ANPRBestBookof2023AShelfAwarenessBestNonfictionBookof2023AnAugust2023IndieNextPick,selectedbybooksellersAVogueMostAnticipatedBookof2023AWBURSummerReadingRecommendationANextBigIdeaClub’sAugust2023Must-ReadBookAnastonishing,vitalbookaboutAntarctica,climatechange,andmotherhoodfromtheauthorofRising,finalistforthePulitzerPrizeinGeneralNonfiction.In2019,fifty-sevenscientistsandcrewsetoutonboardtheNathanielB.Palmer.Theirdestination:ThwaitesGlacier.Theirgoal:tolearnasmuchaspossibleaboutthismysteriousplace,neverbeforevisitedbyhumans,andbelievedtobebothrapidlydeterioratingandcapableofmakingacatastrophicimpactonglobalsea-levelrise.InTheQuickening,ElizabethRushdocumentstheirvoyage,offeringthesublime--seeinganicebergforthefirsttime;thestaggeringwavesoftheDrakePassage;thetorqued,unfamiliarcontoursofThwaites--alongsidetheworkadaymomentsofthisgroundbreakingexpedition.Aping-pongtournamentatsea.Longhoursinthelab.Alltheeffortthatgoesintocaringforandprotectinghumanlifeinaplacethatisinhospitabletoit.Alongtheway,shetakesreadersonapersonaljourneyaroundamoreintimatequestion:Whatdoesitmeantobringachildintotheworldatthistimeofradicalchange?WhatemergesisanewkindofAntarcticastory,onepreoccupiednotwithflagplantingbutwiththecollectiveandchallengingworkofimaginingabetterfuture.Withunderstandingthelanguageofacontinentwherehumanshaveonlybeenpresentfortwocenturies.Withthecontributionsandconcernsofwomen,whowerelargelyexcludedfromvoyagesuntilthelastfewdecades,andofcrewmembersofcolor,whoselaborhasoftengoneunrecognized.TheQuickeningteemswiththeirvoices--withthecolorfulstoriesandpersonalitiesofRush’sshipmates--inathrillingchorus.Urgentandbrave,absorbingandvulnerable,TheQuickeningisanotheressentialbookfromElizabethRush.
