Details: One hundred years have passed since Robert Falcon Scotts beleagured expeditionary team arrived at the South Pole, only to find that they had been beaten by the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. The most feted explorer of his generation, Amundsen counted the discovery of the Northwest Passage, in 1905, as well as the North Pole amongst his greatest achievements. In the golden age of polar exploration Amundsen, whose revolutionary approach to technology transcends polar & nautical significance, was a titan among men. However, until now, his story has rarely featured as more than a footnote to Scotts tragic failure. Reviled for defeating Scott but worshipped by his men, Amundsen was pursued by women & creditors throughout his life before disappearing on a rescue mission for the Italian Fascist who had set off in an airship to claim the North Pole for Mussolini. The Last Viking is the life of a visionary & a showman, who brought the era of Shackleton to an end, put the newly independent Norway on the map & was the twentieth centurys brightest trailblazing explorer. Ideal for: A mesmerising story that provides a wonderful read for all. This hardback book has 357 pages & measures: 24 x 16 x 3.5cm.