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Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue
Two-time National Outdoor Book Award-winning author Buddy Levy's thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship―and the men who sacrificed everything to make history.
Arctic explorer and American visionary Walter Wellman pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation, making history’s first attempts at each. Wellman has been cast as a self-promoting egomaniac known mostly for his catastrophic failures. Instead he was a courageous innovator who pushed the boundaries of polar exploration and paved the way for the ultimate conquest of the North Pole—which would be achieved not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship.
American explorer Dr. Frederick Cook was the first to claim he made it to the North Pole in 1908. A year later, so did American Robert Peary, but both Cook’s and Peary’s claims had been seriously questioned. There was enough doubt that Norwegian explorer extraordinaire Roald Amundsen—who’d made history and a name for himself by being first to sail through the Northwest Passage and first man to the South Pole—picked up where Walter Wellman left off, attempting to fly to the North Pole by airship. He would go in the Norge, designed by Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile. The 350-foot Norge flew over the North Pole on May 12, 1926, and Amundsen was able to accurately record and verify their exact location.
However, the engineer Nobile felt slighted by Amundsen. Two years later, Nobile returned, this time in the Italia, backed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. This was an Italian enterprise, and Nobile intended to win back the global accolades and reputation he believed Amundsen had stripped from him. The journey ended in disaster, death, and accusations of cannibalism, launching one of the great rescue operations the world had ever seen.
Realm of Ice and Sky is the thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship―and the men who sacrificed everything to make history.
Arctic explorer and American visionary Walter Wellman pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation, making history’s first attempts at each. Wellman has been cast as a self-promoting egomaniac known mostly for his catastrophic failures. Instead he was a courageous innovator who pushed the boundaries of polar exploration and paved the way for the ultimate conquest of the North Pole—which would be achieved not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship.
American explorer Dr. Frederick Cook was the first to claim he made it to the North Pole in 1908. A year later, so did American Robert Peary, but both Cook’s and Peary’s claims had been seriously questioned. There was enough doubt that Norwegian explorer extraordinaire Roald Amundsen—who’d made history and a name for himself by being first to sail through the Northwest Passage and first man to the South Pole—picked up where Walter Wellman left off, attempting to fly to the North Pole by airship. He would go in the Norge, designed by Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile. The 350-foot Norge flew over the North Pole on May 12, 1926, and Amundsen was able to accurately record and verify their exact location.
However, the engineer Nobile felt slighted by Amundsen. Two years later, Nobile returned, this time in the Italia, backed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. This was an Italian enterprise, and Nobile intended to win back the global accolades and reputation he believed Amundsen had stripped from him. The journey ended in disaster, death, and accusations of cannibalism, launching one of the great rescue operations the world had ever seen.
Realm of Ice and Sky is the thrilling narrative of polar exploration via airship―and the men who sacrificed everything to make history.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2025
About the author
Buddy Levy
12 books516 followersBuddy Levy BIO--
Writer, educator, public speaker and entertainer, Buddy Levy is the author of Realm of Ice and Sky (St. Martin's Press, 2025); Empire of Ice & Stone (St. Martin's Press, 2022); Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition (St. Martin’s Press, 2019); No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon (co-authored with Erik Weihenmayer, Thomas Dunne Books, 2017; a national bestseller and Honorable Mention Award Winner in the Outdoor Literature category of the 2017 National Outdoor Book Awards); Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of An American Warrior (with Mike Leach, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, 2014); River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana’s Legendary Voyage of Death and Discovery Down the Amazon (Bantam Dell, 2011). His other books include Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs (Bantam Dell, 2008), which was a finalist for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, 2009, and nominated for the Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award, 2009, and the PEN Center USA Award 2009; American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett (Putnam, 2005, Berkley Books, 2006); and Echoes On Rimrock: In Pursuit of the Chukar Partridge (Pruett, 1998). His books have been published in six languages. CONQUISTADOR is currently being considered for a television series.
As a freelance journalist Levy has covered adventure sports and lifestyle/travel subjects around the world, including several Eco-Challenges and other adventure expeditions in Argentina, Borneo, Europe, Greenland, Morocco, and the Philippines. His magazine articles and essays have appeared in Alaska Airlines Magazine, Backpacker, Big Sky Journal, Couloir, Discover, Denver 5280, Hemispheres, High Desert Journal, Poets & Writers, River Teeth, Ski, Trail Runner, Utne Reader, TV Guide, and VIA. He is clinical associate professor of English at Washington State University, and lives in northern Idaho with his wife Camie, and his black Labs Dugan and CJ.
Writer, educator, public speaker and entertainer, Buddy Levy is the author of Realm of Ice and Sky (St. Martin's Press, 2025); Empire of Ice & Stone (St. Martin's Press, 2022); Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition (St. Martin’s Press, 2019); No Barriers: A Blind Man’s Journey to Kayak the Grand Canyon (co-authored with Erik Weihenmayer, Thomas Dunne Books, 2017; a national bestseller and Honorable Mention Award Winner in the Outdoor Literature category of the 2017 National Outdoor Book Awards); Geronimo: Leadership Strategies of An American Warrior (with Mike Leach, Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, 2014); River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana’s Legendary Voyage of Death and Discovery Down the Amazon (Bantam Dell, 2011). His other books include Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs (Bantam Dell, 2008), which was a finalist for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, 2009, and nominated for the Before Columbus Foundation American Book Award, 2009, and the PEN Center USA Award 2009; American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett (Putnam, 2005, Berkley Books, 2006); and Echoes On Rimrock: In Pursuit of the Chukar Partridge (Pruett, 1998). His books have been published in six languages. CONQUISTADOR is currently being considered for a television series.
As a freelance journalist Levy has covered adventure sports and lifestyle/travel subjects around the world, including several Eco-Challenges and other adventure expeditions in Argentina, Borneo, Europe, Greenland, Morocco, and the Philippines. His magazine articles and essays have appeared in Alaska Airlines Magazine, Backpacker, Big Sky Journal, Couloir, Discover, Denver 5280, Hemispheres, High Desert Journal, Poets & Writers, River Teeth, Ski, Trail Runner, Utne Reader, TV Guide, and VIA. He is clinical associate professor of English at Washington State University, and lives in northern Idaho with his wife Camie, and his black Labs Dugan and CJ.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
January 2, 2025
An airship in the Arctic? What could go wrong? The answer is so, so much. Quite frankly, not nearly as much as I expected, though. As an avid reader of anything about the Arctic, I knew I would enjoy Buddy Levy's latest, Realm of Ice and Sky. Adventure and survival stories are Levy's sweet spot, and I was not disappointed.
Levy tells the story of three different Arctic campaigns aimed at the North Pole. My only wish is that I knew nothing about all three before I started reading. I was aware of the Italia disaster and Roald Amundsen's trip to the pole. However, I knew nothing about their predecessor, Walter Wellman. The three stories are captivating and they work best when sitting in front of a fire otherwise you may catch a chill.
Levy is one of those authors I can recommend to anyone. Yes, this is non-fiction and history, but Levy is the master of just telling the dang story and getting on with it. While I would have loved a book twice the size, Levy knows not everyone needs to know the listing of the stores taken on each expedition. The people and their survival is all that matters. The story tells itself. Levy is just the (very well qualified) tour guide.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
Levy tells the story of three different Arctic campaigns aimed at the North Pole. My only wish is that I knew nothing about all three before I started reading. I was aware of the Italia disaster and Roald Amundsen's trip to the pole. However, I knew nothing about their predecessor, Walter Wellman. The three stories are captivating and they work best when sitting in front of a fire otherwise you may catch a chill.
Levy is one of those authors I can recommend to anyone. Yes, this is non-fiction and history, but Levy is the master of just telling the dang story and getting on with it. While I would have loved a book twice the size, Levy knows not everyone needs to know the listing of the stores taken on each expedition. The people and their survival is all that matters. The story tells itself. Levy is just the (very well qualified) tour guide.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)
January 7, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for offering me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Back in 2023 I had the pleasure of reading Buddy Levy's book Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk. So when the opportunity to read another ice adventure through the words of Levy came to me, of COURSE I said yes! I was so excited to crack this book open and it did not disappoint!
Levy is hands down one of my favorite history writers. He does his homework and gets into the nitty gritty details of whatever situation he is explaining. You can feel the emotions these men went through soaring over the North Pole in their air ships...the elation AND the devastation. I appreciate that Levy sticks to the historical documents and does not try and fluff up his writing either. I think some writers tend to express how they THINK a person would have felt, or they THINK they know what they would've done...whereas Levy only writes it if he KNOWS. The historical accuracy is what makes it that much more special.
I am such a fan of the polar explorers of the 18th and early 19th century. I can already tell you that any book Levy is writing concerning polar escapades will be at the top of my list! Even though this book is heavy in detail and backstory, it does not over encumber the narrative. The book soars by quickly once you get into it, and the emotions run high while the story is moving along! I commend these men for what they have achieved, and I am saddened for the losses along the way.
Another AMAZING HIT by Buddy Levy! If you love polar explorers, if you love air ships, if you have ANY sense of adventure...this is the book for you!!
Back in 2023 I had the pleasure of reading Buddy Levy's book Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk. So when the opportunity to read another ice adventure through the words of Levy came to me, of COURSE I said yes! I was so excited to crack this book open and it did not disappoint!
