Battle of Ink and Ice; A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media

Battle of Ink and Ice: A Saga of Frostbite, Fake News, and the Fight for the North Pole

Featured in New York Times Book Review's "100 Notable Books of 2023," Battle of Ink and Ice is a riveting account of the dramatic, sixty-year saga surrounding the race to the North Pole and the media frenzy that fueled it. This gripping narrative explores the intense rivalry between explorers Robert Peary and Frederick Cook, who both claimed to have reached the North Pole in 1909, sparking a bitter feud that captivated the world.

As the battle between these two explorers escalated, so did the fierce competition between New York's leading newspapers—the Herald and Times—each backing one of the adventurers. James Gordon Bennett Jr., the flamboyant and scandalous owner of the Herald, and Adolph Ochs, the ambitious publisher of the Times, each fought fiercely to protect their chosen explorer, while their papers staked their financial and reputational futures on the outcome.

Battle of Ink and Ice uncovers a world of deception and ambition, offering a candid look at the Arctic explorers who both inspired and misled the public, while also exploring the media giants that played a major role in shaping—and distorting—their legacies. This book also highlights the pivotal moments that shaped modern corporate media and explores the intersection of class, celebrity, and the accelerating news cycle.

With rich historical context and contemporary relevance, Battle of Ink and Ice is a compelling chronicle of how personality, publicity, and power shaped America's media landscape during the Gilded Age and the dawn of the 20th century.