Award-winning wildlife cameraman Lindsay McCrae has written an extraordinary account of the time he spent alongside Emperor penguins in Antarctica.
 
Filming for the BBC ‘Dynasties’ series was the fulfilment of a childhood dream but meant spending an entire year 15,000km from home. Winter lasted eight months when no one could get in or out of their station on the ice.

Viewed by eight million people, the programme proved a huge talking point for the nation, not least because the production crew intervened when it looked like hundreds of penguins were going to perish.

The book is a very personal account of the mental, emotional and physical struggles Lindsay overcame to capture this unique footage.

It is a fascinating and compelling read revealing something of the reality of living at the bottom of the world in often terrifying conditions and being stretched to the limits. And, of course, he shares, too, what it was like to observe these fantastic creatures at such proximity. It's a wonderful book that I couldn't put down and will read again, and again.

Lindsay McCrae visited Woodbridge to talk about his book.  Read my report of this event, view some photos and listen to a recording at this page.