Safe Return Doubtful

Book excerpt: Farthest north, farthest south - in the heroic age of polar exploration at the beginning of the twentieth century, the race was ferociously contested. British, American, Swedish and Norwegian expeditions all vied for the greatest prize of all - the poles - knowing that they might forfeit their lives in the attempt. On the way they faced horrific conditions, frostbite and starvation rations, exhaustion and too often also the bitter clashes of personality that beset men under extreme stress. In these days of modern technology, it is almost impossible for us to imagine the hardship these explorers endured. Sledgers camped overnight in subzero agony, their sweat-soaked furs frozen into icy suits of armour as soon as they stopped moving. With no vitamins and no easily preserved food they faced scurvy and worse. This hair-raising account covers every aspect of the polar great game, the renowned names such as Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen, Salomon Andree, Fridtjof Nansen, Ernest Shackleton, and Robert Scott are all here, their ponies, dogs and sledges, their daily experiences, and always, the addictive quest for polar immortality.