Arctic Dreams Audiobook By Barry Lopez cover art

Arctic Dreams

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

Arctic Dreams

By: Barry Lopez
Narrated by: James Naughton
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $22.50

Buy for $22.50

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

Winner of the National Book Award

This best-selling, groundbreaking exploration of the Far North is a classic of natural history, anthropology, and travel writing.

The Arctic is a perilous place. Only a few species of wild animals can survive its harsh climate. In this modern classic, Barry Lopez explores the many-faceted wonders of the Far North: its strangely stunted forest, its mesmerizing aurora borealis, its frozen seas. Musk oxen, polar bears, narwhal, and other exotic beasts of the region come alive through Lopez’s passionate and nuanced observations. And, as he examines the history and culture of the indigenous people, along with parallel narratives of intrepid, often underprepared and subsequently doomed polar explorers, Lopez drives to the heart of why the austere and formidable Arctic is also a constant source of breathtaking beauty, beguilement, and wonder.

Written in prose as memorably pure as the land it describes, Arctic Dreams is a timeless mediation on the ability of the landscape to shape our dreams and to haunt our imaginations.

Look for Barry Lopez's new book, Horizon, available now.

©2013 Barry Lopez (P)2019 Random House Audio Adventure Travel Ecosystems & Habitats Environment Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Polar Regions Science Adventure Dream

Critic reviews

“Extraordinary.... A master nature writer.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“One of those landmark works of travel writing.” (The New Yorker)

“Dazzling.... Treats the distant, snowy world of the Arctic as a place that exists not only in the mathematics of geography but also in the terra incognita of our imaginations.” (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

Beautiful Writing • Perceptive Observations • Brilliant Narration • Impactful Storytelling • Detailed Descriptions
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - so much so that I was sorry when it came to an end. About a third of the way through the book I knew I had to listen to/or read more of Barry Lopez’s works. What an inspiration - his detailed and entertaining knowledge of the natural world, and his appreciation of human nature and understanding of our place in the world is I believe unique. I cannot imagine someone finishing this book without being impacted in a very positive way. It should be required reading for anyone in a position to influence the policy affecting our natural world.

Prepare to be inspired.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Particularly liked the chapter that covered narwhals. I didn't know their "horn" is actually a tooth.

Very informative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Just finished this absolutely amazingly beautiful book.
The stories of the people and the animals in the Arctic.
It is amazing to contemplate what men drives to explore unforgiving parts of the world.
Mr. Lopez was an amazing author. In researching, I found out that he is no longer with us.
This is the second book by him I have listened to and it certainly will not be the last one.
In many ways he is quite philosophical.
As always “ Google Earth” is a helpful tool to locate the areas mentioned in the book.
The narrator, mr. James Naughton is such a pleasure to listen to.
My thanks to all involved, JK.

BEAUTIFUL

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It is an amazing experience to listen to this book. It transports one into an incredible journey and deep appreciation for the Arctic.

Awesome

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Wonderful story, presentation and narration is excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. One of the better books that I have read lately.

Beautiful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Wonderfully written and read, there is much more to this book than meets the eye.

Beautifully written

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am trying to give it a full 5 stars but stupid system won’t let me. This is my favorite book of all time and I am 76 years old. It is brilliant, and I have long awaited an audible reading after reading and reading rereading the book over the years.

Man and Nature as One

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Love the book absolutely loved his writing. First time I’ve ever listened to a Barry Lopez book. I will listen to more. I appreciate his ability to reflect and do some serious soul-searching himself. My wife who lived in a Calais for 10 years, said he nailed it.

A true visual emotional and soul searching experience

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a very well-written book. The narrative grows more impressive the further you go till it becomes immense in its scope and language. I plan to listen again soon.

Really well written

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Poetry in prose, well written, well narrated. Like watching a movie, in my head.

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews