“A great read—well organized, well written, and fully referenced—providing many lesser known details about SS Manhattan’s history and the role it played in the Alaska pipeline debate.”
— Shelagh D. Grant, author of Polar Imperative
“As the discussion of marine travel in the Arctic continues to ramp up, the release of Fairbanks' author Ross Coen's newest book couldn't be timelier.”
— Arctic Sounder
"[Coen] has plucked a rare gem from the dust bin of Alaska’s relatively brief but colorful petroleum history and endowed it with a fresh voice that speaks to a new generation of adherents largely unaware of its historic genesis....Prof. Coen’s book is arguably the most important book written by an Alaska author on any subject. It’s a must read for anyone dealing with or engaged in the far-reaching implications of the overarching state, national and international issues it explores."
— Joe E. LaRocca, Anchorage Daily News
“Breaking Ice for Arctic Oil is an informative, accessible, and enjoyable read. Those interested in Arctic and Alaskan histories will undoubtedly find much to enjoy in [Ross] Coen’s detailed and personable narrative, while scholars of northern and transportation histories will recognize important linkages to contemporary northern affairs.”
— Arctic
“In Breaking Ice for Arctic Oil, Fairbanks-based historian Ross Coen recounts the voyage of the Manhattan and places it in the larger context of the heady early days of Alaska’s entry into the world oil market. The result is a fascinating look at what happens when politics, big business, and technology dovetail to accomplish what has never been done before.”
— Daily News-Miner