~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less First trade edition of Byrd’s account of his harrowing 1933 Antarctic expedition. Not only is the work of survival gripping, his descriptions of the natural w. This book is an incredible page turner. This book has definitely earned the right to have a hard copy on my bookshelves. What makes it worth reading to me is the fact that the author is the famous explorer Richard Byrd, the year is 1934, and the setting is the absolutely insane idea he had of essentially camping alone in Antarctica for the duration of the Antarctic winter. Signed limited first edition of Byrd’s account of his second expedition to Antarctica, number 88 of only 225 finely bound copies signed by him. The back of this memoir is going to try and sell itself to you with how much the Antarctic sucks, and how incredible it is that this guy spent 5 months there by himself in near constant darkness and 70-something below zero temperatures every day, and all of this in 1933 when they didn't have synthetic fabrics with moisture-wicking properties or internet or fancy sleeping bags or any fun REI doo-dads. Richard E Byrd (1888-1957), was an American naval officer and explorer. Byrd wrote this book in 1938--four years after surviving several months of solitary research in 60-80 degrees below zero in Antarctica. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. I dare say a lot of people won't enjoy it or find it as compelling as I did, but it was the insight into what life is like living in such extreme, inhospitable conditions as well as the human drama that kept me interested. I don't think you'd need to be a polar fanatic (although I am one) to find meaning and interest in this fascinating account. However, the Admiral had bigger fish to fry than making perfect pancakes in the 60 below temperatures with the cold and dark. Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd Jr. (October 25, 1888 – March 11, 1957) was an American naval officer and explorer. Maybe born of despair, but that's how it goes sometimes. Please try again. I've read a lot of polar memoirs/expedition diaries, etc., and I guess I was expecting something along those lines--somewhat dry, somewhat self-congratulatory while also somewhat excessively modest. Shelf and handling wear to cover and binding, with general signs of previous use. This is an interesting book, but only if you place it into context. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2012. My god. When Admiral Richard E. Byrd set out on his second Antarctic expedition in 1934, he was already an international hero for having piloted the first flights over the North and South Poles. Now I know where I get my good looks (actually my mom’s dad is where I get my full head of hair). Byrd didn’t uncover the underground world alone. Only a small shack with dangerously faulty ventilation stood between Byrd and the elements during the continually dark days of the winter of 1934. Alone by Richard Byrd – Panel Discussion Thursday, November 19, 2020 4 – 5:30 p.m. EST Register Now >> Join us for a special “Book Club” event, featuring Alone by Richard E. Byrd. This book ranks right up there with "The Worst Journey in the World", and that is saying one heck of a lot. Byrd writes with knowledge, honesty and humility as he tells of his experience. A relatively quick read and very interesting even though I was worried I wouldn't like the book's story (it was a gift). The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work. Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure is the story of famed explorer Richard Byrd's famous (or infamous) solitary sojourn at the bottom of the world - ably, if somewhat reluctantly, told by Byrd himself. This account of six months that the explorer, Richard Byrd, spent alone in minus 60 degree weather in Antarctica was gripping. Seller Inventory # 004095. Richard E. Byrd-"Aone"-1938-International Collectors Library-5" X 8"-221 pages-Hardcover Book-Signed By Author.Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888–1957, American aviator and polar explorer, b. Winchester, Va. Isolated in the polar night with no hope of rescue until spring, Byrd began suffering inexplicable symptoms of mental and physical illness. Reading this account made me think of Jack London's great sh. The entire time, he was being slowly poisoned by carbon monoxide from a faulty stove, but had to run it anyway so he wouldn't freeze to death. Alone. Although it seems comical that soon after his his crew deserts him, his biggest troubles are that he cannot find two very important articles: his alarm clock and his cookbook. A very interesting read about one man's experience of being alone in a hut during the Antarctic winter. BYRD, Richard E. Alone. Exploring with Byrd… Byrd chose to spend the perpetual darkness of an Antarctic winter staffing a small hut on the barrier taking meteorological readings. by Richard E. Byrd. Amazing! Alone / BYRD, Richard E., New York : Ace Books, Inc., 1938, 192 pages, (Collection : Ace Star, K-102T). In 1934, Admital Byrd was truly alone, with help a mind-numbing 80-mile trek across the nothingness of Antarctica in the -50 degree darkness of winter. