Ken McGoogan

More on Ancient Mariner

In his epic A Journey to the Northern Ocean, Hearne described the ensuing trek, which was marked by hardship, near-starvation and culture shock. Joining forces with Matonabee, a legendary Chipewyan Dene leader, and closely observing the people, wildlife and terrain as he went, Hearne traveled more than 3500 miles, mostly on foot – incidentally demonstrating that, to thrive in the north, Europeans needed only to apprentice themselves to the native peoples. His journey culminated in the infamous massacre at “Bloody Falls” – an event that changed him forever.

Ancient Mariner demonstrates that Hearne was a pioneering naturalist, anthropologist, and story-teller, and also offers insights into his emotional life: his loyalty to friends, his devotion to his mother, his tragic love for his wife Mary Norton, certainly the most arresting tale of star-crossed love in exploration history. In a fascinating bit of literary detective work, Ken also determined that Samuel Hearne, having returned to London to live out his final days, met the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge and inspired the figure of the haunted sailor in the “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.”

Fifteen reviews of Ancient Mariner:

The Observer (U.K.)
“Brisk, readable books about great Englishmen doing great things — let us call it the School of Longitude — don't come much better than this.”

Publishers Weekly (U.S.)
“. . . McGoogan’s study does relate an often brutal tale with a surprising amount of grace and poetry. . . . a swift epic in its own right.”

Booklist (U.S.)
“A notable, informative, readable account of a now obscure yet crucial figure in a little-known era of Arctic exploration. A superior bit of maritime history, worthy of adding to virtually any library.” (continued)

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