Book review: ice bear: the cultural history of an arctic icon by Michael Engelhard

In Ice Bear: The Cultural History of an Arctic Icon, Michael Engelhard takes readers on an encyclopaedic journey through time and space to explore the iconic positioning of the polar bear as food, enemy, spirit guide, monster, trade good and symbol of environmental crisis, amongst others. This is a beautifully illustrated and carefully curated book, offering comprehensive and fascinating insight into this quintessential animal ‘Other’, writes Lauriane Suyin Chalmin-Pui.