Discovery: The Autobiography of Vilhjalmur Stefansson

by Vilhjálmur Stefánsson

Explorer of the last unknown lands in North America prophet of the transpolar air and Arctic submarine routes, Vilhjalmur Stefansson was the inspiration of northern explorers for 40 years. In this book, completed just before his death in August 1962, he recalls his whole adventurous and exciting life, and the great achievements that made him a top authority on the Arctic and its people.

Genres: Nonfiction

411 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1964

About the author

Vilhjálmur Stefánsson (1879-1962) was a Canadian Arctic explorer and ethnologist.

Reviews

[Stelepami · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father lent this to me after my (semi) recent kick on fiction and nonfiction regarding the search for Franklin in the 19th-century Arctic. I have long been fascinated by accounts of life in the Far North, probably starting with my first reading of Julie of the Wolves in fifth grade.
Stefansson clearly accomplished wonders in his lifetime. I think the scope of his accomplishments is most apparent not in the excellent descriptions of living off the frozen land, but in the casual tone with which he mentions journeys of hundreds of miles he or others undertook on foot, while surviving on what they could hunt.
He gives the impression of having been a remarkable fellow in both character and physical endurance. I would like to read some of his earlier books with more detailed accounts of his various journeys.