It was interesting to learn about this whole how ice got started. I mean who would have guessed to even think about something so random that we totally take for granted? But they made ice by waiting for lakes & ponds to freeze every winter int he northern states & then learned how to transport it not just across the country but to other countries as well. Amazing to see how these ice companies got started & how they flourished considering there were different means used to keep the ice frozen so it wouldn't melt during shipping. It is not the most exciting read per se, but interesting to learn about the whole history of it though.

Pleasant reconstructive history of a peculiar institution

The trade in New England lake and river ice that began in the early 19th century and expanded exponentially to include ports in India, before artificial refrigeration eliminated the trade in the 20th century, is an intriguing history. Keep in mind I work in the shipping industry and have a biased interest in works of this kind. However Weightman does a good job of carrying this story in succint fashion, sprinkling interesting details throughout without becoming bogged down in a slough of factoids. It is a great tale of both early American history, and the perseverance of one man, the Ice King, Fredric Tudor. This is a quick read with a wealth of knowledge that I would highly recommend. My biggest complaint is that it was so short and could have expanded more beyond Tudor's life, especially to the eventual demise of harvested ice. Definitely pick this one up.