As the culminating volume of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr.’s renowned expeditions, this is the comprehensive autobiography of a man who knew no limits. From his earliest days as a Navy pilot in training, to his controversial flights to the North and South Poles, his lifelong passion for exploration, and his trailblazing quests across the Antarctic continent, Admiral Byrd was a man who stared down long odds, harsh climates, and harrowing landscapes, conquering them all with bravery now immortalized in American lore and legend.
Reissued for today’s readers, Admiral Byrd’s classic explorations by land, air, and sea transport us to the farthest reaches of the globe. As companions on Byrd’s journeys, modern audiences experience the polar landscape through Byrd’s own struggles, doubts, revelations, and triumphs and share the excitement of these timeless adventures.
Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (1888–1957), an American naval officer, was a pioneering American aviator, polar explorer, and organizer of polar logistics. Aircraft flights in which he served as a navigator and expedition leader crossed the Atlantic Ocean, a segment of the Arctic Ocean, and a segment of the Antarctic Plateau. He is also known for discovering Mount Sidley, the largest dormant volcano in Antarctica. Byrd said that his expeditions had been the first to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole by air. His belief that he reached the North Pole is disputed.