Levy is hands down one of my favorite history writers. He does his homework and gets into the nitty gritty details of whatever situation he is explaining. You can feel the emotions these men went through soaring over the North Pole in their air ships...the elation AND the devastation. I appreciate that Levy sticks to the historical documents and does not try and fluff up his writing either. I think some writers tend to express how they THINK a person would have felt, or they THINK they know what they would've done...whereas Levy only writes it if he KNOWS. The historical accuracy is what makes it that much more special.
I am such a fan of the polar explorers of the 18th and early 19th century. I can already tell you that any book Levy is writing concerning polar escapades will be at the top of my list! Even though this book is heavy in detail and backstory, it does not over encumber the narrative. The book soars by quickly once you get into it, and the emotions run high while the story is moving along! I commend these men for what they have achieved, and I am saddened for the losses along the way.
Another AMAZING HIT by Buddy Levy! If you love polar explorers, if you love air ships, if you have ANY sense of adventure...this is the book for you!!
October 16, 2024
Some polar explorers in the early 20th century chose to venture to their destination by airship, a new and somewhat untried and dangerous means of transportation. This book chronicles the trips of Amundsen, Cook, Wellman, and Nobile--their rivalries, failures, and triumphs. I was more interested in the airships themselves than the explorers, and found the end chapter on current airship development particularly interesting. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
January 21, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for this much-appreciated historical non-fiction. This was an intensive and thoroughly researched factual account of early Arctic exploration, primarily focusing on the little-known fact that dirigibles were involved in the early 1900s. The author cannot be faulted for his detailed description of all items, situations and background, but the saying 'less is more' comes to mind regarding the general public's ease of reading. This may be precisely what readers who are fascinated with polar exploration and /or airships and are deep into their study are looking for. My Kindle version of the ARC contained no maps for the numerous Arctic sites mentioned, so I failed to have a mental picture of the various journeys. I expect this will be remedied before the book is published.
I admit skimming through the first two sections of the book, which mentioned materials, measurements, and technical language of the designing, building, and testing the earliest dirigibles in the early 1900s, at the same time that airplanes were in their infancy. It was hoped that airships would replace dogsleds and skis for exploring the far north. The first Marconi wireless was remotely set up to inform people of their progress or the possible need for rescue. Although I had difficulty following the paths of exploration, I had a minor personal picture of what it was like being stuck in pack ice. In the 1990s, I was on a small tourist ship travelling in the high Arctic in August. We became trapped in the ice, and food had run out. Luckily, a Russian icebreaker was in the vicinity and soon freed us.
The first two sections did include two of the earliest attempts to reach the North Pole by airship. They described the earliest attempts. by Wellman, the designer and builder, and the heroic Roald Amundsen to obtain scientific and meteorological knowledge while mapping the area below. Amundsen travelled with Nobile, and rivalry and animosity developed between them. The early explorers had the fame of later astronauts who landed on the moon. Now, snowmobiles have replaced dogsleds.
Early airship travel was hoped to be the most practical and efficient method of reaching the goal of standing on the North Pole. Still, early journeys revealed the difficulty due to strong winds, volatile hydrogen, sufficient gas supply, fog, and the scarcely tried airship construction, not to mention polar bears. The author believes that Amundson was not only the first man to reach the South Pole but also the first to arrive at the North Pole and that the previous claimants exaggerated or were mistaken.
It is not the author's fault that the book's first part was not what I expected. I wanted the story of the Italian crash, the efforts of the victims to survive despite horrific injuries for some, and rescue. This was an exciting, tension-packed story, but only addressed in the book's third section, weakened by the lack of maps. Of the sixteen aboard the Italian led by Nobile, only nine survived the crash, some with painful broken bones. Seven others were still airborne in part of the airship. They dropped supplies to those below and then floated away into oblivion. The Italian was sponsored for the glory of the fascist regime under Mussolini to improve their image. The Pope had blessed the journey and gave Nobile's crew a cross to leave at the North Pole. Attempts to communicate their position seemed to fail until a farmer in a remote part of Russia heard their pleas on short-wave radio and alerted the world.
Eight countries rushed to the rescue, which involved 14,000 searchers, 23 airplanes, six ships, and dogsleds. Nobile was rescued by a small ski plane, and a Russian icebreaker saved the majority still alive. An inquiry blamed Nobile for the disaster, and Mussolini's government stripped him of his military rank, profession, and salary. He had to leave the country to find employment. It was not until 1943 that he was exonerated and returned to his position in Italy, even with his back salary restored. It was determined that his leadership had been exemplary, and the crash was probably due to human fatigue and failure of the hydrogen release valves., but the public blamed him for the death of their greatest hero, Amundson, during the rescue attempt.
The beautiful cover is eye-catching, but adding illustrations inside these early airships would be helpful.
The massive bibliography is impressive. It includes books, documents from museum archives, historical newspaper resources, film, TV and a website.
The final chapter describes modern attempts to build safe airships to provide humanitarian aid and medical supplies for remote disaster areas, as well as dirigibles to offer luxury travel across the Atlantic and even an African tour. The mention of a 48-hour tour to the North Pole would cost $200,000.
I highly recommend the story of the Italia crash and its aftermath. Some of the early details seemed like fillers—immaculate and factual research.
I admit skimming through the first two sections of the book, which mentioned materials, measurements, and technical language of the designing, building, and testing the earliest dirigibles in the early 1900s, at the same time that airplanes were in their infancy. It was hoped that airships would replace dogsleds and skis for exploring the far north. The first Marconi wireless was remotely set up to inform people of their progress or the possible need for rescue. Although I had difficulty following the paths of exploration, I had a minor personal picture of what it was like being stuck in pack ice. In the 1990s, I was on a small tourist ship travelling in the high Arctic in August. We became trapped in the ice, and food had run out. Luckily, a Russian icebreaker was in the vicinity and soon freed us.
The first two sections did include two of the earliest attempts to reach the North Pole by airship. They described the earliest attempts. by Wellman, the designer and builder, and the heroic Roald Amundsen to obtain scientific and meteorological knowledge while mapping the area below. Amundsen travelled with Nobile, and rivalry and animosity developed between them. The early explorers had the fame of later astronauts who landed on the moon. Now, snowmobiles have replaced dogsleds.
Early airship travel was hoped to be the most practical and efficient method of reaching the goal of standing on the North Pole. Still, early journeys revealed the difficulty due to strong winds, volatile hydrogen, sufficient gas supply, fog, and the scarcely tried airship construction, not to mention polar bears. The author believes that Amundson was not only the first man to reach the South Pole but also the first to arrive at the North Pole and that the previous claimants exaggerated or were mistaken.
It is not the author's fault that the book's first part was not what I expected. I wanted the story of the Italian crash, the efforts of the victims to survive despite horrific injuries for some, and rescue. This was an exciting, tension-packed story, but only addressed in the book's third section, weakened by the lack of maps. Of the sixteen aboard the Italian led by Nobile, only nine survived the crash, some with painful broken bones. Seven others were still airborne in part of the airship. They dropped supplies to those below and then floated away into oblivion. The Italian was sponsored for the glory of the fascist regime under Mussolini to improve their image. The Pope had blessed the journey and gave Nobile's crew a cross to leave at the North Pole. Attempts to communicate their position seemed to fail until a farmer in a remote part of Russia heard their pleas on short-wave radio and alerted the world.
Eight countries rushed to the rescue, which involved 14,000 searchers, 23 airplanes, six ships, and dogsleds. Nobile was rescued by a small ski plane, and a Russian icebreaker saved the majority still alive. An inquiry blamed Nobile for the disaster, and Mussolini's government stripped him of his military rank, profession, and salary. He had to leave the country to find employment. It was not until 1943 that he was exonerated and returned to his position in Italy, even with his back salary restored. It was determined that his leadership had been exemplary, and the crash was probably due to human fatigue and failure of the hydrogen release valves., but the public blamed him for the death of their greatest hero, Amundson, during the rescue attempt.
The beautiful cover is eye-catching, but adding illustrations inside these early airships would be helpful.
The massive bibliography is impressive. It includes books, documents from museum archives, historical newspaper resources, film, TV and a website.
The final chapter describes modern attempts to build safe airships to provide humanitarian aid and medical supplies for remote disaster areas, as well as dirigibles to offer luxury travel across the Atlantic and even an African tour. The mention of a 48-hour tour to the North Pole would cost $200,000.
I highly recommend the story of the Italia crash and its aftermath. Some of the early details seemed like fillers—immaculate and factual research.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 24, 2024
I was stunned. I never expected to read about an Arctic exploration team blessed by the Pope and funded by Mussolini. How did Fascist Italy ever get involved in such an endeavor?
It was their state-of-the-art airship that was the attraction. After a hundred-plus years of sailing into the Arctic and finally reaching the North Pole, men of adventure were looking for the next big thing. The cutting edge technology of air power–airplanes and dirigibles–appeared to be the next vehicle to scientific discovery and fame.
The explorers of the frozen Arctic and Antarctic were the culture heroes of their time, like astronauts were in the early days of the Space Race. Of course, scientific discovery was their tacit reason, but who could deny the attraction of fame and the wealth that came with it, the newsheadlines, the income from speaking engagements and writing articles and books.
The first to use air power was explorer and newspaperman Walter Wellman. After his failure, the first man to reach the South Pole, Roald Amundsen, selected an Italian manufactured airship for his endeavor. The Italian engineer who designed the airship, Umberto Nobile, went along, and when Amundsen failed, Nobile determined to organize his own expedition, which met a most grievous end.
