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Fred Hogge
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Of Ice and Men: How We've Used Cold to Transform Humanity Hardcover – December 6, 2022

by Fred Hogge (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 19 ratings
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A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

An exploration of humanity’s relationship with ice since the dawn of civilization, Of Ice and Men reminds us that only by understanding this unique substance can we save the ice on our planet—and perhaps ourselves.

Ice tells a story. It writes it in rock. It lays it down, snowfall by snowfall at the ends of the earth where we may read it like the rings on a tree. It tells our planet’s geological and climatological tale.

Ice tells another story too: a story about us. It is a tale packed with swash-buckling adventure and improbable invention, peopled with driven, eccentric, often brilliant characters. It tells how our species has used ice to reshape the world according to our needs and our desires: how we have survived it, harvested it, traded it, bent science to our will to make it—and how in doing so we have created globe-spanning infrastructures that are entirely dependent upon it.

And even after we have done all that, we take ice so much for granted that we barely notice it.

Ice has supercharged the modern world. It has allowed us to feed ourselves and cure ourselves in ways unimaginable two hundred years ago. It has enabled the global population to rise from less than 1 billion to nearly 7½ billion—which just happens to cover the same period of time as humanity has harvested, manufactured, and distributed ice on an industrial scale.

And yet the roots of our fascination with ice and its properties run much deeper than the recent past.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    352 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pegasus Books
  4. Publication date
    December 6, 2022
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1639361839
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1639361830
  8. See all details
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From the Publisher

Praise from Stanley Tucci

Publishers Weekly praise

Praise from Booklist

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book doesn’t just speak to the nerd in me, it invites him out for an evening of martinis and an utterly engaging ramble through the commoditisation and exploitation of cold. And if that sentence doesn’t appeal to you, we can no longer be friends.” ― The Financial Times

“[Of Ice and Men] is funny and quirky and full of well-told stories. Hogge, a gifted storyteller, brings many subjects to cinematic life. He ties the book up beautifully, with a detailed, well-explained chapter on climate change. This book will amuse and inform you.” -- Mark Kurlansky, The New York Times Book Review

“A fascinating history of an important and timely subject that we have taken for granted for too long.” -- Stanley Tucci, American actor and filmmaker

"In his first book written under his own name, [Fred] Hogge gives ice its due in this fascinating natural history. Hogge writes with wit and flair, bringing natural history alive in a way that will have great appeal for those who enjoy the work of Mary Roach and Bill Bryson." ― Booklist, starred review

“[Fred] Hogge makes his solo debut with an illuminating and wide-ranging look at one of humanity’s most overlooked natural resources: ice. Hogge gathers an impressive collection of arcana. This sparkling history informs and entertains.” ― Publishers Weekly

“Hogge makes many fascinating points and digressions in this casual history about applications of cold.” ― ―Library Journal

"Fire and ice may be polar opposites, but each has shaped human history and impacts our daily lives. In Of Ice and Men, Fred Hogge harnesses both the importance of ice and its role from the cardiovascular to the chalets and slopes of Chamonix, and the ominous impact of rapidly losing ice globally. That he does so with both the empirical and anecdotal, insight and humor, will keep the reader turning page after page." -- Douglas Heye

About the Author

Fred Hogge is a historian and filmmaker who has collaborated on or ghost-written books on a wide variety of subjects from the history of cocktails to martial arts. He is British by birth and lives in Thailand.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pegasus Books (December 6, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1639361839
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1639361830
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.3 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 19 ratings

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Fred Hogge

Fred Hogge

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
19 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

T. Burch
5.0 out of 5 stars fascinating deep dive into a curious topic!
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
Verified Purchase
What an idiosyncratic and fun read! I picked it up on a whim, and really appreciated the writer's ability to spool a fascinating yarn out of something as mundane as "ice". He manages to present cogent and detailed research, and makes connections about humanity that I would never have considered. I'm curious to see what this writer does next!
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Sonya Dunne
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and immensely enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024
Hogge is an erudite historian and a charming raconteur. If, like me you have a general interest in science and the natural world, but no expertise, Hogge’s book will inform and delight on a surprisingly interesting subject. The perfect gift for a reader with a general interest in our relationship to natural resources, and how social and technological advances affect our use of those resources. Ice is important! Highly recommended.
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Dennis Rufolo
2.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2023
Was excited to read and stuck through the first chapter but quickly lost interest and did not finish. Hope others find this interest to continue.
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The Winchester
5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew ice was this fascinating?
Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2024
Ice, as a subject, seems like a very broad topic. And, to be honest, a dull one at that.

Luckily, Fred Hogge is here to deliver us from boredom and show us how ice has invariably shaped humanity for better and for worse. Combining all aspects to which ice could be applied, this book is bound to enchant readers who are brave enough to ask the question "What does ice have to do with me, beyond keeping my drink cold?"

A strong recommend for us to glimpse into the world of ice!
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Wayne the Savage
3.0 out of 5 stars Misleading title
Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2023
Relatively interesting read, but the writing was all over the place. Sometimes it even matched the title of the book! Don’t expect much and you won’t be disappointed.
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jam2009
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book filled with facts that will astonish you.
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2023
Loved the historical changes that were in direct correlation to how and where we live our lives today. I’m a how and why historian person, so if you need something to stimulate that mentality this is a book for you. If you a science denier, not so much. So many stories I knew little or nothing about.
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Top reviews from other countries

Jonathan, London
5.0 out of 5 stars A wise, witty cultural history of ice
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2023
Verified Purchase
Ice is so familiar to us — in our food, our sports, our environment — that we're in danger of taking it for granted. There's no more danger of that after reading Fred Hogge's smart, funny, forceful cultural history, which tells the story of ice in human civilisation, from the first ice houses built in the Sumerian desert to the imperilled Antarctic ice sheet today. Vividly written, with good jokes, great charm and many asides, usually to the author's favourite movies, this is a book that won't just entertain you, but will change the way you see the world and perhaps even inspire you to help protect it.
One person found this helpful
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Nickja
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous read!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
It's a long time since I read a book that combines fascinating nuggets of information, history, humour, and warmth the way Fred Hogge has in Of Ice and Men. Bravo!
One person found this helpful
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Sally Valler
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and very relevant
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 22, 2023
Verified Purchase
I throughly enjoyed this eclectic, witty history of the thing e put in a glass and forget about. A must read. Frederick Tudor, whom I have never heard of, sounds brilliant, if not crazy. He took ice to the Caribbean in 1806. Astonishing! And there are many more characters like him in this book.
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Alex
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating read about humanity's enduring bond with ice
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
A fascinating read that delves into humanity's enduring bond with ice. Loved it!
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Robert
5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and entertaining
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 23, 2023
Verified Purchase
Really fun read, with lots of great stories, and ultimately a point. The author has a quirky intellectual style that tends to go in lots of directions, but it always (often surprisingly) comes back to pay off. Once you get used to this, it becomes fun to take the journey with him. I loved the book, and honestly couldn't recommend it more!
One person found this helpful
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