Book Review: Facing the Frozen Ocean
Bear Gryll's account of his gruelling journey to complete the first unassisted crossing of the north Atlantic is an insipiring and moving read that tugs at the heartstrings, says Robert Hanbury-Tenison

It is always to read about acute discomfort in the security of an armchair, and life does not get much nastier than that described in this book. Bear Grylls, who achieved fame as the youngest Britain to climb Everest, out from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to complete the first unassisted crossing of the north Atlantic to John o'Groats.
Despite meticulous planning, everything seems to have gone wrong. Mr Grylls and his four companions hit head winds, gales and towering seas which tossed their tiny, single-engined inflatable craft unmercifully. If it had capsized or hit an iceberg they would certainly have died in frozen waters. They were cold and wet and miserable most of the time.
Almost to my surprise, I found this an inspriing and moving read. Prince Charles, his patron, describes Mr Grylls as a 'great British eccentric adventurer', which is accurate. He is a real Boy's Own hero, ex SAS and an inspirational leader. This should irritate a bit, but somehow it does not, because he comes across as genuilnely modest, a rare trait today among modern 'heroic' writers. He has the simple, deeply held philosphy of a strong man, with the self-depreciating Birtish humour I association with Peter Fleming, who pioneered the genre.
The book reads well, with a fluent, fluid style that carries you along. Sometimes it is all a bit too good to be true: everyone he works with is a 'real live wire' or a 'good sport', and when he has a problem people will always 'drop everything to help'. Yet he has the ability to touch the heartstrings. His writing will mature and he will find how to give it an edge. I look forward to reading his next adventure.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by His Majesty The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
-
Small engines, big batteries: The quiet revolution of car design
More and more cars on the road are electric, and some unusual shapes and sizes glide past silently. But what does it all mean for design?
-
14 ways to keep your dogs cool in the heat, by A-list dog trainer Ben Randall
Dogs can't regulate their body temperatures as well as humans can, so at this time of year they need your help keeping cool, whether you're on the road, out and about or leaving them with someone else while you go away.