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The Last Italian: Portrait of a People (DESTINATIONS)
by William MurrayOffers a candid portrait of the Italian people in a collection of pieces describing events and topics highlighting life in contemporary Italy.
The Last London: True Fictions from an Unreal City
by Iain SinclairA New Statesman Book of the Year London. A city apart. Inimitable. Or so it once seemed. Spiralling from the outer limits of the Overground to the pinnacle of the Shard, Iain Sinclair encounters a metropolis stretched beyond recognition. The vestiges of secret tunnels, the ghosts of saints and lost poets lie buried by developments, the cycling revolution and Brexit. An electrifying final odyssey, The Last London is an unforgettable vision of the Big Smoke before it disappears into the air of memory.
The Last Man Standing: The chilling apocalyptic thriller that predicts Italy's collapse
by Davide LongoA chillingly plausible novel about the collapse of Italian society and one man's struggle to retain his humanity amid the horror"A bleak, lyrical tale that evokes Cormac McCarthy's The Road.... Gruesome, intense, and strange... a eurozone nightmare brought to life on the page."--James Lovegrove, Financial TimesIt is 2025, and Italy is on the brink of collapse. Borders are closed, banks withhold money, the postal service stalls. Armed gangs of drug-fuelled youths roam the countryside. Leonardo was a famous writer and professor before a sex scandal ended his marriage and career. Heading north in search of her new husband, his ex-wife leaves their daughter and her son in his care. If he is to take them to safety, he will need to find a quality he has never possessed: courage.
The Last Man Standing: The chilling apocalyptic thriller that predicts Italy's collapse
by Davide LongoA chillingly plausible novel about the collapse of Italian society and one man's struggle to retain his humanity amid the horror"A bleak, lyrical tale that evokes Cormac McCarthy's The Road.... Gruesome, intense, and strange... a eurozone nightmare brought to life on the page."--James Lovegrove, Financial TimesIt is 2025, and Italy is on the brink of collapse. Borders are closed, banks withhold money, the postal service stalls. Armed gangs of drug-fuelled youths roam the countryside. Leonardo was a famous writer and professor before a sex scandal ended his marriage and career. Heading north in search of her new husband, his ex-wife leaves their daughter and her son in his care. If he is to take them to safety, he will need to find a quality he has never possessed: courage.
Last-Minute Travel Secrets: 121 Ingenious Tips to Endure Cramped Planes, Car Trouble, Awful Hotels, and Other Trips from Hell
by Joey GreenThe golden days of complimentary in-flight champagne and cushy sleeping car coaches on the Orient Express are largely behind us. Say hello to $50 "leg room upgrade" fees and bedbug-infested hotels. What's a weary, frustrated traveler to do? Ask Joey Green for advice, that's what! A lifelong world explorer, Green has collected more than a hundred of his best travel hacks to rescue your hard-earned vacation using common, easily-found products. Some of the tips may seem goofy at first but work in a pinch. Insert tampon ear plugs and ignore the stares--enveloped in silence, you can enjoy reading this book's numerous entertaining sidebars and fascinating pieces of travel trivia, comforted in knowing that you will never see, or hear, those fellow passengers ever again.
Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: A Man's Journey Through Ireland
by Kevin O'HaraKevin O'Hara's journey of self-discovery begins as a mad lark: who in their right mind would try to circle the entire coastline of Ireland on foot and with a donkey and cart no less? But Kevin had promised his homesick Irish mother that he would explore the whole of the Old Country and bring back the sights and the stories to their home in Massachusetts. Determined to reach his grandmother's village by Christmas Eve, Kevin and his stubborn but endearing donkey, Missie, set off on 1800-mile trek along the entire jagged coast of a divided Ireland. Their rollicking adventure takes them over mountains and dales, through smoky cities and sleepy villages, and into the farmhouses and hearts of Ireland's greatest resource --its people. Along the way, Kevin would meet incredible characters, experience Ireland in all of its glory, and explore not only his Irish past, but find his future self.
Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: A Man's Journey Through Ireland
by Kevin O'HaraKevin O'Hara's journey of self-discovery begins as a mad lark: who in their right mind would try to circle the entire coastline of Ireland on foot—and with a donkey and cart no less?But Kevin had promised his homesick Irish mother that he would explore the whole of the Old Country and bring back the sights and the stories to their home in Massachusetts. Determined to reach his grandmother's village by Christmas Eve, Kevin and his stubborn but endearing donkey, Missie, set off on 1800-mile trek along the entire jagged coast of a divided Ireland. Their rollicking adventure takes them over mountains and dales, through smoky cities and sleepy villages, and into the farmhouses and hearts of Ireland's greatest resource—its people. Along the way, Kevin would meet incredible characters, experience Ireland in all of its glory, and explore not only his Irish past, but find his future self.“One of the finest books about contemporary Ireland ever written...In a style evocative of Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, O'Hara writes memorably of his most unusual way of touring his ancestral home of Ireland.” —Library JournalAt the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
The Last of the Plainsmen
by Zane GreyThis is the record of a trip which the author took with Buffalo Jones, known as the preserver of the American bison, across the Arizona desert and of a hunt in "that wonderful country of deep canons and giant pines."
The Last Resort: A Memoir of Zimbabwe
by Douglas Rogers<P>Award-winning journalist Rogers tells the eye-opening and at times surprisingly funny story of his family and their game farm in war-torn Zimbabwe. <P><b>A New York Times Bestseller</b>
The Last Resort: A Memoir Of Zimbabwe
by Douglas RogersIn The Last Resort, journalist Douglas Rogers tells the eye-opening, harrowing and, at times, surprisingly funny story of his parents' struggle for survival in war-torn Zimbabwe. An inspiring, edgy roller-coaster adventure, it is also a deeply moving testament to the love and loyalty inspired by Zimbabwe and her people.
The Last Resort: A Chronicle of Paradise, Profit, and Peril at the Beach
by Sarah StodolaA captivating exploration of beach resort culture—from its roots in fashionable society to its undervalued role in today’s world economy—as the travel industry approaches a climate reckoningWith its promise of escape from the strains of everyday life, the beach has a hold on the popular imagination as the ultimate paradise. In The Last Resort, Sarah Stodola dives into the psyche of the beachgoer and gets to the heart of what drives humans to seek out the sand. At the same time, she grapples with the darker realities of resort culture: strangleholds on local economies, reckless construction, erosion of beaches, weighty carbon footprints, and the inevitable overdevelopment and decline that comes with a soaring demand for popular shorelines.The Last Resort weaves Stodola’s firsthand travel notes with her exacting journalism in an enthralling report on the past, present, and future of coastal travel. She takes us from Monte Carlo, where the pursuit of pleasure first became part of the beach resort experience, to a village in Fiji that was changed irrevocably by the opening of a single resort; from the overdevelopment that stripped Acapulco of its reputation for exclusivity to Miami Beach, where extreme measures are underway to prevent the barrier island from vanishing into the ocean.In the twenty-first century, beach travel has become central to our globalized world—its culture, economy, and interconnectedness. But with sea levels likely to rise at least 1.5 to 3 feet by the end of this century, beaches will become increasingly difficult to preserve, and many will disappear altogether. What will our last resort be when water begins to fill the lobbies?
The Last Ride of the Pony Express: My 2,000-mile Horseback Journey into the Old West
by Will Grant"Spellbinding" (Douglas Preston) and "completely fascinating" (Elizabeth Letts), cowboy and journalist Will Grant takes us on an epic and authentic horseback journey into the modern West on an adventure of a lifetime. The Last Ride of the Pony Express boldly illuminates both our mythic fascination with the Pony Express, and how its spirit continues to this day. The Pony Express was a fast-horse frontier mail service that spanned the American West— the high, dry, and undeniably lonesome part of North America. While in operation during the 1860s, it carried letter mail on a blistering ten-day schedule between Missouri and San Francisco, running through a vast and mostly uninhabited wilderness. It covered a massive distance—akin to running horses between Madrid and Moscow— and to this day, the Pony Express is irrefutably the greatest display of American horsemanship to ever color the pages of a history book. Though the Pony Express has enjoyed a lot of traction over the years, among the authors that have attempted to encapsulate it, none have ever ridden it themselves. While most scholars would look for answers inside a library, Will Grant looks for his between the ears of a horse. Inspired by the likes of Mark Twain, Sir Richard Burton, and Horace Greeley, all of whom traveled throughout the developing West, Will Grant returned to his roots: he would ride the trail himself with his two horses, Chicken Fry and Badger, from one end to the other. Will Grant captures the spirit of the west in a way that few writers have. Along with rich encounters with the ranchers, farmers, historians, and businessmen who populate the trail, his exploits on horseback offer an intimate portrait of how the West has evolved from the rough and tumble 19th century to the present, and it&’s written with such intimacy that you&’ll feel as though you&’re riding right alongside of him. Along the way, he fights off wild mustangs wanting to steal his horses in Utah, camps with Peruvian sheepherders in the mountains, and even spends three days riding under the Top Gun aviator school in Nevada, which are just a handful of extraordinary tales Will Grant unveils as he makes his way across the treacherous and, at times, thrilling landscape of the known and unknown American West. The Last Ride of the Pony Express is a uniquely tenacious tale of adventure by a native son of the West who defies most modern conveniences to compass some two thousand miles on horseback. The result is an unforgettable narrative that will forever change how you see the West, the Pony Express, and America as a whole.