Such hubris! We imagine our science and technology can arm to battle nature’s gales and squalls and ice and freezing temperatures! We risk our lives and are shocked to discover our fate leads to tragedy.
Nobile’s party crashed, were separated. Men died. His failure looked bad for his country and their story was suppressed and lost to time. Plus, Amundsen had flown into the Arctic searching for them, never to be seen again.
Levy again delivers a nail-biting, page-turner of an adventure story from the pages of history that reminds us of our fragility compared to the forces of nature.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
It was their state-of-the-art airship that was the attraction. After a hundred-plus years of sailing into the Arctic and finally reaching the North Pole, men of adventure were looking for the next big thing. The cutting edge technology of air power–airplanes and dirigibles–appeared to be the next vehicle to scientific discovery and fame.
The explorers of the frozen Arctic and Antarctic were the culture heroes of their time, like astronauts were in the early days of the Space Race. Of course, scientific discovery was their tacit reason, but who could deny the attraction of fame and the wealth that came with it, the newsheadlines, the income from speaking engagements and writing articles and books.
The first to use air power was explorer and newspaperman Walter Wellman. After his failure, the first man to reach the South Pole, Roald Amundsen, selected an Italian manufactured airship for his endeavor. The Italian engineer who designed the airship, Umberto Nobile, went along, and when Amundsen failed, Nobile determined to organize his own expedition, which met a most grievous end.
Such hubris! We imagine our science and technology can arm to battle nature’s gales and squalls and ice and freezing temperatures! We risk our lives and are shocked to discover our fate leads to tragedy.
Nobile’s party crashed, were separated. Men died. His failure looked bad for his country and their story was suppressed and lost to time. Plus, Amundsen had flown into the Arctic searching for them, never to be seen again.
Levy again delivers a nail-biting, page-turner of an adventure story from the pages of history that reminds us of our fragility compared to the forces of nature.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
January 22, 2025
REALM OF ICE AND SKY
And so who discovered the North Pole? Dogsledders Frederick Cook or Richard Peary? Matthew Henson? Richard Byrd in his Fokker airplane? Or was it an airship man? In a dirigible. A blimp. A modified Zeppelin. National honor and bragging rights, a lot of intense competition, the answer isn’t exactly settled.
This was a really terrific nonfiction book set in the early 1900s about the exploration of the polar region by airship. It focused mainly on three people and their attempts to be the first to reach the North Pole. In each case there is a very detailed description of the goals they set, the preparation for their individual trips, and results of these attempts.
Walter Wellman, American journalist with extensive business and political connections, was an early believer that the days of dogsledding to the North Pole were to be replaced by air travel. As Frederick Cook and Robert Peary attempted land exploration, Wellman’s vision of flying over the polar region set the course for future ventures. His background in the news business inspired him to use the De Forest Wireless Telegraph system to report the journey in real time from the Airship America, increasing public interest in his daring polar adventures.
Norwegian explorer Ronald Amundsen, with his successful prior expeditions to Antarctica, partnered with wealthy American Lincoln Ellsworth to attempt reach the North Pole. Beloved as a Viking hero in his homeland, Amundsen was an explorer at heart. His flight of the airship Norga resulted in historic navigational feats, and some stiff competition with Richard Byrd’s airplane Fokker.
Italian General Umberto Nobile, furthered polar airship exploration under the rule of Mussolini’s facism. National pride fostered competition among the world’s nations to be the first to the North Pole. Nobile’s voyage of the airship Italia resulted in the greatest polar rescue attempt in history.
I love to be amazed by the things that people will do, things that I wouldn’t ever even think to do. To command an airship - a dirigible - a blimp. To be responsible for a crew of many men, and fly over the polar region? Never in a million years.
All amazing stories and terrific to learn about these brave and determined men. Nothing better than learning history told in story form, and this book does it very well. Exciting and tension filled, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I both read and listened to the audiobook version, which was also very good. I would like to thank NetGalley, Buddy Levi, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
And so who discovered the North Pole? Dogsledders Frederick Cook or Richard Peary? Matthew Henson? Richard Byrd in his Fokker airplane? Or was it an airship man? In a dirigible. A blimp. A modified Zeppelin. National honor and bragging rights, a lot of intense competition, the answer isn’t exactly settled.
This was a really terrific nonfiction book set in the early 1900s about the exploration of the polar region by airship. It focused mainly on three people and their attempts to be the first to reach the North Pole. In each case there is a very detailed description of the goals they set, the preparation for their individual trips, and results of these attempts.
Walter Wellman, American journalist with extensive business and political connections, was an early believer that the days of dogsledding to the North Pole were to be replaced by air travel. As Frederick Cook and Robert Peary attempted land exploration, Wellman’s vision of flying over the polar region set the course for future ventures. His background in the news business inspired him to use the De Forest Wireless Telegraph system to report the journey in real time from the Airship America, increasing public interest in his daring polar adventures.
Norwegian explorer Ronald Amundsen, with his successful prior expeditions to Antarctica, partnered with wealthy American Lincoln Ellsworth to attempt reach the North Pole. Beloved as a Viking hero in his homeland, Amundsen was an explorer at heart. His flight of the airship Norga resulted in historic navigational feats, and some stiff competition with Richard Byrd’s airplane Fokker.
Italian General Umberto Nobile, furthered polar airship exploration under the rule of Mussolini’s facism. National pride fostered competition among the world’s nations to be the first to the North Pole. Nobile’s voyage of the airship Italia resulted in the greatest polar rescue attempt in history.
I love to be amazed by the things that people will do, things that I wouldn’t ever even think to do. To command an airship - a dirigible - a blimp. To be responsible for a crew of many men, and fly over the polar region? Never in a million years.
All amazing stories and terrific to learn about these brave and determined men. Nothing better than learning history told in story form, and this book does it very well. Exciting and tension filled, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I both read and listened to the audiobook version, which was also very good. I would like to thank NetGalley, Buddy Levi, and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 26, 2024
3.5 stars
Another exceptionally researched and written book about polar exploration by this author. I absolutely adored his last one.
This one takes readers into the history of aeronauts from the early 20th century and their quests to conquer the north pole. This was all new information for me, and it was fascinating. It was also incredibly dangerous, which had me shaking my head and wondering how these explorers are able to do what they do.
This book follows three prominent aeronauts in particular and their accomplishments. Their stories were varied, and I found the last one by far the best. The book read more like three short stories to me, with the first two interesting but lacking in jawdropping polar adventure. For this, it lost some points.
The audio narration was good. A nonfiction worth the listen if you enjoy polar exploration stories.
Thank you, #NetGalley, for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Another exceptionally researched and written book about polar exploration by this author. I absolutely adored his last one.
This one takes readers into the history of aeronauts from the early 20th century and their quests to conquer the north pole. This was all new information for me, and it was fascinating. It was also incredibly dangerous, which had me shaking my head and wondering how these explorers are able to do what they do.
This book follows three prominent aeronauts in particular and their accomplishments. Their stories were varied, and I found the last one by far the best. The book read more like three short stories to me, with the first two interesting but lacking in jawdropping polar adventure. For this, it lost some points.
The audio narration was good. A nonfiction worth the listen if you enjoy polar exploration stories.
Thank you, #NetGalley, for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2024
This is a book for people with very niche interests, or those who want to expand their knowledge into areas they know little about. For me, as someone who is mostly interested in actual exploration, I was often bored since a large portion of the book is more about the invention of dirigibles and early planes than it is about true exploration, though the two subjects collided often. There just were too many instances of detailed information about flight and flying to keep me interested, too many stories about people flying places other than the North Pole. There also was, in my opinion, way too much time spent on the background of the main characters. It often felt like the author had a decent idea for a book but couldn't figure out how to make it long enough, so he shoved in as much background data and many things only tangentially related to the main story to reach a certain word count. It made the book really drag on and on for me. However, between some of this fluff, there were really interesting sections that shocked me, made me laugh out loud, and kept me eagerly turning the pages. Looking back from this point in time, it seems ridiculous what some of these people tried to do, but they didn't know then what we know now and it added a cool layer to the book.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2024
An outstanding account of polar explorers attempting to use airships to reach the North Pole that reads like fiction.
This is an excellent example of how wildly entertaining narrative nonfiction can be when it’s well told. I’ve long been fascinated by both polar exploration and air ships, and the combination of the two felt like a sure winner.
But we have to credit Levy for writing a rollicking, intense account of these events, which can and have in the past felt quite banal in the telling if the wrong person is in charge of the material.
Levy covers multiple air ship voyages to the Arctic here, culminating in Captain Nobile’s disastrous trip, which ended in tragedy and resulted in multiple deaths, most notably that of Amundsen, who disappeared while trying to rescue his rival and was never seen again.
Though this topic was of particular interest to me, I’m now very sold on Levy as an excellent chronicler of narrative nonfiction, and look forward to his next offering, no matter the subject.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is an excellent example of how wildly entertaining narrative nonfiction can be when it’s well told. I’ve long been fascinated by both polar exploration and air ships, and the combination of the two felt like a sure winner.
But we have to credit Levy for writing a rollicking, intense account of these events, which can and have in the past felt quite banal in the telling if the wrong person is in charge of the material.
