Voyage of the Iceberg

Book excerpt: This is the story of the most famous iceberg of all time--the iceberg that has gripped the imagination of the world, that humbled human technology and dramatized the wonders and dangers of the North Atlantic Ocean. Author Richard Brown uses the iceberg's story to present the natural history of the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic at the turn of the twentieth century. A rich panoply of birds, whales, bears, seals and other ships cross the path of the iceberg. With an expert's understanding of natural history and an authentic storyteller's voice, Brown weaves these storylines together as the iceberg slowly drifts away from Greenland and down the coast of Labrador to its fateful encounter with the world's most famous ship. With extensive illustrations drawn from volumes of exploration and natural history of the period, this is a beautiful and compelling read. First published in 1983 and championed by publishers worldwide, this reprint of the original edition is accompanied by a brief biographical note on Richard Brown's career as a research scientist working for the Canadian Wildlife Service.