Cold Hands, Warm Heart

November 1, 2010
Talk about unexpected: 60-year old Burrows chronicles her adventures as the first granny to race to the South Pole in this utterly unique blend of New Age peace and twenty-first-century toughness. Along with her longtime partner, she was one of six international teams to recreate the Amundsen/Scott race as portrayed in the documentary On Thin Ice. Although age precluded Burrows team from being in contention (they were driven part of the way after falling far behind), their accomplishment is still epic. Its impossible not to cheer for Burrows as she recounts an intense training regime back home (running a 24-hour race, walking the 550-mile South West Coast Path, mountain climbing, jogging) as well as the emotional struggle she and Pete faced in Antarctica. Perpetually sunny and steadfast in her determination to spread the word of peace for Tibet, Burrows laughingly refers to herself as a hippie but shows a determination to her cause that cannot be derided. Call it a cozy for baby-boomer armchair adventurers, and we should all be so bold in our grandparenting years.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)