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 edition keeps alive Byrd’s unforgettable narrative for new generations of readers.

Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1888-1957) was an international hero best known for his accomplishments in pioneer aviation and polar exploration. Recipient of the U.S. Congressional Medal of Honor for navigating the first flight over the North Pole in 1926, he also was honored for his 1927 trans-Atlantic flight. In subsequent expeditions to the South Pole he discovered new land and collected important scientific data. His books Little America and Skyward, both straightforward accounts of his polar expeditions, were followed by Alone in 1938. Byrd wrote Alone in response to requests from people all over the world wanting to know the true story behind his ordeal.