Chicago Sun-Times

Antarctica is bound to impress browers

Mike Thomas
September 30, 2003

'It's not quite the heaviest book ever made: Helmut Newton's Sumo outweighs it by 47 pounds, costs $100 more and features naked people.

Even so, Antarctica, is a wonder of publishing.

Masterfully bound and filled with 345 spectacular photos employing state-of-the-art printing technology, the 19.2-pound behemoth (27.6 pounds with presentation box) is more art gallery piece than beach-reading material.

So far 200 have been sold at $2,900 a pop. Between 250 and 300 more are in production. Copies may be purchased at keough-art.com, barnesandnoble. com and soon on amazon.com. Rosemarie Keough, who created the book with husband Pat, calls the limited-edition tome "a real bargain for what it is."

A copy of the work will be on display at Graph Expo (Creo booth 4008), a graphic arts convention going on through Wednesday at McCormick Place. The Keoughs, who have authored six books, are in town to accept an award, the 14th so far, for their latest endeavor.

"The experts," Rosemarie notes, "claim it's safe to say that no other modern book has received as many awards for quality."

All of Antarctica's dazzling photos -- landscapes, animal life -- were taken by the Keoughs during numerous expeditions to the frigid locale. The traveling alone cost them more than $300,000 over 10 years. The entire project: around $2 million. All net proceeds from sales will benefit the Save the Albatross Campaign.

"It's a book of many firsts," Pat says of the project he describes as an obsession. "It's a very strong book. And it's so well put together that -- we don't recommend this -- you can pick it up and shake it by its covers and it won't fall apart like any other book would.

"I made the mistake of doing that once and I actually dropped it on my toe. It was bad for my toe, but not the book."