40 best books about Antarctica

From harrowing firsthand accounts of survival to page-turning murder mysteries, we list our favourite books about Antarctica The most inhospitable place on Earth is an engrossing setting for any story, be it fictional or factual. Unsurprisingly, Antarctica’s literary canon is filled with tales of tragedy and/or survival against the odds. It would be easy, then, to fill this list with biographies of Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton alone. But Antarctica deserves attention beyond its tales of tragedy. With that in mind, we have taken a broader view. There are, of course, profiles of the pioneers and their epic journeys of discovery spanning more than a century of polar exploration, but we’ve also included a diverse mix of memoirs, biographies and novels – from crime to science fiction – all with Antarctica at the core of the narrative. Whether you’re readying for a voyage to the great white continent or just have a passing interest in the most uncharted area of our planet, you’ll find something for you in our list of books about Antarctica. Our list is in no particular order and draws on our personal favourites as well as bestsellers and critically acclaimed works. Non-fiction books ab...