Alone

New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1938. 1938 at title and copyright dates; no other dates, indications. Navy cloth boards, blue metallic cover and spine titles, light shelf wear. Deckled pages very good, clean; lt. fox at endps. Antiquarian name pencilled inside cover. Bind fine;hinges intact. Illustrated throughout w/intriguing header and tailpiece decoration by Richard Harrison. Sharp, near fine first printing. When Admiral Richard E. Byrd set out on his second Antarctic expedition in 1934, he was already an international hero for having piloted the first flights over the North and South Poles. His plan for this latest adventure was to spend six months alone near the bottom of the world, gathering weather data and indulging his desire "to taste peace and quiet long enough to know how good they really are." But early on things went terribly wrong. Isolated in the pervasive polar night with no hope of release until spring, Byrd began suffering inexplicable symptoms of mental and physical illness. By the time he discovered that carbon monoxide from a defective stovepipe was poisoning him, Byrd was already engaged in a monumental struggle to save his life and preserve his sanity. When Alone was first published in 1938, it became an enormous bestseller. This book keeps alive Byrd’s unforgettable narrative for generations of readers. 296 pages. Insured post.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good. Illus. by Harrison, Richard E. (Decorations). 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.