The Best Expeditions & Discoveries History Books 2025

1. Apollo 13, (Paperback)

NATIONAL BESTSELLER. Astronaut Jim Lovell and coauthor Jeffrey Kluger's harrowing account of the Apollo 13 disaster. Serving as the basis for Ron Howard's blockbuster Apollo 13, the book reveals true details not shown in the movie. Thrilling and evocative, you feel as though you're alongside Lovell in the lunar module. Written with all the color and drama of the best fiction, Apollo 13 tells the full story of the moon shot that almost ended in catastrophe. Minutes after a mid-flight explosion, the three astronauts are forced to abandon the main ship for the lunar module, a tiny craft designed to keep two men alive for just two days.? As the hours tick away, the narrative shifts from the crippled spacecraft to Mission Control, from engineers searching desperately for a way to fix the ship to Lovell's wife and children praying for his safe return. The entire nation watches as one crisis after another is met and overcome. By the time the ship splashes down in the Pacific, we understand why the heroic effort to rescue Lovell and his crew is considered by many to be NASA's finest hour.? Inspiring and astonishing, the story of Apollo 13 is a timeless tribute to the enduring American spirit and sparkling individual heroism.

Apollo 13, (Paperback) Author: Mariner Books ISBN: 9780618619580 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2006-02-20 Page Count: 432

2. The Ice Master: The Doomed 1913 Voyage of the Karluk, (Paperback)

The Karluk set out in 1913 in search of an undiscovered continent, with the largest scientific staff ever sent into the Arctic. Soon after, winter had begun, they were blown off course by polar storms, the ship became imprisoned in ice, and the expedition was abandoned by its leader. Hundreds of miles from civilization, the castaways had no choice but to find solid ground as they struggled against starvation, snow blindness, disease, exposure--and each other. After almost twelve months battling the elements, twelve survivors were rescued, thanks to the heroic efforts of their captain, Bartlett, the Ice Master, who traveled by foot across the ice and through Siberia to find help. Drawing on the diaries of those who were rescued and those who perished, Jennifer Niven re-creates with astonishing accuracy the ill-fated journey and the crews desperate attempts to find a way home.

The Ice Master: The Doomed 1913 Voyage of the Karluk, (Paperback) Author: Grand Central Publishing ISBN: 9780786884469 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2001-10-10 Page Count: 432

3. The Blue Nile, (Paperback)

Hailed as "utterly absorbing, (as) sweeping as the mighty river itself" ("Washington Post"), the second volume in this two-book series expands the story of the dangerous search for the source of the Nile River.

The Blue Nile, (Paperback) Author: Harper Perennial ISBN: 9780060956400 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2000-10-17 Page Count: 368

4. Into the Unknown: Leadership Lessons from Lewis and Clark's Daring Westward Expedition, (Paperback)

Today's leadership adventures unfold in the rugged terrain of business, and who better than Lewis and Clark to lead us through its toughest challenges? If life is an adventure, no one will ever live it more fully than Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the rumored Northwest Passage, Lewis and Clark instead discovered a seemingly endless land whose very existence foretold a future America infinitely different from what had been imagined. May 2004 marks the beginning of a two-and-a-half year bicentennial celebration of their incredible journey and its significance to the history of America. Against staggering odds, these unique men inspired such absolute loyalty in each other and in their group that they are still widely regarded as the most successful leadership team in American history. Their story resonates with business leaders of our time because they had to: Think strategically Make tough and timely decisions Surround themselves with good people Manage resources Motivate the team Deal with different cultures Assimilate information from many sources Balance long-term goals against short-term realities Learn from their mistakes Try new approaches Most importantly, they had to persevere and change course in the face of adversity. Their lessons will inspire business leaders to take their teams to new adventures of great discovery.

Into the Unknown: Leadership Lessons from Lewis and Clark's Daring Westward Expedition, (Paperback) Author: Amacom ISBN: 9780814409992 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2004-04-23 Page Count: 256

5. Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World, (Paperback)

In Neutral Buoyancy, journalist and diver Tim Ecott takes you on a guided tour of the history of undersea exploration and the emergence of diving culture. He tells the extraordinary story of man's attempts to breathe underwater, from the sponge divers described by Aristotle, to the development of sixteenth-century diving bells, to the invention of modern scuba equipment. Along the way, Ecott intersperses the story with his own thrilling adventures, from the waters of the South Pacific to the remote islands of the Seychelles, from explorations in the clear, flowing tides of Sardinia to a near-death experience in the cold gray depths of the English Channel. Filled with engaging stories of humanity's conquest of the undersea world -- and heart-pounding action that will leave you breathless -- Neutral Buoyancy is a compelling blend of history and adventure, an exciting overview of the world of undersea diving. "As elemental, entertaining, and stimulating as the environment it traces." -- Kirkus Reviews "Engaging ... Neutral Buoyancy will certainly become cult reading for divers." -- Alexander Urquhart, The Times Literary Supplement "Ecott's encyclopedic recounting of diving history ... should be awarded a place on any diver's reference shelf." -- Paul McHugh, San Francisco Chronicle

Neutral Buoyancy: Adventures in a Liquid World, (Paperback) Author: Grove Press ISBN: 9780802139078 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2002-06-06 Page Count: 368

6. Across the Wide Missouri: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, (Paperback)

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Bancroft Prize. Across the Wide Missouri tells the compelling story of the climax and decline of the Rocky Mountain fur trade during the 1830s. More than a history, it portrays the mountain fur trade as a way of business and a way of life, vividly illustrating how it shaped the expansion of the American West.