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. It really makes you feel for the guy. Byrd wrote this book in 1938--four years after surviving several months of solitary research in 60-80 degrees below zero in Antarctica. You're often turning the pages in horror. Even though I've been obsessed with cold places for as long as I can remember and have long wanted to visit Antarctica, this book added fuel to that fire, setting my imagination soaring with visions of white expanses and the dangerous era of exploration. I was simultaneously reading Alone and The Stranger in the Woods by Michael Finkel. Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items. His plan for this latest adventure was to spend six months alone near the bottom of the world, gathering weather data and indulging his desire “to taste peace and quiet long enough to know how good they really are.” But early on things went terribly wrong. Admiral Richard E. Byrd single handedly manned a weather base in the Antarctic winter night of 1934. The entire time, he was being slowly poisoned by carbon monoxide from a faulty stove, but had to run it anyway so he wouldn't freeze to death. When Admiral Richard E. Byrd set out on his second Antarctic expedition in 1934, he was already an international hero for having piloted the first flights over the North and South Poles. During this time he was completely isolated except for unreliable radio contact with the main base. Little America: Aerial Exploration in the Antarctic, The Flight to the South Pole (Admiral Byrd Classics). He has a very WASPy mindset that puts himself and pretty much everyone he says he cares about into mortal danger. It is very old world and really makes you ponder on how language has changed. This is a beautifully written discription of Admiral Byrd's five month stay by himself in a remote cabin in Antartica to study the weather. The nightmare left me, and about 9 o'clock in the morning I awakened with a violent start, as if I had been thrown down a deep well in my sleep. Every few hours he seems to be freezing some new body part and it's just a post-script to the events of the day. Richard Byrd penned -Alone- several years after his antarctic stay and used his diary and memory to honestly account his experiences. I dare say a lot of people won't enjoy it or find it as compelling as I did, but it was the insight into what life is like living in such extreme, inhospitable conditions as well as the human drama that kept me interested. He gets relatively carbon monoxide poisoning about 2 months before anyone can get in to help him, and he has to survive, using the stove that poisoned him as well as trying to hide his infirmity from "Little America," the base on the Antarctic coast. A beautifully written scary-as-can-be real life experience in Anartica. After being nearly slain by the carbon monoxide fumes given by the stove that was meant to keep him alive, Byrd is a step away from death's doorstep. Richard Byrd penned -Alone- several years after his antarctic stay and used his diary and memory to honestly account his experiences. Island Press; Illustrated edition (August 8, 2003), Science, adventure, and madness in the Antarctic winter, Reviewed in the United States on October 4, 2019. I have a special love for this book, as I am related to Richard Byrd. originally published 1938 by G.P. 16th PRINTING. The book is a composite from his own personal diary, and an account of the expedition from Base Camp records. In 1934, Admiral Richard Byrd took residence in a shack in the South Pole's interior to monitor the harsh weather and active auroras throughout the long, dark winter. This book is an incredible page turner. Maybe born of despair, but that's how it goes sometimes. It's a fascinating account of how the human mind copes (or fails to) in complete isolation. Posted at 17:41h in The Experience by Rbyrd. It has been called by many names. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 18, 2013. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. I like to re-read it on warm days in the summer when it's too hot and imagining being alone at South Pole cools me down, or even in blustery wintry days when it's nice to be reminded that, hey, it could be worse. Byrd claimed that his expeditions had been th… This book is full of deep insight. There is a part in the book where Admiral Byrd comes to a realization and conclusion about the cosmos, that I particularly like; What came out of the silence, a gentle rhythm, the strain of a perfect chord, the music of the spheres, perhaps. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Dedication is the name of the game here. Unable to add item to List. This book ranks right up there with "The Worst Journey in the World", and that is saying one heck of a lot. