We are now firmly into the “Reminiscence Era” as those whose scientific careers began with the IGY period reach retirement and dust off their diaries and their memories. Whilst many of the books are simply accounts of life in those far off days some aspire to more and give us details of the way science was done. This new book by Colin Bull pulls together the diaries and memories of four pioneers in New Zealand Antarctic science - Colin Bull, Peter Webb, Dick Barwick and Barrie McKelvey - all of whom are commemorated in place names in the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Their exploits, marking the beginning of 50 years of Victoria University expeditions to the Ross Dependency, began in true Kiwi style with Webb and McKelvey (at this point still undergraduates) hitching a ride on the relief ship down to Scott Base in 1957–58. When there they were befriended by Phil Smith from the US Program who arranged helicopter flights to the Dry Valleys for them that fired their enthusiasm for Antarctic geology. Clearly they had to return and this book recounts the story of the first official university expedition to Antarctica in 1958–59. This account of a remarkable summer is both entertaining and very well illustrated with colour photos. Bull’s style is deadpan, which suits the rather ramshackle (by today’s standards!) approach to the expedition and the extraordinary opportunities the four had before they even graduated.

The overwhelming enthusiasm of this group comes through on every page. Their activities were limited by time but they managed to traverse the Wright Valley and cross Bull Pass to visit McKelvey Valley and Victoria Valley. They did geology, glaciology, survey work and biological studies, publishing a series of papers afterwards that would have been a credit to doctoral students never mind undergraduates. Their comments on their equipment, the mummified seals (including the picture of one for Christmas dinner!) and the bureaucracy make amusing reading.

At the end are various appendices including a list of papers arising from the expedition, a detailed glossary and a section labelled “Aftermath” which gives a potted biography of each of the participants. Barwick went on to become a fish palaeontologist in Australia, Webb moved to the USA and developed a distinguished research career in Antarctic geology being joined there in due course by McKelvey, whilst Bull moved to Ohio State University and continued his Antarctic research in the US Program. Those were clearly adventurous days for young scientists keen to take a chance and the contribution to Antarctic science by the last three has been very considerable indeed!