Across the Wide Missouri: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, (Paperback) Author: Harper Perennial ISBN: 9780395924976 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 1998-09-01 Page Count: 480

7. Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure, (Paperback)

"You seriously mean to tell me that the ship is doomed?" asked Frank Worsley, commander of the Endurance, stuck impassably in Antarctic ice packs. "What the ice gets, " replied Sir Ernest Shackleton, the expedition's unflappable leader, "the ice keeps." It did not, however, get the ship's twenty-five crew members, all of whom survived an eight-hundred-mile voyage across sea, land, and ice to South Georgia, the nearest inhabited island. First published in 1931, Endurance tells the full story of that doomed 1914-16 expedition and incredible rescue, as well as relating Worsley's further adventures fighting U-boats in the Great War, sailing the equally treacherous waters of the Arctic, and making one final (and successful) assault on the South Pole with Shackleton. It is a tale of unrelenting high adventure and a tribute to one of the most inspiring and courageous leaders of men in the history of exploration.

Endurance: An Epic of Polar Adventure, (Paperback) Author: W. W. Norton & Company ISBN: 9780393319941 Format: Paperback Publication Date: 2000-02-17 Page Count: 336

8. Pre-Owned Champlain's Dream (Hardcover) 1416593322 9781416593324

In this sweeping, enthralling biography, acclaimed historian David Hackett Fischer brings to life the remarkable Samuel de Champlain -- soldier, spy, master mariner, explorer, cartographer, artist, and Father of New France. Born on France's Atlantic coast, Champlain grew to manhood in a country riven by religious warfare. The historical record is unclear on whether Champlain was baptized Protestant or Catholic, but he fought in France's religious wars for the man who would become Henri IV, one of France's greatest kings, and like Henri, he was religiously tolerant in an age of murderous sectarianism. Champlain was also a brilliant navigator. He went to sea as a boy and over time acquired the skills that allowed him to make twenty-seven Atlantic crossings without losing a ship. But we remember Champlain mainly as a great explorer. On foot and by ship and canoe, he traveled through what are now six Canadian provinces and five American states. Over more than thirty years he founded, colonized, and administered French settlements in North America. Sailing frequently between France and Canada, he maneuvered through court intrigue in Paris and negotiated among more than a dozen Indian nations in North America to establish New France. Champlain had early support from Henri IV and later Louis XIII, but the Queen Regent Marie de Medici and Cardinal Richelieu opposed his efforts. Despite much resistance and many defeats, Champlain, by his astonishing dedication and stamina, finally established France's New World colony. He tried constantly to maintain peace among Indian nations that were sometimes at war with one another, but when he had to, he took up arms and forcefully imposed a new balance of power, proving himself a formidable strategist and warrior. Throughout his three decades in North America, Champlain remained committed to a remarkable vision, a Grand Design for France's colony. He encouraged intermarriage among the French colonists and the natives, and he insisted on tolerance for Protestants. He was a visionary leader, especially when compared to his English and Spanish contemporaries -- a man who dreamed of humanity and peace in a world of cruelty and violence. This superb biography, the first in decades, is as dramatic and exciting as the life it portrays. Deeply researched, it is illustrated throughout with many contemporary images and maps, including several drawn by Champlain himself.

Title: Champlain's Dream Book Format: roughcut ISBN10: 1416593322 EAN: 9781416593324 Author: Fischer, David Hackett CONDITION - GOOD - Pre-Owned - Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include 'From the library of' labels or previous owner inscriptions. Accessories such as CD, codes, toys, may not be included.

9. The Marco Polo Odyssey: In the Footsteps of a Merchant Who Changed the World [With DVD]

The Marco Polo Odyssey: In the Footsteps of a Merchant Who Changed the World

The Marco Polo Odyssey tracks the fantastic journey of an intrepid adventurer who spent ten years following the 13,000 mile overland route of Marco Polo from Venice to Israel, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and finally crossing China to Beijing. It is an account of an exhilarating voyage of discovery and the three expeditions it took author Harry Rutstein to finally fulfill his dream. Using every means of travel available including camels, farm tractors, horses and goatskin rafts author Harry Rutstein became the first person known to have retraced Marco Polo s footsteps. The book chronicles his extraordinary adventures and authenticates the 13th century journey of the great explorer. Marco Polo s travels and subsequent bestselling book sparked the expansion of the mercantile empires of medieval Europe and gave birth to the modern age of globalization. Excerpts of Marco Polo s book, Description of the World, are woven into Harry s narrative, which add depth and perspective to his

10. The Coast Mappers (Hardcover)

In the mid-nineteenth century, little was known of the west coast and waterways. The ships that sailed those waters did so at a considerable risk, sometimes depending on only a school atlas to navigate and all too often crashing into the rocks. So the U.S. Coast Survey, whose purpose was to map every mile of American shoreline, commissioned George Davidson to chart all of the major points on the coast and all of the waterways in between. In this beautifully illustrated book, Taylor Morrison chronicles the challenges and adventures Davidson and his team faced and the methods they used to accomplish this monumental, and essential, task.

In the mid-nineteenth century, little was known of the west coast and waterways. The ships that sailed those waters did so at a considerable risk, sometimes depending on only a school atlas to navigate and all too often crashing into the rocks. So the U.S. Coast Survey, whose purpose was to map every mile of American shoreline, commissioned George Davidson to chart all of the major points on the coast and all of the waterways in between. In this beautifully illustrated book, Taylor Morrison chronicles the challenges and adventures Davidson and his team faced and the methods they used to accomplish this monumental, and essential, task.