Discovery: The Story of the Second Byrd Antarctic Expedition.

BYRD, Richard E.

$75.00

Item Number: 112714

New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1935.

First edition of Admiral Byrd’s classic exploration work of his second Antarctic Expedition. Octavo, original cloth, cartographic endpapers, frontispiece, illustrated with maps. From the library of James Stephen “Steve” Fossett with his bookplate to the pastedown. American businessman and record-setting aviator Steve Fossett became the first person to fly solo nonstop around the world in 2002 in his 10-story high balloon Spirit of Freedom. He completed the 2002 trip in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes and set records for both the Longest Distance Flown Solo in a Balloon and Fastest Balloon Flight Around the World. Fossett was also one of sailing’s most prolific distance record holders set the Absolute World Speed Record for airships with a Zeppelin NT in 2004. He received numerous awards and honors throughout his career including aviation’s highest award, the Gold Medal of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), which he was awarded in 2002. Fossett disappeared on September 3, 2007 while flying a light aircraft over the Great Basin Desert, between Nevada and California. In near fine condition. Introduction by Claude A. Swanson.

From the moment Admiral Richard E. Byrd, Jr. first left Anarctica, he knew he would return. Both the scope of the strange land and the uncharted scientific promise it held were too much to leave behind forever. Launched during the Great Depression amid great public skepticism, and with funding at its toughest to secure, this second Antarctic journey proved as daring, eventful, and inspiring as any Byrd ever embarked upon.