Discovering Nothing: In Pursuit of an Elusive Northwest Passage.

The article reviews *Discovering Nothing: In Pursuit of an Elusive Northwest Passage* by David L. Nicandri, which explores the complex history of the search for a navigable Northwest Passage connecting the Atlantic or Hudson Bay to the Pacific and Asian ports. The book examines key explorers, geopolitical rivalries involving Britain, Russia, Spain, France, and the United States, and the transition from maritime to land-based routes, including the development of railways championed by figures like Governor Isaac Stevens and Sir Stanford Fleming. Nicandri's work situates the quest within broader imperial, commercial, and Indigenous contexts, highlighting the challenges of geography, climate, and competing claims, including Canada's ongoing sovereignty dispute with the United States over the passage. The review praises the book for its scholarly synthesis, use of period maps, and insightful narrative linking early exploration to later developments in transportation and territorial control.