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The Two-Headed Whale Sandy Winterbottom

The Two-Headed Whale By Sandy Winterbottom

The Two-Headed Whale by Sandy Winterbottom

Reviews:
$34.99
Condition - Very Good
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Summary

In a time of ecological crisis, there is much to be learned from the way the whaling industry operated. This Heart of Darkness journey draws prophetic parallels to the present day climate emergency and recognises that environmental and human exploitation are deeply entwined.

The Two-Headed Whale Summary

The Two-Headed Whale: Life and Loss in the Deepest Oceans by Sandy Winterbottom

In 2016, Sandy Winterbottom embarked on an epic six-week tall-ship voyage from Uruguay to Antarctica. At the mid-way stop in South Georgia, her pristine image of the Antarctic was shattered when she discovered the dark legacy of twentieth century industrial-scale whaling. Enraged by what she found, she was quick to blame the men who undertook this wholescale slaughter, but then she stumbled upon the grave of an eighteen-year-old whaler from Edinburgh who she could not allow to bear the brunt of blame. There are two sides to every story.

The Two-Headed Whale vividly brings to life the spectacular scenery and wildlife of the vast Southern Oceans, set alongside the true-life story of Anthony Ford, the boy in the grave, as he sailed the same seas and toiled in an industry where profits outranked human life. In this compelling account, Sandy challenges our preconceptions of the Antarctic, weaving in themes of colonialism, capitalism and its link to both environmental and human exploitation. Drawing together threads of nature and travel writing with an unflinching narrative of life onboard a whaling factory ship and the legacy it left behind, The Two-Headed Whale leaves us questioning our troubled relationship with the extraordinary abundance of this planet.

The Two-Headed Whale Reviews

'The Two-Headed Whale challenges preconceptions of the Antarctic, splicing in themes of colonialism and capitalism and their links to both environmental and human exploitation. But it is also a call to conflicting voices in the climate debate to strive for mutual understanding and better communication in the hope of a concerted, cohesive and effective approach to the crisis'

-- Sally McDonald * Sunday Post *

'Winterbottom has combined the story of a teenage whaler's death with her shock at the state of the Antarctic today... the book cleverly weaves these two tales together'

* Sunday Times *

'An alluring-sounding blend of travel and nature writing'

* The Bookseller *

'A triumph of research... a moving and compassionate eulogy for a young man who, without Winterbottom, would have remained anonymous and unremembered'

-- Alastair Mabbott * The Herald *

'Compassionate and clear sighted, The Two-Headed Whale brings vividly to life a little-known part of the world, and a little-known part of British history'

-- Malachy Tallack

'A poised, clear-eyed and nuanced exploration of large themes, this book faces up squarely to concerns that are both personal and global. The writing - impassioned, resolute, restrained - is affecting and will endure'

-- Kevin MacNeil

'Sandy Winterbottom has written a book that succeeds beautifully in combining a personal travelogue, a historical biography, [and] an environmental call to arms'

-- Ken Lussey * Undiscovered Scotland *

'Preconceptions about the Antarctic and commercial whaling are challenged in The Two-headed Whale'

-- Michael Alexander * Dundee Courier *

'one of the virtues of his book is that as much empathy is extended to the human workers as to the cetacean mysteries'

-- Stuart Kelly * The Scotsman *

'The story of Anthony Ford is unlike the heroism of Shackleton, but it's a real story, a gem hidden in the history of Antarctica that deserves to be told ... it's as close to history as one can get. Recommended!'

-- Lex van Gronigen

'As accessible as it is intriguing... We are left with a powerful sense of loss and love for our planet and our home'

* Farming Scotland *

About Sandy Winterbottom

Sandy Winterbottom spent most of her career as an academic teaching and researching in the Environmental Sciences at Stirling University. In 2010, she left to work in the renewables industry but following a life-changing trip to South Georgia and the Antarctic in 2016, she returned to study and completed the Creative Writing Masters Programme at Stirling University, tutored by Kathleen Jamie. She lives near Muckhart in Central Scotland. This is her first book.

Additional information

GOR012620206
9781780277981
1780277989
The Two-Headed Whale: Life and Loss in the Deepest Oceans by Sandy Winterbottom
Sandy Winterbottom
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Birlinn General
20221006
256
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - The Two-Headed Whale