interesting read.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary galley copy of the book to facilitate this review.