Title Highlight: Encyclopedia of the Arctic

Encyclopedia of the Arctic

3 volumes: Illustrations, maps, charts
Entries A-Z (listed at the beginning of each volume)
Thematic list of entries (volume 1 only)
Index (volume 3 only)

This three volume set tackles a wide variety of topics relating to one of the least inhabited parts of the planet, the Arctic regions. Not only the ecology and wildlife of the area are covered, but also international and national polar laws, explorers, history, peoples (over 44 different ones), languages, economics, physical geography, oceanography and many other topics. The entries are arranged alphabetically, but the thematic list of entries at the beginning of the first volume would probably be more useful for finding topics of interest. Each article has suggestions for further reading.

It is interesting to note that the book confines itself to the Arctic in some cases, but not all. For instance the entry on the polar explorer Richard Byrd only deals with his flight over the North Pole, while the entry on the explorer Roald Amundsen details his South Pole exploits along with his Arctic ones. It also contains an entry on the Dalton Highway, the only road access to the U.S. portion of the Arctic as well as the Dempster Highway in Canada, more well-known now as the road used on the series Ice Road Truckers on the History channel.