This book traces the life and adventures of one of history's most famous explorers. Set against the backdrop of Edwardian England, the narrative brings to life how enthusiasm for geographical conquest started an out-and-out competition between the mighty British Empire and newly founded Norway to become first to reach the South Pole. The hostile Antarctic conditions and what it felt like to be there are described in great detail, while vivid line drawings add to the reader's understanding of that alien place through maps and depictions of Scott's life and tragic death.