What to Carry, What to Burn with Blair Braverman
Summary
In this episode, host Sarah Marshall premieres the first installment of Blair Braverman’s new podcast, *What to Carry, What to Burn*. The story follows Ada Blackjack, an Inupiaq woman hired as a seamstress for a disastrous 1913 Arctic expedition to Wrangel Island. Led by untrained men under the flawed guidance of explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson, the group faces starvation, abuse, and polar bears in a tale of survival and hubris.
Topics discussed
Introduction to Blair Braverman and her new podcast
Ada Blackjack's early life and motivation to join the expedition
Ada's recruitment and the mysterious expedition to Wrangel Island
Vilhjalmur Stefansson's 'Friendly Arctic' theory and past failures
The inexperienced crew: Moore, Knight, Crawford, and Gall
Poor preparation, inadequate supplies, and departure for the Arctic
Life on Wrangel Island: shelter, hunting, and polar bear fears
Ada's mental health crisis and suicide attempt
Analyzing 'Arctic Hysteria' and Ada's recovery
The return of the sun and the cliffhanger ending
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