BODIES FROM THE ICE by James Deem

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Deem, James. 2008. BODIES FROM THE ICE. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618800452

PLOT SUMMARY/Critical Analysis

Most of us probably do not think of mummies or dead bodies when we think of glaciers.  As a husband and wife went for a climb they stumbled upon something which ended up being a human corpse near the surface of a melting glacier.  It is truly amazing that science can take you back 5,300 years.  Take a journey from South America’s Andes Mountains to the European Alps to Asia’s Himalayas where glaciers are rapidly melting.  As the melting occurs new discoveries are made.  From rocky terrain to bodies of people who died in the glaciers.  With the help of scientists we learn more about the past of our world dating back thousands of years.

Deem’s writing brings a level of interest that any reader can enjoy.  The facts are amazing for the simple fact we are learning what earth was like thousands of years ago.  This well organized table of contents will guide the reader through this book with ease.  There are seven informative chapters with some being Iceman of the Alps, Dragons in Ice, Frozen Children of the Andes, and Saving the Past.

Deem’s use of access features including both visual and verbal make this book easier to understand and interpret.  He uses almost every feature to capture the true beauty of the glaciers and their finds.  Maps show specific locations, sidebars provide information you probably wouldn’t have knowledge of, photographs show the glaciers and the bodies, and their captions explain in much detail.  With over 65 photographs in color and black-and-white and many of them being rare the reader is able to get an accurate understanding of the glaciers and their findings.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*BOOKLIST: “There are books about melting glaciers and books about frozen bodies, but this attractive offering combines the topics in a way that will intrigue readers.”

*Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “With its extensive bibliography, suggested websites, and a listing of glaciers to visit, Bodies is a fantastic resource.  Deem superbly weaves diverse geographical settings, time periods, and climate issues into a readable work that reveals the increasing interdisciplinary dimensions of the sciences.”

*THE HORN BOOK: “Glaciers—and the preserved past they off up—give us an intriguing peek into various cultures, yielding information on everything from human sacrifice to occult superstition to sporting endeavors.”

*Starred review in KIRKUS REVIEWS: “An intriguing read, complementing the author’s highly commended BODIES FROM THE BOG (1998) and BODIES FORM THE ASH (2005), with a bonus environmental message”

*The Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

EXEMPLARY OR FAVORTE LINES

*“In 1991 a husband and wife climbing a mountain in northern Italy stumbled across what appeared to be trash left by carless hikers.”

*“On closer inspection they realized that it was a human corpse lying near the surface of a melting alpine glacier.”

“…glaciers are rapidly melting. Their disappearing ice uncovers not only the rocky terrain that has lain beneath for thousands of years, but also the long-hidden bodies of people who died in the glaciers.”

*“As their bodies are revealed, scientists study them to learn more information about the earth’s past.  But what will happen if our grinding, gliding glaciers disappear altogether?”