Levy covers multiple air ship voyages to the Arctic here, culminating in Captain Nobile’s disastrous trip, which ended in tragedy and resulted in multiple deaths, most notably that of Amundsen, who disappeared while trying to rescue his rival and was never seen again.
Though this topic was of particular interest to me, I’m now very sold on Levy as an excellent chronicler of narrative nonfiction, and look forward to his next offering, no matter the subject.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
November 17, 2024
This book is about the three explorations of the North Pole using air ships. The first trip was led by William Wellman, the second by Roald Amundsen and the last by Umberto Nobile. Each accomplished different achievements. The first that it could be done, the second that the Arctic was an ocean and could be flown across and the last involved scientific studies. The last one resulted in a crash that necessitated at rescue of those that survived. Overall a well written and researched book that read move like a novel than history.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.
January 10, 2025
When I saw this book, I knew I had to [request] read it as all my previous reads about arctic exploration have been ship-based and this is about an AIRSHIP [actually several of them when its all said and done] that makes the attempt, and it was completely mind boggling to even think about it. I mean, what could possibly go wrong, right? *grimace*
One of the things that I continue to see in book like this is, while these men were brave, daring, and smarter than I will ever be, they were also incredibly arrogant [beyond the arrogance one would need to do ANY kind of exploration] and selfish. Their inability to see past their own wants and arrogance results in unnecessary danger and quite often death [so. much. death.], and while I love the whole adventure and daring of this [and the others] book, this knowledge always tinges these book with anger and frustration for me.
That said, this was an amazing read [even with the arrogance, I cannot imagine going to the Arctic in any conveyance, much less in a hydrogen-filled {essentially} BALLOON], that was edge-of-your-seat for most of it [I DID get bogged down with some of the technical parts of it], and then you get to the final flight of the book and the crash and the rescue and BOY-HOWDY I dare you to take a breath!!!
If you love history and adventure [tinged with deep sadness, arrogance, and deep, deep, regret], this book [and any book Mr. Levy writes in my humble opinion] is 100% for you. I was captivated from the very beginning and very sad at the end and was left just marveling at all I had just read. Amazing.
Will Damron is one of my top 10 favorite narrators and once again, he does an amazing job, given that there is a lot of technical language, Swedish/Norwegian/Italian names and places, and often tough subject matter [I am not sure how narrators get through scenes like the one where two men have to leave a friend on the ice to die - I was crying my eyes out listening, and I am sure had I had to read it out loud, no one would have been able to understand me!!]. If you are an audiobook listener, this will be a real treat for you. If not, this is an excellent one to start with, especially if very cool history is your jam. Very well done!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Buddy Levy, Will Damron - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
One of the things that I continue to see in book like this is, while these men were brave, daring, and smarter than I will ever be, they were also incredibly arrogant [beyond the arrogance one would need to do ANY kind of exploration] and selfish. Their inability to see past their own wants and arrogance results in unnecessary danger and quite often death [so. much. death.], and while I love the whole adventure and daring of this [and the others] book, this knowledge always tinges these book with anger and frustration for me.
That said, this was an amazing read [even with the arrogance, I cannot imagine going to the Arctic in any conveyance, much less in a hydrogen-filled {essentially} BALLOON], that was edge-of-your-seat for most of it [I DID get bogged down with some of the technical parts of it], and then you get to the final flight of the book and the crash and the rescue and BOY-HOWDY I dare you to take a breath!!!
If you love history and adventure [tinged with deep sadness, arrogance, and deep, deep, regret], this book [and any book Mr. Levy writes in my humble opinion] is 100% for you. I was captivated from the very beginning and very sad at the end and was left just marveling at all I had just read. Amazing.
Will Damron is one of my top 10 favorite narrators and once again, he does an amazing job, given that there is a lot of technical language, Swedish/Norwegian/Italian names and places, and often tough subject matter [I am not sure how narrators get through scenes like the one where two men have to leave a friend on the ice to die - I was crying my eyes out listening, and I am sure had I had to read it out loud, no one would have been able to understand me!!]. If you are an audiobook listener, this will be a real treat for you. If not, this is an excellent one to start with, especially if very cool history is your jam. Very well done!!
Thank you to NetGalley, Buddy Levy, Will Damron - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2024
"Today the sun has set on airships and ... it is feared that it has set forever."
Buddy Levy's arctic expedition books continue to not disappoint. I've read both Labyrinth of Ice and Empire of Ice and Stone, and rated both of those an enthusiastic 5 stars. This one, with its inclusion of the history of airship travel and the arctic, was no different, to no surprise of mine. There's just something incredibly compelling about these explorers who endure so much in the name of planting a flag.
This book's three parts tell the reader about a different airship attempt in each part. We first are introduced to Walter Wellman and the Chicago Record-Herald Polar Expedition, whose struggles to get airborne set the stage for what comes after. The second part brings in Roald Amundsen (a familiar name for anyone who's read about polar expeditions in the past) and his journey on the Norge, where both him and Umberto Nobile become rivals and enemies at the conclusion. Finally, part three involves the Italia, Nobile's attempt to cross the north pole, funded by Italy and Mussolini, that ends rather poorly. It turns out quite a lot can go wrong with giant bags of gas in a cold environment.
As usual, each part is well researched and well written, with footnotes included, as well as an extensive bibilography at the end. I evidently really need to read Amundsen's biography The Last Viking, because his inclusion (history spoilers(?) here) was a huge surprise for me. I wasn't a huge fan of Nobile as a historical figure, but I sort of felt bad for the guy on his return.
Just a fun, informative, tense book all around. The only reason it took me so long to make it through this one is because life happened and I didn't get much time to read until now. I binged the last 50% in two days, it was that good.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
Buddy Levy's arctic expedition books continue to not disappoint. I've read both Labyrinth of Ice and Empire of Ice and Stone, and rated both of those an enthusiastic 5 stars. This one, with its inclusion of the history of airship travel and the arctic, was no different, to no surprise of mine. There's just something incredibly compelling about these explorers who endure so much in the name of planting a flag.
This book's three parts tell the reader about a different airship attempt in each part. We first are introduced to Walter Wellman and the Chicago Record-Herald Polar Expedition, whose struggles to get airborne set the stage for what comes after. The second part brings in Roald Amundsen (a familiar name for anyone who's read about polar expeditions in the past) and his journey on the Norge, where both him and Umberto Nobile become rivals and enemies at the conclusion. Finally, part three involves the Italia, Nobile's attempt to cross the north pole, funded by Italy and Mussolini, that ends rather poorly. It turns out quite a lot can go wrong with giant bags of gas in a cold environment.
As usual, each part is well researched and well written, with footnotes included, as well as an extensive bibilography at the end. I evidently really need to read Amundsen's biography The Last Viking, because his inclusion (history spoilers(?) here) was a huge surprise for me. I wasn't a huge fan of Nobile as a historical figure, but I sort of felt bad for the guy on his return.
Just a fun, informative, tense book all around. The only reason it took me so long to make it through this one is because life happened and I didn't get much time to read until now. I binged the last 50% in two days, it was that good.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free ecopy in exchange for an honest review.
January 30, 2025
A genuinely enjoyable look at a part of history I hadn't read as much about. It felt a bit disjointed at first, but came together quickly and was a very interesting and fast paced read.
August 21, 2024
I love a book that reads as a detailed museum tour for an amazing history of many attempts to conquer a journey to the North Pole, historical accomplishment and real adventures that meant putting their life's on the line. It's a book that straights up some historical facts and an essay on the entire history of attempts instead of just focusing on one atrempt.
Breaking records, failures that became knowledge so the next attempts could improved.
I love anything related to exploration, nature vs. men. This is a great read (also something my father will love).
I like that we get enough detail not only of the journeys, the facts/knowledge of what was fake or real, the details of their families relationships, the participation of others, being presidents or commom men.
Thank you publisher and netgalley for this e-arc.
Breaking records, failures that became knowledge so the next attempts could improved.
I love anything related to exploration, nature vs. men. This is a great read (also something my father will love).
I like that we get enough detail not only of the journeys, the facts/knowledge of what was fake or real, the details of their families relationships, the participation of others, being presidents or commom men.
Thank you publisher and netgalley for this e-arc.
November 26, 2024
Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue was quite different from what I was expecting. I thought I was going to be reading about the crash of the airship Italia and the subsequent rescue of the survivors. The last 40% of the book delivered on that, and I found it to be fascinating. However, I found the first 60% to be akin to reading a textbook. It was all about the invention and first flights of dirigibles.
That said, there may be readers who find that first part to be exactly what they're looking for. I completely get that. It just wasn't what I was expecting. If you're more like I am, you, too, will be engrossed by that last 40% of Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue!
Thank you #StMartinsPress for providing this book for review consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. It has an expected publication date of January 28, 2005.
#Dirigibles #History
That said, there may be readers who find that first part to be exactly what they're looking for. I completely get that. It just wasn't what I was expecting. If you're more like I am, you, too, will be engrossed by that last 40% of Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue!
Thank you #StMartinsPress for providing this book for review consideration via #NetGalley. All opinions are my own. It has an expected publication date of January 28, 2005.
#Dirigibles #History
February 11, 2025
Realm of Ice and Sky gives us the history of polar exploration by airship and the story of greatest Arctic rescue in history. The book follows three major explorers: Walter Wellman, Roald Amundsen, and Umberto Nobile. Polar exploration was all the rage starting in the late 1800's and continuing on into the late 1920's. There were races to be the first to reach the North Pole. There was a progression from dog and sled teams to travel by airship which began in 1906 and continuing until 1928.
