Return of the South Pole Sled Dogs

Mary R. Tahan is a Writer, Producer, and Documentarian, with a professional background in journalism and marketing. Internationally renowned for her educational and informational series, she has authored many scholarly articles and historical books, and produced/directed documentary films. Her scholarly articles and lectures/presentations focus on Antarctica and the “heroic age of exploration” and cover many countries, and she has documented individuals and organizations as well as cities and historical events. As part of her research for her series of films and books on Polar exploration, Mary R. Tahan traveled to Antarctica by invitation of the Dirección Nacional del Antártico (Instituto Antártico Argentino), where she performed on-site photography and videography of the Antarctic landscape and historical sites, as well as conducted interviews with scientists and curators. Her research has also taken her to Argentina, Norway, France, Russia, and England, where she has also interviewed Polar historians and descendants of the early explorers of the Arctic and Antarctic.

“The enormous research effort represented in this book will be appreciated by any reader with a deep inter­est in the history of polar exploration. Tahan narrates the sometimes forgotten story of the voiceless actors— the sled dogs—that made the Antarctic exploration of the Heroic Age possible. The dogs withstood rough sailings, very heavy work pulling sledges under extremely harsh conditions, use as marketing and tourism tools, public exhibition and quarantines.” (Javier Menéndez-Blázquez, Polar Research, Vol. 41, April, 2022)“Mary R. Tahan’s books on polar expedition . . . are a welcomed addition to historical exploration scholarship and the animal studies field. . . . Tahan’s books focus on the interactions and intersectionality between people and nonhuman animals and how this connection spurred humankind forward in its survey of the South Pole. In a unique approach, Tahan’s research and materials center on the animals . . . By adding this aspect of the canines, she gives recognition to the significant role that animals played in this important part of history as well as the indispensable human–animal relationship needed for the Antarctic exploration. . . . In recent years . . . academics have increasingly argued that the inclusion of other voices such as women, native peoples, immigrants, and individuals of varied social class enhances historical accounts. Tahan’s books seek to take this one step further and argue that the inclusions of nonhuman animals as agents will most certainly enrich historical data. The author certainly hits this mark, and these should be recommended books for anyone with an interest in nonhuman animals, exploration, or history. (Nicholas Miller, Terrae Incognitae, March 23, 2022)

• Chapter 1. Introduction: Roald Amundsen and the Sled Dogs.- Part 1: Hobart, Australia.- Chapter 2. All Aboard: The Departure from Antarctica.- Chapter 3. Leaving Antarctica: The Rough Journey Back.- Chapter 4. The Public Relations Machine Behind the Scenes.- Chapter 5. A Hero’s Welcome in Hobart.- Chapter 6. Fleeing the Journalists Whilst Courting the Press.- Chapter 7. Twenty-One Sledge Dogs for Douglas Mawson.- Chapter 8. A Tale of Two Fates: Roald Amundsen’s Victory and Robert Falcon Scott’s Tragedy.- Part 2: Buenos Aires, Argentina.- Chapter 9. The Captain and Mrs. Snuppesen.- Chapter 10. Arrivals and Departures: Buenos Aires, Norway, and Don Pedro Christophersen.- Chapter 11. The Dogs at the Buenos Aires Zoological Gardens.- Chapter 12. London Calling: Lord Curzon and the Royal Geographical Society.- Chapter 13. The Big Speech: The Cheer for the Dogs.- Chapter 14. Death and Deceit.