Outer Space Is Closer Than Antarctica - by Michelle Ott (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This beautifully illustrated memoir tells artist Michelle Ott's true story of falling in love and discovering her place in the universe on a remote research station in Antarctica"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

This beautifully illustrated memoir tells artist Michelle Ott's true story of falling in love and discovering her place in the universe on a remote research station in Antarctica.

In 2004, feeling burned out and dissatisfied, Michelle Ott left her high-profile gallery job in New York to work as a janitor at McMurdo Station in Antarctica: the coldest, windiest, driest place on Earth. There, she fell in love--not only with her future partner, but with the raw, inhospitable, incomparable beauty of the continent itself.

She took trips to nowhere on the Antarctic ice and mapped out the most romantic date locations on a remote research base where the sun never sets.
She witnessed the bright green aurora australis at -30°F, cried in response to its beauty, and found her eyes frozen shut by her tears.
She learned about (literally) breathtaking katabatic winds, ventifacts, and what it was like to bake cookies for 1000.
She dropped a piece of glacier ice into a glass of booze and consumed the ancient air bubbles that were trapped within it.

In this emotional blend of art, science, and deeply personal stories, Ott shares the wisdom and wonder gleaned from her four trips to the southernmost continent. Complete with hand-drawn maps and diagrams, accessible scientific explanations, and the realizations that can only come from turning your life upside down, Outer Space Is Closer Than Antarctica is an ode to explorers and dreamers, scientists and artists, and anyone curious enough to brave the unknown.

FOR THE EXPLORER AND THE DREAMER: Who hasn't fantasized about quitting their job, leaving city life behind, and running away to the wilderness? We might not all choose Antarctica as our dream destination, but Michelle Ott's brave, open-hearted approach to life still speaks to that nagging impulse to flip your world upside down. Her story of finding friendship, love, and an appreciation for life's simplest joys reminds us that sometimes that impulse is worth acting on.

ART + SCIENCE: This well-researched memoir presents scientific principles and research in an engaging combination of art and prose. Learn about volcanoes, stardust, Katabatic winds, the polar vortex, ventifacts, glaciers, and other Antarctic phenomena through Ott's illustrations, maps, diagrams, and descriptions.

THE WONDER OF ANTARCTICA: Antarctica is a place of superlatives--driest, highest, coldest, windiest, biggest--and extremes. Its closest continental neighbor is 774 miles away. The Kármán line, the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and outer space, is only 62 miles above sea level. When you are standing on any other landmass on Earth, you are nearer to outer space than to Antarctica. Science enthusiasts, creative thinkers, and armchair travelers will all find something to relish in this remarkable volume.

Perfect for:

• Fans of illustrated nonfiction and memoirs
• Anyone who's ever daydreamed about moving away from the city and starting fresh
• Designers, artists, visual thinkers, and other creatives
• Adults and teens who are curious about geology, geography, and earth sciences
• Scientists, researchers, and environmentalists
• Fans of introspective nature writing and authors like Katherine May and Helen Macdonald
• Romantics and readers who enjoy unconventional love stories

Review Quotes

"I've been admiring Michelle's drawings for over 20 years. I've had some time to think about her art - why a few lines that seem so offhand, so charming, accrete to a finished product that has such staying power. I believe it's because her eye can only see humanity and truth, even in their most basic manifestations. A dish rack, a star, a two story building - Michelle sees the little miracles inherent in every object in our universe and directs our attention to them in the most economical and loving ways. At heart, she's a haikuist - embracing the constraints of a few lines to express something all-encompassing. Her writing, the sincere expression of it, doesn't get in the way of her images, but supports them, the way the right soil causes a Bonsai tree to flourish over many years."

--James Freeman, Founder, Blue Bottle Coffee

"A generous love-letter to art, science, our planet, the extremities of Antarctica, and to love, this book is a joy that made me fall in love with everything it touches!"

--Beth Pickens, Author of Make Your Art No Matter What

"The intersection of science, art, nature, and love is where magic happens. This book marries them all into a heartwarming journey through the coldest continent!"

--Ariel Waldman, Antarctic explorer + filmmaker

About the Author

Michelle Ott is an artist whose art and illustrations focus on observations of the physical and social world. Her work has been exhibited and published in the US and abroad. She has received several awards, including the Antarctica Service Medal for her work as support staff at McMurdo Station over four summer seasons. She lives in Northern California.