Antarctic Pioneer - by Joanna Kafarowski (Paperback)

About the Book

Jackie was an ordinary American woman whose life changed forever after marrying rugged Antarctic explorer Finn Ronne. She participated in the Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition 1946-1948. Jackie Ronne dedicated her life to Antarctica and helped shape the narrative of twentieth-century Antarctic exploration.

Book Synopsis

Jackie Ronne reclaims her rightful place in polar history as the first American woman in Antarctica.

Jackie was an ordinary American woman whose life changed after a blind date with rugged Antarctic explorer Finn Ronne. After marrying, they began planning the 1946-1948 Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition. Her participation was not welcomed by the expedition team of red-blooded males eager to prove themselves in the frozen, hostile environment of Antarctica.

On March 12, 1947, Jackie Ronne became the first American woman in Antarctica and, months later, one of the first women to overwinter there.

The Ronne Antarctic Research Expedition secured its place in Antarctic history, but its scientific contributions have been overshadowed by conflicts and the dangerous accidents that occurred. Jackie dedicated her life to Antarctica: she promoted the achievements of the expedition and was a pioneer in polar tourism and an early supporter of the Antarctic Treaty. In doing so, she helped shape the narrative of twentieth-century Antarctic exploration.

Review Quotes

A captivating and inspiring biography.-- "The British Columbia Review"

Kafarowski's writing is engaging and indeed, it is somewhat shocking that a biography of Jackie Ronne, as one of the two first women to be members of an Antarctic expedition, had not been written before.-- "Antarctic Pioneer"

As much a sociological read on the role of women in the mid-twentieth century as it is about Antarctic exploration... we come away with a sound sense of a remarkable woman with a strong sense of self

-- "Pilgrim House"

An inspiring and well-researched book. The story of courageous Jackie Ronne and her experiences in Antarctica in the 1940s is a gift to all women dreaming of adventures in faraway places.

-- "Monica Kristensen Solås, Antarctic explorer and author"

A captivating history of one woman's lifelong love affair with Antarctica.-- "Erling Kagge, author of Philosophy for Polar Explorers"

A well-researched book on the life and work of Jackie Ronne, shedding light on the pioneering role she played in changing Antarctica from a site of male-only expeditions to one of permanent scientific bases where male and female experts work side by side.-- "Anne Strathie, author of Herbert Ponting: Scott's Antarctic Photographer and Pioneer Filmmaker"

An engrossing read about a forgotten female explorer. With impeccable research and style, Kafarowski's protagonist is freed from her former trivialized status as merely the supportive wife of expedition leader Finn Ronne.-- "Laurie Gwen Shapiro, author of The Stowaway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica"

An important book for ensuring women explorers like Jackie Ronne are given the recognition they are due, and that future generations may be duly inspired. A much-needed reminder of the work that needs to be done to correct the prejudices of the past.-- "Felicity Aston, first woman to ski solo across Antarctica"

At last! A proper book on Jackie Ronne, a glorious Antarctic pioneer who, for too long, has remained in the shadows. As Joanna Kafarowski writes in these pages, "the history of women in Antarctica has been marginalized," and I am thrilled that she has written this absorbing book to give Jackie the credit she deserves seventy years after her tumultuous expedition. This biography deserves widespread attention.-- "Sara Wheeler, author of Terra Incognita: Travels in Antarctica"

It is long overdue that Jackie Ronne gets the acknowledgement she deserves. Her husband, explorer Finn Ronne, would never have reached his goals without her. What contributions to science and Antarctica!-- "Liv Arnesen, first woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole"

Joanna Kafarowski's biography of Edith (Jackie) Ronne is an important addition to the tapestry of Antarctic history. All too often, women's voices and contributions are muted or absent altogether. As the first all-women's group across the ice to the South Pole in 1992/93, starting from the Ronne Ice Shelf, we had a sense of pride of the small sisterhood on this vast and remarkable continent.-- "Ann Bancroft, first woman to reach both North and South Poles across ice"

Joanna Kafarowski's scholarly biography is a gripping portrayal of Jackie Ronne -- Antarctica's First Lady. Her contributions to polar history are reflected in this well-written and riveting book.-- "Marlene Wagman-Geller, author of Women of Means"

Kafarowski deftly chronicles and celebrates Jackie Ronne's little-known contributions to Antarctic history that helped shatter the "ice ceiling" for women. Told with empathy, indignation, and humour, this fresh and honest account of a determined young woman who overcame a troubled childhood and staunch opposition from the Antarctic establishment to become an explorer and leader in polar circles is set against the backdrop of the struggle for women's rights in twentieth-century America.-- "Carol Devine, polar explorer and co-author of The Antarctic Book of Cooking and Cleaning"

Kafarowski's book is an outstanding addition to recent literature celebrating the contributions of overlooked women explorers.-- "Jayne Zanglein, author of The Girl Explorers"

Smooth, effortless storytelling about a woman's coming of age through adventure and supporting other women to do the same. The stories of women are often left untold -- mere afterthoughts in polar exploration. Here, Joanna opens up a life well-lived. Well done!-- "Amy Gigi Alexander, writer, publisher, cultural explorer"

This book reminds us just how often the Antarctic dreams of great men were accomplished by the support and sacrifice of their wives, at home and on the ice. An inspiring exploration of a pioneering woman in Antarctica and the challenges she faced, both on the frozen continent and on the home front.-- "Danielle Clode, author of In Search of the Woman Who Sailed the World"

About the Author

Joanna Kafarowski, Ph.D., is passionate about researching and writing about the lives of women in polar history. She is the author of The Polar Adventures of a Rich American Dame: A Life of Louise Arner Boyd, the first comprehensive biography of a female Arctic explorer. She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.