The Last Ridge
by Mckay JenkinsWhen World War II broke out in Europe, the American army had no specialized division of mountain soldiers. But in the winter of 1939–40, after a tiny band of Finnish mountain troops brought the invading Soviet army to its knees, an amateur skier named Charles Minot “Minnie” Dole convinced the United States Army to let him recruit an extraordinary assortment of European expatriates, wealthy ski bums, mountaineers, and thrill-seekers and form them into a unique band of Alpine soldiers. These men endured nearly three years of grueling training in the Colorado Rockies and in the process set new standards for both soldiering and mountaineering. The newly forged 10th Mountain Division finally faced combat in the winter of 1945, in Italy’s Apennine Mountains, against the seemingly unbreakable German fortifications north of the Gothic Line. There, they planned and executed what is still regarded as the most daring series of nighttime mountain attacks in U. S. military history, taking Mount Belvedere and the sheer, treacherous face of Riva Ridge to smash the linchpin of the German army’s lines. Drawing on unique cooperation from veterans of the 10th Mountain Division and a vast archive of unpublished letters and documents, The Last Ridge is written with enormous warmth, energy, and honesty. This is one of the most captivating stories of World War II, a blend of Band of Brothers and Into Thin Air. It is a story of young men asked to do the impossible, and succeeding. From the Hardcover edition.
The Last River
by Todd BalfIt was the ultimate whitewater adventure on the Mount Everest of rivers, and the biggest challenge of their lives....October 1998 an American whitewater paddling team traveled deep into the Tsangpo Gorge in Tibet to run the Yarlung Tsangpo, known in paddling circles as the "Everest of rivers." On Day 12 of that trip, the team's ace paddler, one of four kayakers on the river, launched off an eight-foot waterfall and flipped. He and his overturned kayak spilled into the heart of the thunderous "freight training" river and were swept downstream, never to be seen again.The Last River: The Tragic Race for Shangri-la is a breathtaking account of this ill-fated expedition, a fascinating exploration of what propelled these kayakers to take on the seething big water and perilous Himalayan terrain of the deepest gorge on the planet. This was the magical Shangri-la of legend, a 140-mile-long canyon framed by 25,000-foot snowcapped peaks, a place of unimaginable beauty called Pemako in ancient Buddhist texts that was rumored to contain mammoth waterfalls. At the close of the twentieth century, an end-to-end descent of the gorge filled the imaginations of some of the best boaters in the world, who saw in the foam and fury of the Tsangpo's rapids the ultimate whitewater challenge. For Wick Walker and Tom McEwan, extreme whitewater pioneers, best friends, and trip leaders, the Tsangpo adventure with Doug Gordon, Olympic medal-winning paddler Jamie McEwan (Tom's brother), and Roger Zbel was the culmination of a twenty-five-year quest. Fueled by narratives of early explorers, Walker and McEwan kept their dream alive and waited until the Chinese government opened the gorge to Westerners. With financial backing from the National Geographic Society, the group was finally good to go in 1998. Swollen to three times the size they had expected because of record rains and heavy snowmelt, the Tsangpo lived up to its fearsome reputation. On numerous occasions the team questioned whether to continue, but chose to press forward. The Last River probes beyond the extreme sports clichés and looks at the complex personal and intellectual reasons for the seemingly irresistible draw of Tibet's Great River. For Walker, Gordon, Zbel, and the McEwans -- husbands, fathers, friends, and brothers -- the Tsangpo wasn't a run toward death but a celebration of life, adventure, and the thing that tied them to one another -- awe-inspiring rivers. The Last River is also a riveting journey to one of the world's wildest and most alluring places, a thrilling book that invites us into the Himalayas of Jon Krakauer's classic, Into Thin Air, but from a totally new perspective -- on a historic river so remote that only the most hardy and romantic souls attempt to unlock its mysteries. Visit www.randomhouse.com/features/lastriverFrom the Hardcover edition.
