For most of history, Antarctica was no more than an idea, an icy land of the imagination lying beyond the frozen southern oceans. It has only been two centuries since people set foot on the White Continent, braving lethal extremes of weather and violent seas to reach the most remote territory on our planet.

Polar historian Katherine MacInnes shows how Antarctica has drawn the best and worst of humanity to its shores, from explorers such as Scott and Shackleton to the sealers, whalers and warmongers who came to exploit this vast virgin territory.

This is a tale of science and adventure, of human endurance and ingenuity tested to the limit, and of a continent that might just hold the key to a more harmonious future.