The Hidden Life of Ice

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!

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