It's such an interesting period in history to read about. The author gives all the details required to understand everything from how the airships were built to how the expeditions were run. It's written in such a way that you don't want to put the book down.
The descriptions of the Arctic are terrifying but beautiful. All of the details about airships are interesting. So are the explorers who are all so different. The reader gets a chance to know and understand them. The crew are also not to be forgotten as they endure unimaginable things.
Anyone who is interested in polar exploration or airhsips should read this book. It feels like you are there with them, making you fully invested in this history.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read!
It's such an interesting period in history to read about. The author gives all the details required to understand everything from how the airships were built to how the expeditions were run. It's written in such a way that you don't want to put the book down.
The descriptions of the Arctic are terrifying but beautiful. All of the details about airships are interesting. So are the explorers who are all so different. The reader gets a chance to know and understand them. The crew are also not to be forgotten as they endure unimaginable things.
Anyone who is interested in polar exploration or airhsips should read this book. It feels like you are there with them, making you fully invested in this history.
Thank you to Netgalley for the chance to read!
January 23, 2025
After reading and thoroughly enjoying Levy's previous book, Empire of Ice and Stone, I probably had very high expectations for his latest work.
Although interesting, Realm of Ice and Sky didn't have enough tragedy, exploration, and rescue ops for me. The book primarily focused on the engineering, mechanics, and construction of dirigibles as well as the people behind them. It was, in my opinion, a little boring.
As another reviewer mentioned, the excitement doesn't start until at least the 60% point. But even then, it still wasn't nail biting or memorable to me.
Realm of Ice and Sky is still a decent read. And I'll still look forward to other works by this author. Two okay stars.
I was invited to read the DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.
Although interesting, Realm of Ice and Sky didn't have enough tragedy, exploration, and rescue ops for me. The book primarily focused on the engineering, mechanics, and construction of dirigibles as well as the people behind them. It was, in my opinion, a little boring.
As another reviewer mentioned, the excitement doesn't start until at least the 60% point. But even then, it still wasn't nail biting or memorable to me.
Realm of Ice and Sky is still a decent read. And I'll still look forward to other works by this author. Two okay stars.
I was invited to read the DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest opinions.
February 9, 2025
This is a great book. I am not overly interested in Arctic exploration though I have read several books belonging to this genre in the past. This book tells the story of three men who attempted to explore the Arctic by airship. They are American explorer Walter Wellman, well-known explorer Norwegian Roald Amundsen, and Italian airship designer Umberto Nobile. It discusses the problems encountered inn early airship design and how these were magnified under Arctic conditions. It also discusses how the personalities of each of these explorers impacted their efforts. Roald Amundsen is well known. Whiteman is less well known today. The actions of Nobile once disparaged is generally vindicated in this account.
I highly recommend this book. I read my first book by this author last year. I have greatly enjoyed both of them and will go back to read some off his earlier works.
I highly recommend this book. I read my first book by this author last year. I have greatly enjoyed both of them and will go back to read some off his earlier works.
December 9, 2024
4.5 stars
Full review to follow.
Full review to follow.
February 8, 2025
You thought the age of airships was over? Well I hate to burst your bubble…
September 29, 2024
This was a very interesting book that combined three stories that had intertwining themes of early polar exploration. Having the book divided into three well written and well researched stories really kept me captivated. I learned so much from this while also being entertained.
September 17, 2024
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I am not normally excited to read about arctic exploration or airships but this book was a pleasant surprise. It was written very clearly and you really learned to care about the stories being told. Excellent book.
August 15, 2024
First, I must genuinely thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of Buddy Levy’s gripping epic “The Realm of Ice and Sky.” Always keeping up with his latest works, I was honored to read the next incomprehensible story of Artic exploration.
Levy’s narrative is beautifully constructed into three entirely different, yet related accounts of Arctic exploration and rescue. The reader is riding passenger for these daring adventures of flight, yes flight, to and over the North Pole in the early 20th century. A sense of doom looms large and eerily close throughout the entire story, keeping the reader gripped to the edge of their chosen reading spot as if sitting in the seats of one of the dubious flying machines.
Carefully researched, with “The Realm of Ice and Sky,” Buddy Levy depicts an unforgiving, powerful landscape that drew some of the world’s greatest explorers and bonded them in an ultimately deadly quest for discovery.
I’ll be adding it to my bookshelves as soon as it hits stores. Well done.
Levy’s narrative is beautifully constructed into three entirely different, yet related accounts of Arctic exploration and rescue. The reader is riding passenger for these daring adventures of flight, yes flight, to and over the North Pole in the early 20th century. A sense of doom looms large and eerily close throughout the entire story, keeping the reader gripped to the edge of their chosen reading spot as if sitting in the seats of one of the dubious flying machines.
Carefully researched, with “The Realm of Ice and Sky,” Buddy Levy depicts an unforgiving, powerful landscape that drew some of the world’s greatest explorers and bonded them in an ultimately deadly quest for discovery.
I’ll be adding it to my bookshelves as soon as it hits stores. Well done.
November 22, 2024
At the time I'm composing these thoughts on Levy's Realm of Ice and Sky, in November 2024, I have no idea how closely my copy will match those which go on sale in January 2025. My copy is clearly marked “Advance Reader Copy,” “Uncorrected Proof,” and “Quotations for Review Should Be Checked Against a Finished Copy of the Book....” Inasmuch as I have no way of knowing what changes may be made to the “finished copy,” I feel limited in what I can safely say about the book.
In a way, I was glad to read the admonition that mine is an “uncorrected proof.” I sincerely hope that the sixteen errors that leapt at me from the pages will be identified and fixed before the “finished copy” is printed. These are things such as omitted words (such as prepositions and articles) and omitted or misplaced punctuation marks (especially commas). Rarely, I was struck by more substantial errors, such as describing a dirigible as “spherical” even as the very same paragraph mentions its “oblong form.” At one point, a ship is said to be weighing its anchor when in reality it is dropping or deploying its anchor. In another case, I was totally unable to fathom an intended measurement when arches were described as being “eight-five feet high.” Sometimes, an excess letter intruded as in the phrase “ices floes.” On one page, the word “cachet” was rendered as “cache,” which, obviously, is a quite different thing. These errors permeate the text, the first occurring on page 1 and the last on page 317. While these certainly interfered with the flow of the narrative, interrupted the story being told, and materially reduced my enjoyment of the history being recounted, I hope they are limited to my “uncorrected draft” copy and will not appear in the “finished copy.”
Other than the textual faux pas mentioned above, I found Levy to be an exceptionally entertaining story teller. Realm of Ice and Sky reads like an adventure story, albeit based on historical fact. This is exactly the sort of book I'd like to have with me on a transatlantic flight aboard a slow turboprop airliner. From the prelude through the postscript, Levy's writing ensnares the reader's attention with an unceasing litany of events evoking astonishment, expectation, anxiety, relief, amazement, and, for readers who have themselves struggled through deep snow or across tractionless ice, maybe even recognition and empathy.
The book is not only entertaining, however, for the reader gleans a surprising amount of historical and technological fact as well. The early 20th century, in which the events transpire, saw the end of the Heroic Era of arctic exploration with dog sleds and the advent of airborne exploration. Even there, an active debate raged between adherents of heavier-than-air craft and lighter-than-air craft such as dirigibles. As Levy's engrossing recounting of this history shows, both types of craft were challenged—and often bested—by weather at the top of the world. Speaking of dirigibles, the reader learns a bit about their construction and operation, enough to dissuade me from pursuing my fantasy of a leisurely flight over the ocean aboard one!
The book also offers, gratis, a “bonus” benefit for any students in desperate need of a good example of irony for their English class. The career of arctic and antarctic explorer Roald Amundsen is well and widely known, that of Italian explorer Umberto Nobile only slightly less so. Unless one is an aficionado of 1920s newspaper headlines, the rift and animosity between the two may well be new information. The irony, of course, comes when one of these implacable foes vanishes without a trace into an Atlantic fog bank while launching a search and rescue mission for the other. This incomplete summary, of course, lacks all of the immediacy and the feeling of Levy's telling.
Not to be overlooked are a couple of maps in the front of the book that help the reader visualize routes of the exploratory trips described later in the text as well as a glossary of airship and aviation terms in the back should the reader be in need of brief explanations of such. I do wish that Levy had included a few photographs or drawings to illustrate some of the aircraft and, indeed, the people that populate the book.
There is history to be learned in Levy's Realm of Ice and Sky, and the author makes the learning so entertaining, enticing, and rewarding that the reader is swept up in the story and is loath to put the book down no matter how late the hour. Despite the distracting errors in my “uncorrected proof” copy, I do find the book worth the hours of a finite lifetime spent in its perusal and recommend it to all with an interest in early 20th century polar exploration, in the use of dirigibles, or simply in a rousing adventure that gallops nonstop across every page.
