If it seems like I've been reading a lot of books about Greenland and the Arctic, that's because I have been. It was a very long, record-setting hot summer here in the desert, so I tried to escape it as much as I could through my reading. It's mid-October and this will be the first week since April (maybe even March--it's all one long, hot, burning, oven-like blur) that our temperature hasn't been in the 90s*F, but that hasn't stopped my curiosity re: science and exploration in this extreme landscape. Tedesco's book outlines the glacial lake experiments he undertakes, but devote much more time to explaining the changes that have taken place in the glacial and arctic environment, to the detriment of those fragile ecosystems. The description of the scientific experiments he undertakes in Greenland are narrated over just one day, which gives his books a unique narrative structure. He ends the book with a dire warning about arctic tourism and climate change, which I hope we as a society listen to. Well written, with almost lyrical descriptions of the austere and beautiful landscape he works in, the exact opposite of the lush, tropical landscape in which I did my science, which may be part of its appeal to me. Beautiful photos. Recommended. Net Galley

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-ARC of this book.

I requested this book because I am planetary scientist who studies icy worlds. That means I am familiar with the topic, if not an expert. I spent a brief period in my undergrad studying Greenland Glaciers, but I am hardly a climate or glacier scientist. Nevertheless, I think it gives me a unique take on this book.

I was not all that thrilled by the concept of this book: another book about the perils of climate change. But it is so much more than that. This is short book that focuses on Earth's ice reservoirs that tells a narrative that interweaves stories from Tedesco's own expedition to the ice, to stories about the indigenous communities of various icy regions and their mythologies, and to personal accounts as a father and immigrant. Those feel like a very broad range of topics to cover, but I think it is what makes this book worth reading.

What's more, it is told in a clear and enjoyable way (not always a given with scientists). While I may be a scientist myself, I do think he did a good job explaining various pieces of information in a clear way for the lay reader.

Traditionally, I read more science heavy books, so I am glad this one worked so well being more than about the science. 4.5/5

2 / 5 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2020/08/03/the-hidden-life-of-ice-by-marco-tedesco-brief/

Hidden Life of Ice reads like a field notebook crossed with a memoir, at least if that field notebook was full of random fun-facts that you could use to impress with at trivia. Despite it being centered in Greenland, there’s very little—almost nothing really—about ice. Prior to Chapter 9, ice is only described in any length once. And for that only about in one or two paragraphs. There’s a decent amount of history—the discovery of Greenland, and its settlement; the Northwest Passage, and extinction; the birth of the universe. There’s a bit of astronomy, physics, global warming, and geology. There’s a decent amount about the author and his team, their lives before, their time in Greenland. Just very little about ice.

There was a little about the Thule, the Inuit, the Vikings—the history of the human habitation of Greenland, that was of passing interest. Though mostly it was about the Vikings and their colonization of the land. And about its naming. Then later about its use and importance to scientists. Nothing too in-depth and nothing too interesting, sadly.

My favorite part was the brief (and I mean brief) time that the author talked about englacial flow. This is a bit like an aquifer, an underground river, just through a glacier as opposed to permeable rock. It sounds so cool! Even the author seemed impressed and amazed when he described it—only to lose focus to some other non-ice topic a few sentences later.

If you were to read this hoping for something in depth on Greenland and ice, prepare to be disappointed. If you were after a decent memoir filled with random facts about random Greenland-related topics, I guess this is the book for you. I found it boring and dry. I thought the story meandered aimlessly when I could find a story at all. But then I was expecting more about glaciology, ice science, maybe hydrology and physics. So long as you don’t go in with expectations like mine—hopefully it’ll provide a decent read.

The Hidden Life of Ice is a short and fascinating—and cautionary—look at, well, ice. Specifically Greenland’s ice sheets and how the changes to it can be applied to the situation happening to the other, coldest parts of Earth, like the Artic. The book was more of the author’s personal experience of his time spent studying the ice. It was interspersed with historical facts, some mythology from Greenland, and the science behind the ice and the changes happening to it—caused by global warming and other natural climate changes and factors.

There are so many different parts of The Hidden Life of Ice that interested me. As a whole, I liked it. What I greatly enjoyed was the parts of the book when Tedesco dug his heels into the topic and really got into the science about ice. His enthusiasm about this subject was easy to read. It was present on the page, especially in the way he talked about his and others work in the field. There were also photos in the book, and it was pretty cool getting a look at some of the locations described by Tedesco.

Among my favorite chapters in the book, was the one on the color of ice. I already knew about the general concept of white surfaces being more reflective, due to personal experience with walking on a ground paved with white stones—it was extremely bright in comparison to, say, grass or concrete sidewalks. I can imagine what it was like to be surrounded by ice and snow. So it was interesting to learn about the way they studied the light (“spectral fingerprint”). I also enjoyed the chapters about the microscopic organisms, the polar camels, ice abyss, and the one about the lakes as well.

Given how timely the topic of climate change is, this book was well worth the read. It offered a direct look at the changes happening to ice, and what could result from it. While also taking a look at how these environments are studied. Overall, The Hidden Life of Ice was a fantastic read.

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (The Experiment) via Netgalley for this review, thank you!