The Last Road North: A Guide to the Gettysburg Campaign, 1863 (Emerging Civil War Series)
by Dan Welch Robert OrrisonA guide to the Gettysburg Civil War battlefields and their history, featuring lesser-known sites, side trips, and optional stops along the way."I thought my men were invincible,” admitted Robert E. Lee.A string of battlefield victories through 1862 had culminated in the spring of 1863 with Lee’s greatest victory yet: the battle of Chancellorsville. Propelled by the momentum of that supreme moment, confident in the abilities of his men, Lee decided to once more take the fight to the Yankees and launched this army on another invasion of the North.An appointment with destiny awaited in the little Pennsylvania college town of Gettysburg.Historian Dan Welch follows in the footsteps of the Army of Northern Virginia and the Army of the Potomac as the two foes cat-and-mouse their way northward, ultimately clashing in the costliest battle in North American history.Based on the Gettysburg Civil War Trails, and packed with dozens of lesser-known sites related to the Gettysburg Campaign, The Last Road North: A Guide to the Gettysburg Campaign offers the ultimate Civil War road trip.“Orrison and Welch have created something different. Historians must search for innovative ways to engage the public on the battle’s relevance. This book offers a new experience for tourists—one that enriches their visit to the site of one of the most consequential battles in American history.” —Matt Arendt, TCU, for Gettysburg Magazine“Shows a deep knowledge of the subject and the style of writing is clear and easy to follow . . . buy this book!” —Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy
The Last Supper: The Plight of Christians in Arab Lands
by Mark Kline Klaus Wivel"A central question that animates Wivel is why those in the West, who profess a belief in such universal values as freedom and equality, have not done more to defend the human rights of this severely beleaguered minority."--University Bookman"Revealing, shocking, and well-researched reading."--Jyllands-PostenIn 2013, alarmed by scant attention paid to the hardships endured by the 7.5 million Christians in the Middle East, journalist Klaus Wivel traveled to Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and the Palestinian territories on a quest to learn more about their fate. He found an oppressed minority, constantly under threat of death and humiliation, increasingly desperate in the face of rising Islamic extremism and without hope that their situation will improve, or anyone will come to their aid. Wivel spoke with priests whose churches have been burned, citizens who feel like strangers in their own countries, and entire communities whose only hope for survival may be fleeing into exile. With the increase of religious violence in the past few years, this book is a prescient and unsettling account of a severely beleaguered religious group living, so it seems, on borrowed time. Wivel asks, why have we not done more to protect these people? Klaus Wivel is a Danish journalist who has been the New York correspondent for Weekendavisen, one of Denmark's most prestigious newspapers. He has written on a wide range of topics, with a focus on the Middle East.
