The Noose of Laurels: Robert E. Peary and the Race to the North Pole

It could be said that the very pride of Americans in their country was born on the day Commander Robert E. Peary discovered the North Pole in 1909. Sadly, Peary's own secretive style and his refusal to submit his logbooks for scrutiny allowed doubts to overshadow that monumental achievement. For seventy five years those private logbooks remained locked away from public gaze and, as is always the case with those who achieve greatness, those who are unable to rise to such heights are only too willing to chip away at any well-deserved reputation until there is nothing of the meal left on which to feast. Then, 80 years later, renowned polar explorer Wally Herbert was given permission to study those previously unseen logbooks and private letters and, based on his own 30+ years of exploring the arctic, could question the great Peary at his leisure. Throughout the following years of research in which he sought the answers to the most demanding questions, Wally Herbert reached a much needed conclusion as to exactly what Peary did or did not achieve. In order to reach that final determination, Herbert had peeled away Peary's very façade to reveal him as an ordinary man with ordinary frailties. It is, however, always the ordinary man who is able to achieve greatness. In putting together his research and findings into this excellent and most readable book, Herbert has provided the reader with an historic work greater than a work of fiction. NM

Wally Herbert has presented a very thoroughly researched and documented book on the Peary/Cook race to the North Pole concluding that Cook flat out lied about arriving at the Pole (that's easy to correctly conclude)and Peary carelessly missed it by numerous navigational errors. This is a tale that can seemingly never be put to rest. Sir Wally Herbert is well qualified to research and write such a book as he himself dog sledded from Barrow Alaska, over the North Pole and back below the Arctic Circle to Spitzenberg in 1969. I thought the author was very even handed about his research and his fair presentation of the facts as he could best interpret them. I think however, Wally Herbert mistakenly concludes that Peary missed the Pole and presumably 'lied' about achieving his goal of being the first to arrive at the North Pole. After I read Herbert's book I took the opportunity to re-read a 1990 National Geographic article entitled "New Evidence Places Peary at the Pole". In the article an independent body of geographic, photographic and navigational experts from the Navigation Foundation of Rockville, MD were presented with all of the navigational details of Peary's diary notations, his photographs, ocean depth soundings and preserved navigational equipment. The article makes a very convincing and cogent presentation that Peary's photographs (the angle and extent of shadows within the exposures) when measured photogrammetrically present unalterable proof that the photos were taken with five miles of the pole. Further the ocean depth sounding results taken on the way to the pole by Peary are currently consistent with what we now know about the actual depth of the Arctic Ocean along the meridian travelled by the Peary Expedition. Although National Geographic and the Navigation Foundation have in my opinion substantiated Peary's success in attaining the pole this is no discredit to Herbert's well written book that should be read by anyone interested in polar and arctic history.

Mr. Herbert has laid to rest the question of priority at the North Pole, Commander Peary did not reach it and lied to the world about his claim. Forget the National Geographic, they would look very foolish to refute the story after all these years. We can hardly expect them to be objective. Almost all polar scholars agree. Peary did not obtain his goal(nor did Dr. Cook). Read this book, come to your own conclusion. I'm sure you will agree.

Wally Herbert has in this compelling and well researched dissertation, taken the claims of Robert E. Peary, and subjected them to a historical and geograhical judgement. It is the opinion of Mr. Herbert, that Peary never reached the pole. I feel that Mr. Herbert came to this conclusion not out of any vindictiveness, but rather to set the historical record straight. The book pays great respect to the bravery, craft and intelligence of Peary. Mr. Herbert is an explorer and expert navigator, and his knowledge of the Polar regions allows him to pass an objective opinion on this matter. The text is concise and also inspiring to a receptive mind.