In a way, I was glad to read the admonition that mine is an “uncorrected proof.” I sincerely hope that the sixteen errors that leapt at me from the pages will be identified and fixed before the “finished copy” is printed. These are things such as omitted words (such as prepositions and articles) and omitted or misplaced punctuation marks (especially commas). Rarely, I was struck by more substantial errors, such as describing a dirigible as “spherical” even as the very same paragraph mentions its “oblong form.” At one point, a ship is said to be weighing its anchor when in reality it is dropping or deploying its anchor. In another case, I was totally unable to fathom an intended measurement when arches were described as being “eight-five feet high.” Sometimes, an excess letter intruded as in the phrase “ices floes.” On one page, the word “cachet” was rendered as “cache,” which, obviously, is a quite different thing. These errors permeate the text, the first occurring on page 1 and the last on page 317. While these certainly interfered with the flow of the narrative, interrupted the story being told, and materially reduced my enjoyment of the history being recounted, I hope they are limited to my “uncorrected draft” copy and will not appear in the “finished copy.”
Other than the textual faux pas mentioned above, I found Levy to be an exceptionally entertaining story teller. Realm of Ice and Sky reads like an adventure story, albeit based on historical fact. This is exactly the sort of book I'd like to have with me on a transatlantic flight aboard a slow turboprop airliner. From the prelude through the postscript, Levy's writing ensnares the reader's attention with an unceasing litany of events evoking astonishment, expectation, anxiety, relief, amazement, and, for readers who have themselves struggled through deep snow or across tractionless ice, maybe even recognition and empathy.
The book is not only entertaining, however, for the reader gleans a surprising amount of historical and technological fact as well. The early 20th century, in which the events transpire, saw the end of the Heroic Era of arctic exploration with dog sleds and the advent of airborne exploration. Even there, an active debate raged between adherents of heavier-than-air craft and lighter-than-air craft such as dirigibles. As Levy's engrossing recounting of this history shows, both types of craft were challenged—and often bested—by weather at the top of the world. Speaking of dirigibles, the reader learns a bit about their construction and operation, enough to dissuade me from pursuing my fantasy of a leisurely flight over the ocean aboard one!
The book also offers, gratis, a “bonus” benefit for any students in desperate need of a good example of irony for their English class. The career of arctic and antarctic explorer Roald Amundsen is well and widely known, that of Italian explorer Umberto Nobile only slightly less so. Unless one is an aficionado of 1920s newspaper headlines, the rift and animosity between the two may well be new information. The irony, of course, comes when one of these implacable foes vanishes without a trace into an Atlantic fog bank while launching a search and rescue mission for the other. This incomplete summary, of course, lacks all of the immediacy and the feeling of Levy's telling.
Not to be overlooked are a couple of maps in the front of the book that help the reader visualize routes of the exploratory trips described later in the text as well as a glossary of airship and aviation terms in the back should the reader be in need of brief explanations of such. I do wish that Levy had included a few photographs or drawings to illustrate some of the aircraft and, indeed, the people that populate the book.
There is history to be learned in Levy's Realm of Ice and Sky, and the author makes the learning so entertaining, enticing, and rewarding that the reader is swept up in the story and is loath to put the book down no matter how late the hour. Despite the distracting errors in my “uncorrected proof” copy, I do find the book worth the hours of a finite lifetime spent in its perusal and recommend it to all with an interest in early 20th century polar exploration, in the use of dirigibles, or simply in a rousing adventure that gallops nonstop across every page.
December 4, 2024
My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance copy of this new history that looks at the exploration of the Arctic regions from the air, the success, the tragedies, and the brave men who dared, and those that paid the ultimate cost.
The polar regions have cast a siren's song on many men, leading some to glory, some to death, and some for a lot of miserable experiences. Women of course were excluded from this as they were women, though one enterprising woman paid for her own boat and expedition, and quite a few native women were dragged along to cook and clean as camp people. Men for some reason are drawn to the poles, both North and South and both full of extremes. Extreme cold, extreme desolation, and extreme danger. Though as one famed explorer once said, it is cold, it is barren, it is deadly, and I love it so. Few things have brought so many nations together in competition than reaching the poles, few happenings have drawn so many newsman to share one telegraph on the ice, and few events have captured the attention of the world, as each step brings polar conquest closer and closer. Or more deaths and disasters. At the turn of the twentieth century, the main transportation of exploration began to shift from dog sled and ski to aircraft, both heavier than air aeroplanes, and lighter than air air ships. One could avoid the snow, the polar bears, the ice breaking up. Yet flying brought it's own problems, one for this pioneers they would discover the hard way, ending sometimes in success, a learning experience or plain disaster. Realm of Ice and Sky. Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue by Buddy Levy is a history of flying in the north, the want to discovery, the egos, the politics and the heroism of these men in the flying machines.
The book covers a lot of events but is focused on the efforts of three men, all who with varying degrees of success used air ships on their flights of discovery. Walter Wellman was a self-made man a reporter known for his writing, his ability to get things done, and for his numerous families. Wellman was the first to think of using an air ship to travel across the North and reach the poles and raised money for two different attempts, that had problems both from the cold, but from the technology of the time. Wellman also attempted the first crossing of the Atlantic with an air ship, that also had problems. Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer, known as the Last Viking for his numerous expeditions and successes in polar exploration, even reaching the Southern Pole by dog sled. Amundsen raised money for an Italian air ship built by Umberto Nobile, and backed by the newly Fascist Italian leader Mussolini. Amundsen was successful flying over the North Pole and using radio to share his success with the world, buy Nobile, who was on the flight felt slighted by not being considered important, or a part of the expedition. Nobile soon planned his own flight over the frozen North, one that would end in tragedy for many.
Buddy Levy is a true chronicler of northern exploration. I have read most of his books, and I have to say I found this one to be among his best. There is such a mix of characters, a huckster American, a stoic heroic Norseman, and a Man who meant well, but allowed things to get out of control. Levy is very good at setting the scene, explaining why things are important, and why people cared, and letting the people involved tell the story. Levy is good at getting to the motivations, and not only of the big players, but the small players. A man who wintered on the ice who lost his companions on two different occasions. Levy captures the people, and gives them lives outside of stereotypes, though it is hard with a man like Roald Amundsen, who really seems like a fictional character in life an death.
A really great book, one that stays with you, especially when watching the snow fall. People interested in the north, or exploration even aviation will enjoy this one quite a bit. A good place to start reading Buddy Levy if one has not before, and become a fan.
The polar regions have cast a siren's song on many men, leading some to glory, some to death, and some for a lot of miserable experiences. Women of course were excluded from this as they were women, though one enterprising woman paid for her own boat and expedition, and quite a few native women were dragged along to cook and clean as camp people. Men for some reason are drawn to the poles, both North and South and both full of extremes. Extreme cold, extreme desolation, and extreme danger. Though as one famed explorer once said, it is cold, it is barren, it is deadly, and I love it so. Few things have brought so many nations together in competition than reaching the poles, few happenings have drawn so many newsman to share one telegraph on the ice, and few events have captured the attention of the world, as each step brings polar conquest closer and closer. Or more deaths and disasters. At the turn of the twentieth century, the main transportation of exploration began to shift from dog sled and ski to aircraft, both heavier than air aeroplanes, and lighter than air air ships. One could avoid the snow, the polar bears, the ice breaking up. Yet flying brought it's own problems, one for this pioneers they would discover the hard way, ending sometimes in success, a learning experience or plain disaster. Realm of Ice and Sky. Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue by Buddy Levy is a history of flying in the north, the want to discovery, the egos, the politics and the heroism of these men in the flying machines.
The book covers a lot of events but is focused on the efforts of three men, all who with varying degrees of success used air ships on their flights of discovery. Walter Wellman was a self-made man a reporter known for his writing, his ability to get things done, and for his numerous families. Wellman was the first to think of using an air ship to travel across the North and reach the poles and raised money for two different attempts, that had problems both from the cold, but from the technology of the time. Wellman also attempted the first crossing of the Atlantic with an air ship, that also had problems. Roald Amundsen was a Norwegian explorer, known as the Last Viking for his numerous expeditions and successes in polar exploration, even reaching the Southern Pole by dog sled. Amundsen raised money for an Italian air ship built by Umberto Nobile, and backed by the newly Fascist Italian leader Mussolini. Amundsen was successful flying over the North Pole and using radio to share his success with the world, buy Nobile, who was on the flight felt slighted by not being considered important, or a part of the expedition. Nobile soon planned his own flight over the frozen North, one that would end in tragedy for many.
Buddy Levy is a true chronicler of northern exploration. I have read most of his books, and I have to say I found this one to be among his best. There is such a mix of characters, a huckster American, a stoic heroic Norseman, and a Man who meant well, but allowed things to get out of control. Levy is very good at setting the scene, explaining why things are important, and why people cared, and letting the people involved tell the story. Levy is good at getting to the motivations, and not only of the big players, but the small players. A man who wintered on the ice who lost his companions on two different occasions. Levy captures the people, and gives them lives outside of stereotypes, though it is hard with a man like Roald Amundsen, who really seems like a fictional character in life an death.
A really great book, one that stays with you, especially when watching the snow fall. People interested in the north, or exploration even aviation will enjoy this one quite a bit. A good place to start reading Buddy Levy if one has not before, and become a fan.
February 5, 2025
Book: Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History’s Greatest Arctic Rescue
Author: Buddy Levy
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for sending me an ARC. I have been reading and watching a lot about Arctic exploration as of late and I was excited to have the chance to read this one. It was very interesting and exciting. There is just something about the Arctic that has always interested me.