The Last Templar Collection: Volume 2
by Michael JecksTHE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR COLLECTION: VOLUME 2 brings together three more of Michael Jecks' most popular Knights Templar mysteries. Join Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and Baliff Simon Puttock as they journey from England to France, and back again, in three riveting tales of murder and intrigue.The Templar, the Queen & Her Lover: Queen Isabella, wife to Edward II of England, has been dispatched to France in an attempt to bring about peace between the two countries, and Sir Baldwin de Furnshill must accompany her with his friend Simon Puttock. But the day after their arrival, a servant is found murdered, with Baldwin's dagger lying next to the body.As Baldwin struggles to prove his innocence, the killer strikes again. With so many English enemies gathering in Paris, will he be able to expose the culprit in time to protect the diplomats and their mission?The Prophecy of Death: It's 1325, and in England turmoil is rife. But could the Prophecy of St Thomas's Holy Oil be the key to saving the ill-fated reign of King Edward II? It is believed the one anointed with it will be a lion among men: he will conquer France, unite Christendom and throw the heathens from the Holy Land.Meanwhile, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill, Keeper of the King's Peace, and his friend Simon Puttock return from France with urgent messages for the King himself. Soon they find themselves at the centre of a deadly court intrigue involving the most powerful and ruthless men in the country, who will stop at nothing, not even murder, to achieve their ambitions...The King of Thieves: 1325: Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and his friend Simon Puttock are in France guarding King Edward's son on his perilous journey to meet the French king, Charles IV. But they are unaware that King Edward's wife Isabella is disaffected and plotting her revenge...What first appears a simple diplomatic mission is fast becoming lethally dangerous. Meanwhile, two murders in Paris are causing alarm. Is there a connection between the killings and the shadowy 'King' of thieves? Simon and Baldwin know the future of the English crown is at risk. And in order to protect it they must put their own lives in jeopardy.What readers are saying about The Knights Templar mysteries:'Full of twists and turns right up until the end''Superb, with a diverse and fantastic cast of characters, mixing historical fact with the author's creations - and they blend beautifully''Jecks continues to astonish me in adherence to historical accuracy but also in his ability to write a tale so well'
The Last Time Around Cape Horn: The Historic 1949 Voyage of the Windjammer Pamir
by William F. StarkA memorable tale of adventure on the turbulent seas of the Great Southern and Atlantic oceans--on one of the most historic voyages of our time--finds its way into paperback. This is William F. Stark's engrossing memoir of the last leg of the Grain Race, and the Pamir's rounding of fearsome Cape Horn--the storm-tossed tip of South America just 600 miles from Antarctica--the veritable Mount Everest of sailing. In 1949, the crew of thirty-four sailors from around the world experienced the shipboard life of the seventeenth century on a four-masted vessel that carried hundreds of acres of sail. In 128 days the Pamir journeyed 16,000 miles from Port Victoria, Australia, to Falmouth, England, through the world's stormiest seas, as Stark worked on decks awash with huge swells, and scrambled up ice-coated rigging to manhandle sails on masts that were up to twenty stories high. Contrasting romance with the realities of life at sea, and poignantly evoking the love affair he left behind to join the Pamir, while punctuating his tale with illuminating photos, maps, and details of maritime history, Stark has written a thrilling book that climaxes the fabled era begun by Cape Horn merchant sailors more than three centuries ago.
Last Train to Texas: My Railroad Odyssey (Railroads Past And Present Ser.)
by Fred W. FraileyA veteran railroad columnist takes readers on a wild ride through the American train industry with remembrances that crisscross the country and the world.In Last Train to Texas, author Fred W. Frailey examines the workings behind the railroad industry and captures incredible true stories along the way. He vividly portrays the industries larger-than-life characters, such as William “Pisser Bill” F. Thompson, who weathered financial ruin, bad merger deals, and cutthroat competition, all while racking up enough notoriety to inspire a poem titled “Ode to a Jerk.”Whether he’s riding the Canadian Pacific Railway through a blizzard, witnessing a container train burglary in the Abo Canyon, or commemorating a poem to Limerick Junction in Dublin, Frailey’s journeys are rife with excitement, incident, and the spirit of the rails. Filled with humorous anecdotes and thoughtful insights into the railroading industry, Last Train to Texas is a grand adventure for the railroad connoisseur.
Last Train to Texas: My Railroad Odyssey (Railroads Past And Present Ser.)
by Fred W. FraileyA veteran railroad columnist takes readers on a wild ride through the American train industry with remembrances that crisscross the country and the world.In Last Train to Texas, author Fred W. Frailey examines the workings behind the railroad industry and captures incredible true stories along the way. He vividly portrays the industries larger-than-life characters, such as William “Pisser Bill” F. Thompson, who weathered financial ruin, bad merger deals, and cutthroat competition, all while racking up enough notoriety to inspire a poem titled “Ode to a Jerk.”Whether he’s riding the Canadian Pacific Railway through a blizzard, witnessing a container train burglary in the Abo Canyon, or commemorating a poem to Limerick Junction in Dublin, Frailey’s journeys are rife with excitement, incident, and the spirit of the rails. Filled with humorous anecdotes and thoughtful insights into the railroading industry, Last Train to Texas is a grand adventure for the railroad connoisseur.
