THE SOUTH POLE: A Book to Begin On

Because the South Pole is at the bottom end of the imaginary line we call the earth's axis, this starts at that point and the Amundsen-Scott Station, then moves around Antarctica, and almost uses the two terms interchangeably thereafter. Except for Amundsen, only the English and American explorations are discussed, but there is no hedging about motives; ""Nobody expected to find anything unusual there. The South Pole would look just like any other place in Antarctica. Yet men wanted to go there because it was so hard to reach."" Also, the small indigenous flora and fauna (good penguin photos), the ice monopoly (90% of the world's supply), and the post-treaty (1959) set-up favoring scientists. Cool icebreaking: it attracts, teaches, entertains.