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 3, 2013. Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1888-1957) was an international hero best known for his accomplishments in pioneer aviation and polar exploration. By the time he discovered that carbon monoxide from a defective stovepipe was poisoning him, Byrd was already engaged in a monumental struggle to save his life and preserve his sanity. Although less well known than his famous flight over the North Pole, Admiral Richard E. Byrd’s adventures in Antarctica are just as remarkable. Byrd's writing had me nodding at points in agreement as he describes thoughts I have had while working on projects I thought I could do alone. Whether the whole Hollow Earth story is fact or fiction, it’s great to imagine there are still hidden civilizations out there in the world. I hate drama and overstatement...there was none of that. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Only a very special person could have done this work. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 21, 2013. My great grandfather was his cousin. Obviously, the man survived to tell his story, but he was lucky. In collaboration with the Polar Archives, the Byrd Center is hosting a special seminar about Admiral Richard E. Byrd and his solo mission at an Antarctic research station. 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. Obviously, the man survived to tell his story, but he was lucky. Anyone who is an admiral, I figured would be self-aggrandizing. Byrd, being a man of his time and dedicated to the mission and his men, attempts to deal with the problem by himself. Richard E. Byrd, U.S. naval officer, pioneer aviator, and polar explorer best known for his explorations of Antarctica using airplanes and other modern technical resources. Others have written more fleshed out reviews so I won't go too crazy with this one. And all of that IS shocking and impressive. Octavo, original cloth. This is the account of a man trapped in a cabin for months with little to do except take weather readings, organise his environment and, when things end up going very wrong for him, trying to stay alive. Once you open up this inspirational true story, you won't be able to put it down. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, Expeditions & Discoveries World History (Books), © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. His plan for this latest adventure was to spend six months alone near the bottom of the world, gathering weather data and indulging his desire “to taste peace and quiet long enough to know. Many times in reading this book I found myself holding my breath, or with tears running down my cheeks. Refreshingly free from self-agrandizing egoticism. For untold ages man has felt an awareness of that Intelligence. Admiral Byrd spends from late March to early August (Antarctic winter) by himself in a hut about 150 miles from the Antarctic coast. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Byrd's inevitable descent into depression is eloquently expressed and will, I'm sure, strike a chord with anyone who has struggled with mental health issues: "the dark side of a man's mind seems to be a sort of antenna tuned to catch gloomy thoughts from all directions. When Admiral Richard E. Byrd set out on his second Antarctic expedition in 1934, he was already an international hero for having piloted the first flights over the North and South Poles. The book is also helped significantly by the eloquence and insight with w. This is the account of a man trapped in a cabin for months with little to do except take weather readings, organise his environment and, when things end up going very wrong for him, trying to stay alive. The writing is ok but not great. The story itself is a bit lackluster. Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2014. Alone. It is beautifully written and descriptive. This is the story of Admiral Byrd’s second expedition to Antarctica in 1934. A fantastic book about a man who spent six months in the meteorological base on Antarctica, alone. To generations of Americans, Richard Byrd was the quintessential explorer of unknown terrain. This account highlights the solitude, the cold, above all the personal thoughts of a man who desired to seek a quiet place away from the "hullabaloo". This is an interesting book, but only if you place it into context. The book is written four years after his trip to the Antarctic but he remembers it vividly and includes many notes from his diary during that time. I was surprised by the relaxed, casual style at first, having mostly read accounts by stiff-upper-lip British naval officers and the like, and the beginning has the feel of an adventure novel in some ways. A well written book on isolation and perseverance in the worst of conditions. 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