Product Description

In Going to Extremes writer, presenter and Oxford geography don Nick Middleton visits the world's hottest, coldest, wettest and driest inhabited places. He visits Oymyakon in Siberia, where the average winter temperature is -47 degrees and 40% of the population have lost their fingers to frostbite while changing the car wheel.vNext he travels to Arica in Chile where there have been fourteen consecutive years without a drop of rain and so fog is people's only source of water.vFrom the driest to the wettest: Mawsynram in India which annually competes for the title with its neighbour Cherrapunji. However, Nick discovers that during the dry season there is water shortage and one entrepreneur has started selling it bottled! Finally his journey takes him to Dalol in Ethiopia known as the 'hell hole of creation' where the temperature remains at 94 degrees year round. Here Nick will join miners who work all day with no shade, limited water and no protective clothing.

The book and series consider how and why people lives in these harsh environments. How does Nick's body react to these contrasting extremes? He looks at the geographical and meteorological conditions. He meets local characters and discover the history of these settlements to find out how they ever became populated. He looks at the way both the population, and the flora and fauna, have adapted physically to the climate, and also considers the psychological impact of living under such conditions. The series also considers global climatic conditions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #398318 in Books
• Published on: 2003-06-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

Customer Reviews

Fascinating
I hadn't even heard of, let alone seen, the series mentioned by some reviewers. I picked up the book as I was intrigued by the barron landscape on the cover.

This book is about the authors travels to find the coldest, dryest, hottest and wettest habited placed on earth. The opening chapters about his travells in Siberia fascinated me so much that I have since gone on to read further books about the place. The minute he gets off the train in Siberia and it is so cold it phsically hurts to breathe, I was transported to the journey with him. I thoroughly enjoyed this section as it was interwoven with history about the region awell as tales of jumping through ice in minus 40 degrees!

I found the other three sections interesting, although I did feel that after Siberia it didn't quite have the same appeal curiosity wise. I almost felt as though they were an afterthought. Having said that, I did enjoy this book immensly and would recommend it.

Down to earth reading
This book gives the reader an honest account of Nick Middletons Travels. He explores the environment and its people while exposing his own feelings of excitment, curiosity, fear and disappointment. This book makes me want to exlore these places myself yet in a way feel that i already have. I cannot wait to read more of his work, i am hooked!

Places of Dreams
After watching Nick Middletons 2 series, I dithered as to whether the book would be worthwhile. However, the series totally compliments the book. You get the feeling you are with him as he narrates his stories. I sat on a beach in County Cork on a blistering day as I read about the coldest place on the planet, and started to shiver!!! His descriptions are excellent and his wit is sharp. He manages the almost impossible in presenting geology as user-friendly. Go on, treat yourself.