“Writing with characteristic grace, clarity, and insight, Stewart Weaver explores “the call of the magnetic south.” Weaver combines masterful research and lucid storytelling in this definitive account of exemplary seamanship, imperial ambition, and scientific accomplishment.”—Maurice Isserman, author of Continental Divide

“James Clark Ross is all but forgotten today, but in the nineteenth century, he was a superstar, and Stewart Weaver’s lively and engaging book reminds us why. Weaver restores Ross to his rightful place at the forefront of British polar explorers.”—Stephanie L. Barczewski, author of Titanic

“Stewart Weaver is remarkable among historians for flair and insight as well as scholarship. Magnetic helps us understand the mix of wisdom and wonder that drove explorers to the deadliest extremes of Earth, despite records of failure and deficient means. A gripping yarn and an impressive contribution to the history of science.”—Felipe Fernández-Armesto, author of How the Spanish Empire Was Built

“Magnetic, like the sea route to the South Magnetic Pole itself, is a magnificent and complicated journey. Far more than a tale of scientists and sea dogs, it is a story that unfolds in the halls of the Admiralty and the Royal Society, involving a cast of characters—James Ross, John Franklin, and John Herschel—who became the luminaries of British science and exploration. Weaver’s gifts, both as historian and storyteller, are on full display. It’s a fantastic read.“—Michael F. Robinson, author of The Lost White Tribe

Stewart Weaver is professor of history at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, and the author of several books including Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes (with Maurice Isserman) and Exploration: A Very Short Introduction.

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