Books in the Admiral Byrd Classics series

From the moment Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr. first left Anarctica, he knew he would return. Both the scope of the strange land and the uncharted scientific promise it held were too much to leave behind forever. This second Antarctic journey proved as daring, eventful, and inspiring as any Byrd ever embarked upon.

American hero and explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr. tells the story of his first journey through Antarctica and the founding of a series of camps and bases referred to as "Little America." In awe of the unforgiving landscape, he eagerly met its treacherous challenges. Byrd outlines the blueprint for his first mission to Antarctica and provides a glimpse into the obstacles he and his team overcame at the world's end.

As the culminating volume of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr.'s renowned expeditions, this is the autobiography of a man who knew no limits. From his earliest days as a Navy pilot in training, to his controversial flights to the North and South Poles, his lifelong passion for exploration, and his trailblazing quests across the Antarctic continent, Admiral Byrd was a man who stared down long odds, harsh climates, and harrowing landscapes, conquering them all with bravery now immortalized in American lore and legend.

Skyward is as much the memoir of great American explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr. as it is a fascinating narrative of America's early aviation history, much of which Byrd shaped with his explorations as a naval pilot and pioneering scientist. Through the life of Admiral Byrd, we see the seeds of America's aerial military force, commercial airline travel, and our understanding of the planet's most remote geographical locations planted. Byrd's outsized ambition has inspired generations to dare to push technological limits in order to achieve things greater than themselves. Reissued for today's readers, Admiral Byrd's classic explorations by land, air, and sea transport us to the farthest reaches of the globe. As companions on Byrd's journeys, modern audiences experience the polar landscape through Byrd's own struggles, doubts, revelations, and triumphs and share the excitement of these timeless adventures.

With Byrd at the Bottom of the World vividly recounts American explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd's expedition to the South Pole. From the sublime to the ridiculous, author and fellow explorer Norman D. Vaughan recalls the historic moments, practical jokes, jealousies, and affection among compatriots facing the dangers of a frozen and inhospitable continent.