The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate African Safari
by Paul TherouxThe acclaimed author of Dark Star Safari journeys across western Africa in this &“thoroughly engrossing [and] at times tragic&” travelogue (Washington Post).Paul Theroux&’s best-selling Dark Star Safari chronicled his epic overland voyage from Cairo to Cape Town, providing an insider&’s look at modern Africa. Now, with The Last Train to Zona Verde, he returns to discover how both he and Africa have changed in the ensuing years. Traveling alone, Theroux sets out from Cape Town, going north through South Africa, Namibia, then into Angola, encountering a world increasingly removed from tourists&’ itineraries and the hopes of postcolonial independence movements. After covering nearly 2,500 arduous miles, Theroux cuts short his journey, a decision he chronicles with unsparing honesty in a chapter titled &“What Am I Doing Here?&” Vivid, witty, and beautifully evocative, The Last Train to Zona Verde is a fitting final African adventure from the writer whose gimlet eye and effortless prose have brought the world to generations of readers. &“If this book is proof, age has not slowed Theroux or encouraged him to rest on his achievements . . . Gutsy, alert to Africa's struggles, its injustices and history.&” — San Francisco Chronicle
The Last Train to Zona Verde
by Paul TherouxFor all Theroux travel writing fans and particularly the legions of lovers of Dark Star Safari and Eastern Star. Acclaimed travel writer Paul Theroux resumes the African trip recounted in his brilliant Dark Star Safari, from Cairo to Capetown down the right-hand of Africa. For ten years he longed to return Capetown, and travel up the the left-hand side to Congo. After 50 years of travel and past retirement age, this is the last trip of this kind the author will take, and this is the story his fans have been waiting for.
The Last Viking: The Life of Roald Amundsen, Conqueror of the South Pole (A\merloyd Lawrence Book Ser.)
by Stephen BownThis “fascinating biography” of the Norwegian explorer who beat Robert Scott to the South Pole is “intelligent and often thrilling” (London Sunday Times).The most feted explorer of his generation, Roald Amundsen counted the discovery of the Northwest Passage, in 1905, as well as the North Pole amongst his greatest achievements. His revolutionary approach to technology transcends polar and nautical significance. However, until now, his story has rarely featured as more than a footnote to Scott’s tragic failure.Reviled for defeating Scott but worshipped by his men, Amundsen was pursued by women and creditors throughout his life before disappearing on a mission to rescue an Italian explorer attempting to claim the North Pole for Mussolini. The Last Viking is the life of a visionary and a showman, who brought the era of Shackleton to an end, put the newly independent Norway on the map, and was the twentieth century’s brightest trailblazing explorer.
The Last Viking: The Life of Roald Amundsen (A Merloyd Lawrence Book)
by Stephen R. BownThe Last Viking unravels the life of the man who stands head and shoulders above all those who raced to map the last corners of the world. In 1900, the four great geographical mysteries—the Northwest Passage, the Northeast Passage, the South Pole, and the North Pole—remained blank spots on the globe. Within twenty years Roald Amundsen would claim all four prizes. Renowned for his determination and technical skills, both feared and beloved by his men, Amundsen is a legend of the heroic age of exploration, which shortly thereafter would be tamed by technology, commerce, and publicity. Féted in his lifetime as an international celebrity, pursued by women and creditors, he died in the Arctic on a rescue mission for an inept rival explorer. Stephen R. Bown has unearthed archival material to give Amundsen’s life the grim immediacy of Apsley Cherry-Garrard’s The Worst Journey in the World, the exciting detail of The Endurance, and the suspense of a Jon Krakauer tale. The Last Viking is both a thrilling literary biography and a cracking good story.
The Last Viking
by Stephen R. BownIn the early 1900s, many of the great geographical mysteries that had intrigued adventurers for centuries remained unsolved: the polar regions -- the Northwest Passage, the South Pole, the North Pole and the Northeast Passage -- despite having claimed countless lives, were still shrouded in mystery. One man would claim all these prizes within a span of 20 years.Roald Amundsen was larger than life, arrogant and competitive. He was also a meticulous organizer and planner, willing to learn from the mistakes of others, and humble enough to seek the advice of indigenous peoples skilled in arctic survival -- thus avoiding the early death that was so common among other explorers.But Amundsen's life was one of sharp contrasts: reviled by the British for defeating Robert Falcon Scott, he was loved by his men, hailed as a hero in his native Norway and idolized as a charming and eccentric celebrity in the US. Drawing on hundreds of recently uncovered press clippings, The Last Viking goes beyond Amundsen's conflicted legacy, revealing a humorous, self-deprecating storyteller and a visionary and showman who who won over both his sponsors and his audiences with the same verve that characterized his geographical conquests.