In this episode, we interview author Max Leonard about his new book.

A Cold Spell: A Human History of Ice by Max Leonard This book is the story of humanity through the lens of ice – our interactions with ice, our need for it, and what it means for us that it is rapidly disappearing from our planet. Max takes us from the beginning of our story to the modern day, tracing the ways ice has influenced our development, our economies, our social customs and our lives. Exposing the commonalities between an opulently frozen mummy, Winston Churchill’s plans for inventive aircraft carriers and mountaineering, it’s bound to change how you think about the world around you. ‘In a bracingly original book, Max Leonard makes something we all take for granted into an absorbing pathway into history, geography and science … A highly readable feast of insights and surprises- Michael Palin ‘A wonderful history of ingenuity, wanderlust, preservation and exploitation. Max Leonard has written an original chronicle of human nature, and you’ll skate through it with enduringinsight and pleasure.’ - Simon Garfield

For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com