This book recounts the remarkable yet often overlooked story of Arctic explorer Walter Wellman, an American visionary who pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation. Wellman, often remembered for his failed attempts, was in fact a courageous innovator who expanded the frontiers of polar exploration, laying the groundwork for the eventual achievement of the North Pole—not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship. In 1908, American Dr. Frederick Cook claimed to have reached the North Pole, followed by Robert Peary a year later. But both explorers' claims were met with skepticism. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, renowned for being the first to navigate the Northwest Passage and reach the South Pole, decided to take up where Wellman left off. In 1926, Amundsen, aboard the 350-foot airship Norge designed by Italian engineer Umberto Nobile, successfully flew over the North Pole, marking a historic moment in exploration. However, Nobile, feeling slighted by Amundsen's success, embarked on his own journey in 1928 with the Italia, determined to claim glory for Italy and himself. Backed by Mussolini's government, Nobile's mission ended tragically in disaster. The crew’s desperate struggle for survival led to a dramatic rescue operation, full of death, betrayal, and accusations of cannibalism.
This is one of those books that kept me reading. There is just something about the north that pulls people in. It’s one of the last few places on earth that is largely unexplored. The lands of snow and ice with polar animals pull people in. The way the information is presented in this book is done in a way that it is easy to follow. It is engaging and leans into the lure of the Arctic. We follow life on the airship and the dangers that come along with it. We see the determination of these men to reach the North Pole. We also see how men can be built back up and quickly torn back down. It brings historical figures to life.
The writing is easy to get into and flows so well. You don’t have to have much knowledge on the subject, or any at all, to follow this story. You can easily pick this book up and go on an Arctic adventure. Even the scientific side of things so written in a way that is so easy to follow. There is excitement, tension, and danger on every page. It all brought to you directly on the page.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was learning abut the different ways people tried to get to the North Pole. We have planes, hot air balloons, and man who will stop at nothing to get there. We have a lot of different countries trying to be the first ones to reach the pole. We see the race. We see everything on right here in the book. Now, I will admit that there were a few parts that I felt were a bit on the slower side for the pacing. It was still interesting, but the parts in the north were the most exciting parts of the book.
Overall, I did enjoy this one a lot. If you are interested in Arctic exploration, I highly encourage you to give this a go.
This book comes out on January 28, 2025.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/SXttSE9IllE
Author: Buddy Levy
Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for sending me an ARC. I have been reading and watching a lot about Arctic exploration as of late and I was excited to have the chance to read this one. It was very interesting and exciting. There is just something about the Arctic that has always interested me.
This book recounts the remarkable yet often overlooked story of Arctic explorer Walter Wellman, an American visionary who pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation. Wellman, often remembered for his failed attempts, was in fact a courageous innovator who expanded the frontiers of polar exploration, laying the groundwork for the eventual achievement of the North Pole—not by dogsled or airplane, but by airship. In 1908, American Dr. Frederick Cook claimed to have reached the North Pole, followed by Robert Peary a year later. But both explorers' claims were met with skepticism. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, renowned for being the first to navigate the Northwest Passage and reach the South Pole, decided to take up where Wellman left off. In 1926, Amundsen, aboard the 350-foot airship Norge designed by Italian engineer Umberto Nobile, successfully flew over the North Pole, marking a historic moment in exploration. However, Nobile, feeling slighted by Amundsen's success, embarked on his own journey in 1928 with the Italia, determined to claim glory for Italy and himself. Backed by Mussolini's government, Nobile's mission ended tragically in disaster. The crew’s desperate struggle for survival led to a dramatic rescue operation, full of death, betrayal, and accusations of cannibalism.
This is one of those books that kept me reading. There is just something about the north that pulls people in. It’s one of the last few places on earth that is largely unexplored. The lands of snow and ice with polar animals pull people in. The way the information is presented in this book is done in a way that it is easy to follow. It is engaging and leans into the lure of the Arctic. We follow life on the airship and the dangers that come along with it. We see the determination of these men to reach the North Pole. We also see how men can be built back up and quickly torn back down. It brings historical figures to life.
The writing is easy to get into and flows so well. You don’t have to have much knowledge on the subject, or any at all, to follow this story. You can easily pick this book up and go on an Arctic adventure. Even the scientific side of things so written in a way that is so easy to follow. There is excitement, tension, and danger on every page. It all brought to you directly on the page.
One thing I really enjoyed about this book was learning abut the different ways people tried to get to the North Pole. We have planes, hot air balloons, and man who will stop at nothing to get there. We have a lot of different countries trying to be the first ones to reach the pole. We see the race. We see everything on right here in the book. Now, I will admit that there were a few parts that I felt were a bit on the slower side for the pacing. It was still interesting, but the parts in the north were the most exciting parts of the book.
Overall, I did enjoy this one a lot. If you are interested in Arctic exploration, I highly encourage you to give this a go.
This book comes out on January 28, 2025.
Youtube: https://youtu.be/SXttSE9IllE
November 21, 2024
This is one of those rare books where you can, and should, judge a book by its cover. Certainly not by the title; REALM OF ICE AND SKY makes it sound like one of those copycat YA paranormal fantasy thingies. (I joke with my children, who read such books, that they're going to run out of nouns eventually, and you are going to get books like A COURT OF OLIVE LOAF AND MAYO.) But the cover! The cover has a huge ginormous blimp on it, sailing quietly over an ice floe.
You see (or maybe you don't), in the first years of the twentieth century, it was a normal thing to do for eccentrics and vainglorious explorers to fly lighter-than-air craft over the North Pole. You read that right. Buddy Levy has given us in this book three -- three! -- different stories of people, who I am sure looked normal enough, and were not visibly drooling from the mouth, and had the bright idea to build hydrogen airships, equipped with gasoline engines, and take them to Svalbard, a teensy island deep in the Arctic Ocean, and from there fly to the North Pole.
So before you ridicule this idea--I mean, of course you're going to ridicule this idea, it involves flying a blimp to the North Pole--consider these considerations. First, at this point, the connection between flying ginormous hydrogen gasbags and burning people falling to earth, screaming their last scream, had not yet been cemented into the public imagination. Not to say that these early blimps were safe; they were not. A minor character in the narrative eventually dies in a separate airship crash over New Jersey in a craft called AKRON; if you go to look this up on Wikipedia you will find that this was not the deadliest crash of a blimp with that same exact name, USS AKRON crashed in (again) New Jersey in 1933, killing 73 souls. (Both ships were named after the home of Goodyear Rubber, you see, although that doesn't explain why New Jersey is hell on airships.) The people in these stories didn't know that airships were more dangerous than airplanes, because airplanes in that era were plenty dangerous as well.
And then second--well, read any polar explorer story. If you're going to the North Pole--if you just have to--and you do it by ship, and then by dogsled--you are just asking to get yourself killed in the most horrible, long, drawn-out way possible. Ask the unquiet ghost of Robert Falcon Scott, if you like. Even today, the Poles are, well, kind of a schlep. Is it any wonder that relatively bright, curious people--including Roald Amundsen his own bad self--took a look at the new airships and thought to themselves, "Hell with it, there's got to be an easier way."
If polar exploration does anything, it reveals character, and Levy has three to work with. Walter Wellman, who unfortunately in his photo looks somewhat like a dissipated Buddy Ebsen, comes across as having the sort of panache that is just begging for George Clooney to play him in a Coen Brothers movie. Wellman was a journalist, and a self-promoter par excellence, and was the first to try to take an airship that far north. Although he wasn't successful, Amundsen, a stoic, hawk-nosed figure, took a crack at it, with much better success. That ship was piloted by one Umberto Nobile, something of a comic-opera figure and erstwhile Fascist. Nobile would go on to try his luck again, which was a mistake.
It's a cracking story, and Levy tells it well. Highly recommended.
You see (or maybe you don't), in the first years of the twentieth century, it was a normal thing to do for eccentrics and vainglorious explorers to fly lighter-than-air craft over the North Pole. You read that right. Buddy Levy has given us in this book three -- three! -- different stories of people, who I am sure looked normal enough, and were not visibly drooling from the mouth, and had the bright idea to build hydrogen airships, equipped with gasoline engines, and take them to Svalbard, a teensy island deep in the Arctic Ocean, and from there fly to the North Pole.
So before you ridicule this idea--I mean, of course you're going to ridicule this idea, it involves flying a blimp to the North Pole--consider these considerations. First, at this point, the connection between flying ginormous hydrogen gasbags and burning people falling to earth, screaming their last scream, had not yet been cemented into the public imagination. Not to say that these early blimps were safe; they were not. A minor character in the narrative eventually dies in a separate airship crash over New Jersey in a craft called AKRON; if you go to look this up on Wikipedia you will find that this was not the deadliest crash of a blimp with that same exact name, USS AKRON crashed in (again) New Jersey in 1933, killing 73 souls. (Both ships were named after the home of Goodyear Rubber, you see, although that doesn't explain why New Jersey is hell on airships.) The people in these stories didn't know that airships were more dangerous than airplanes, because airplanes in that era were plenty dangerous as well.
And then second--well, read any polar explorer story. If you're going to the North Pole--if you just have to--and you do it by ship, and then by dogsled--you are just asking to get yourself killed in the most horrible, long, drawn-out way possible. Ask the unquiet ghost of Robert Falcon Scott, if you like. Even today, the Poles are, well, kind of a schlep. Is it any wonder that relatively bright, curious people--including Roald Amundsen his own bad self--took a look at the new airships and thought to themselves, "Hell with it, there's got to be an easier way."
