Short description
In August 2002, Horn set out on a mission to travel 12,000 miles around the Arctic Circle--alone, against winds and currents, and without motorized transportation. This is his gripping account of his grueling 27-month expedition that nearly cost him his life. 8-page color photo insert.
Long description
In August 2002, Mike Horn set out on a mission that bordered on the impossible: to travel 12,000 miles around the globe at the Arctic Circle - alone, against all prevailing winds and currents, and without motorized transportation. This is the gripping account of Horn's gruelling 27-month expedition by sail and by foot through extreme Arctic conditions that nearly cost him his life on numerous occasions. Enduring temperatures that ranged to as low as -95 degrees Fahrenheit, Horn battled hazards including shifting and unstable ice that gave way and plunged him into frigid waters, encounters with polar bears so close that he felt their breath on his face, severe frostbite in his fingers, and a fire that destroyed all of his equipment and nearly burned him alive. Complementing the sheer adrenaline of Horn's narrative are the isolated but touching human encounters the adventurer has with the hardy individuals who inhabit one of the remotest corners of the earth. From an Inuit who teaches him how to build an igloo to an elderly Russian left behind when the Soviets evacuated his remote Arctic town, Horn finds comaraderie, kindness, and assistance to help him survive the most unforgiving conditions. This awe-inspiring account is a page-turner in the vein of Jon Krakauer and a Arctic survival tale rivaling Jack London. Most of all, it's a testament to one man's unrelenting desire to push the boundaries of human endurance.
Review
This voyage has its share of death-defying episodes, from encounters with bears to a kayak ride through a maze of icebergs, not to mention the oppressive Russian bureaucracy . . .but it's also filled with charming interludes. Through all of these adventures, Horn reflects on why he feels compelled to push himself to such limits. 'It was inside myself that I took a long, long walk, ' he says. Readers will be grateful to share his experiences vicariously.
-- Publisher's Weekly
Horn's raw, unfettered prose will hold readers in an apprehensive embrace as he describes risking life and limb to scale deadly frozen terrain. Adventure extremists everywhere will be grateful for this vivid description of a one-of-a-kind quest.
-- Kirkus
Compared to Mike Horn's adventures, the exploits of Indian Jones or Crocodile Dundee look like the harmless play of cub scouts.
-- Le Nouvel Observateur
As a personality he is exceptional, and so are the encyclopedic extremities into which he adventures. . .He recounts all with great vividness, tenderness and passion.
-- Ouest France
More than a purely physical exploit, this is also a wonderful human adventure. An absolute must-read.
- Gala (France)