1865-1940

Drawing on the Belgica's crew's diaries and journals and exclusive access to the ship's logbook, this epic tale of a polar expedition that went terribly awry follows the crew as they were condemned to months of endless night, plagued by a mysterious illness, and descended into madness.

"It might seem lonely at the top of the world, but the North Pole is teeming with life! Polar bears, walruses, and Arctic seals make their home on sea ice that can be nine feet thick, while the Inuit and other Indigenous peoples continue their traditions and means for survival in this harsh climate. Along with the early twentieth-century story of Robert Peary's egomaniacal quest to reach the exact spot of the North Pole"-- Provided by publisher.

"The harrowing true survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly awry--with the ship frozen in ice and the crew trapped inside for the entire sunless, Antarctic winter"--Provided by publisher.

Discusses the rivalry between Robert Peary and Frederick Cook and their race to be the first explorer to reach the North Pole.