If polar exploration does anything, it reveals character, and Levy has three to work with. Walter Wellman, who unfortunately in his photo looks somewhat like a dissipated Buddy Ebsen, comes across as having the sort of panache that is just begging for George Clooney to play him in a Coen Brothers movie. Wellman was a journalist, and a self-promoter par excellence, and was the first to try to take an airship that far north. Although he wasn't successful, Amundsen, a stoic, hawk-nosed figure, took a crack at it, with much better success. That ship was piloted by one Umberto Nobile, something of a comic-opera figure and erstwhile Fascist. Nobile would go on to try his luck again, which was a mistake.
It's a cracking story, and Levy tells it well. Highly recommended.
October 27, 2024
5 stars
American journalist and self-promoting Walter Wellman was the pioneer of dirigible flight to the North Pole. Or, he would have been if he had succeeded in any of his five attempts. Following Wellman’s career, air flight with dirigibles became much more popular. Several countries threw their hats into the competitions to be the first to the Pole.
Next up was a short biography of Roald Amundsen and his accomplishments. He was the first to actually arrive at the North Pole. (Previous explorers claimed that they had made it, but their claims were vastly disputed.) Amundsen was a Norwegian national hero. His story is very interesting and inspiring. Mr. Levy tells the story well.
Following a very nice description of Mr. Wellman and Roald Amundsen and their adventures, the author, Mr. Levy turns his attention to Umberto Nobili.
Mussolini was in power in Italy. Nabili was in the Italian military and specialized in airships. His superior was Mussolini himself. Mussolini rubber stamped a joint expedition with famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen to pilot a dirigible to the North Pole. While they made it, the airship crashed.
He took a ship similar to the crashed one towards the Pole again, however it crashed. It was a horrendous disaster. Seventeen of his crew died. While the survivors waited many weeks for rescue. Nobile and others were badly injured in the crash. Finally rescued by a Russian icebreaker His reputation suffered greatly. His biggest disappointment, however, was how his relationship with Mussolini suffered. Eventually he was to leave his beloved military. He was hated by the Norwegians for while trying to locate the lost Nobile and his team, Roald Amundsen disappeared and was eventually pronounced deceased.
This is a wonderful book. I have read a great number of arctic explorer books, but they were all featured sailing ships. While I knew about the airship explorers, this book is my in-depth introduction to the names of individuals who were prominent in these adventures.
I found the book both interesting and informative. It is very well written; not too technical. Anyone with an interest in airships would be able to read it. Mr. Levy has included a bibliography and a list of other sources for those who would like to further explore the subject. The short biographies were detailed enough to get a sense of the men who braved the journeys.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
American journalist and self-promoting Walter Wellman was the pioneer of dirigible flight to the North Pole. Or, he would have been if he had succeeded in any of his five attempts. Following Wellman’s career, air flight with dirigibles became much more popular. Several countries threw their hats into the competitions to be the first to the Pole.
Next up was a short biography of Roald Amundsen and his accomplishments. He was the first to actually arrive at the North Pole. (Previous explorers claimed that they had made it, but their claims were vastly disputed.) Amundsen was a Norwegian national hero. His story is very interesting and inspiring. Mr. Levy tells the story well.
Following a very nice description of Mr. Wellman and Roald Amundsen and their adventures, the author, Mr. Levy turns his attention to Umberto Nobili.
Mussolini was in power in Italy. Nabili was in the Italian military and specialized in airships. His superior was Mussolini himself. Mussolini rubber stamped a joint expedition with famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen to pilot a dirigible to the North Pole. While they made it, the airship crashed.
He took a ship similar to the crashed one towards the Pole again, however it crashed. It was a horrendous disaster. Seventeen of his crew died. While the survivors waited many weeks for rescue. Nobile and others were badly injured in the crash. Finally rescued by a Russian icebreaker His reputation suffered greatly. His biggest disappointment, however, was how his relationship with Mussolini suffered. Eventually he was to leave his beloved military. He was hated by the Norwegians for while trying to locate the lost Nobile and his team, Roald Amundsen disappeared and was eventually pronounced deceased.
This is a wonderful book. I have read a great number of arctic explorer books, but they were all featured sailing ships. While I knew about the airship explorers, this book is my in-depth introduction to the names of individuals who were prominent in these adventures.
I found the book both interesting and informative. It is very well written; not too technical. Anyone with an interest in airships would be able to read it. Mr. Levy has included a bibliography and a list of other sources for those who would like to further explore the subject. The short biographies were detailed enough to get a sense of the men who braved the journeys.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
January 10, 2025
**** RELEASES. 1-28-25 ****
OK. So, to be honest, when I started listening I said to myself....what did you get yourself into? There were a lot of statistics and info that I was not really interested in learning about... (such as, other books on the explorers and their excursions...coordinate points, etc... ) This was definitely NOT for me, but for those interested in this subject, I'm sure they would find it very enlightening.
However, the more I read, the more involved I became. The more I was invested in what was happening and who was actually going to be able to claim the Title of being the first to find and claim The North Pole....
And so, we delve into the life and times of several early explorers who traveled via air ship (what???) in the very early 1900's. And as they are talking about flames, gases, candles, etc... I (me...not the book!) was HOLDING MY BREATH!! This sounds like a disaster WAITING to happen!!! =0
And then we learn about the failed attempts of the first explorer (Wellman)...well, in my eyes, they were NOT failed attempts. If he never made them, then maybe we'd never know any better! And he learned a lot on each of his trips.
And then Amundsen, who had the knowledge and experience and wanted to make a name for Norway, but the Italian (Nobile) also wanted to make a name for Italy...and so the fighting and quarrelling began... as it was Amundsen's idea, planning, forethought, experience...etc.
The excursions were full of problems, wonder, and fright...but WOW, what an amazing read. And, what amazing accomplishments these men made. And the info that was gained from their trips! Priceless!!!
And then when Nobile (the Italian) goes off (on his own this time) and decides that he is going to bring all the glory back to Italy... well, the course ahead is not all that it seems...
This one opened my eyes to many things I had no knowledge of, and shed light on so many more. And, at times, it felt like it was taking a piece of my heart along with it...
#RealmOfIceAndSky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue by #BuddyLevy and narrated beautifully by #WillDamron.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released in a few weeks on **** 1/28/25**** So, look for it then!!!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
OK. So, to be honest, when I started listening I said to myself....what did you get yourself into? There were a lot of statistics and info that I was not really interested in learning about... (such as, other books on the explorers and their excursions...coordinate points, etc... ) This was definitely NOT for me, but for those interested in this subject, I'm sure they would find it very enlightening.
However, the more I read, the more involved I became. The more I was invested in what was happening and who was actually going to be able to claim the Title of being the first to find and claim The North Pole....
And so, we delve into the life and times of several early explorers who traveled via air ship (what???) in the very early 1900's. And as they are talking about flames, gases, candles, etc... I (me...not the book!) was HOLDING MY BREATH!! This sounds like a disaster WAITING to happen!!! =0
And then we learn about the failed attempts of the first explorer (Wellman)...well, in my eyes, they were NOT failed attempts. If he never made them, then maybe we'd never know any better! And he learned a lot on each of his trips.
And then Amundsen, who had the knowledge and experience and wanted to make a name for Norway, but the Italian (Nobile) also wanted to make a name for Italy...and so the fighting and quarrelling began... as it was Amundsen's idea, planning, forethought, experience...etc.
The excursions were full of problems, wonder, and fright...but WOW, what an amazing read. And, what amazing accomplishments these men made. And the info that was gained from their trips! Priceless!!!
And then when Nobile (the Italian) goes off (on his own this time) and decides that he is going to bring all the glory back to Italy... well, the course ahead is not all that it seems...
This one opened my eyes to many things I had no knowledge of, and shed light on so many more. And, at times, it felt like it was taking a piece of my heart along with it...
#RealmOfIceAndSky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue by #BuddyLevy and narrated beautifully by #WillDamron.
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook which is due to be released in a few weeks on **** 1/28/25**** So, look for it then!!!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!!
You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
October 23, 2024
There are no spoiler alerts for historical nonfiction, because duh. Now that we have that out of the way, Buddy Levy’s Realm of Ice and Sky is a fast-paced recounting of airship exploration of the North Pole in the first few decades of the twentieth century and the triumphs and tragedies that came with it. The book has three stories that are different attempts to reach the North Pole, with each successive trip being driven from its predecessor. The first story is about Walter Wellman, an adventurer and journalist who made the first few attempts to reach the North Pole by airship. Not surprisingly, he ran into multiple issues during each of his trips and fell short of 90 degrees north. But his attempts convinced our next protagonist, the much more well known Roald Amundsen that air travel was the way of the future to finding the North Pole. Learning from Wellman’s mistakes and taking advantage of experts and technological advances he made his own journey that would end more successfully in regards to achieving his goals but would create a divisive relationship with his pilot Umberto Nobile that would lead to Nobile captaining his own return trip in an attempt to complete a more comprehensive survey of the Arctic Circle and claim solo glory for himself and Italy with his own airship Italia. Can you guess how that went? If you guess it ends badly then you’re on point as the end of the book is a rescue mission to find the men of Italia, brings Amundsen out of his retirement and will leave people around the world questioning Nobile’s decisions for years to come. The book is engaging, reads quickly and pleasantly, has an interesting postscript about the resurgence of airships in recent years and why people feel like making and utilizing them again has a future. It ties the past and present together in a prescient and relevant way that wraps the book up in a satisfying way for the reader. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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