Adventure writer Buddy Levy’s newest book “Realm of Ice and Sky” tells the harrowing tale of Arctic exploration to the North Pole. The latest of his exploration themed works, is set against the backdrop of daring explorers, airships and the frozen wilderness of the North Pole. 

The focus of “Realm of Ice and Sky” is the first attempt to reach the North Pole using dirigibles, or air ships. At the time, aviation was in its infancy, with airships ahead of airplanes as far as distance and endurance. Walter Wellman, an American journalist – and often thought of as a failed explorer – is someone who Buddy views as a creative visionary of the time. “I look at Wellman as a great pioneer, his use of telegraphy to send updates from the Arctic made him a key figure in the history of real-time reporting,” Buddy says.

The  dynamics of these expeditions often included a “tangled web of personalities,” with explorers sometimes at odds over leadership, resources and methods. “These explorers' egos are about the size of the dirigible itself,” Buddy says. “You have to have a lot of ego and hubris to attempt what has never been done before.” The clash between Amundsen and Nobile, for example, is a prominent thread in the book, as their collaborative efforts with the airship Italia ended in a public schism. The conflict between these larger-than-life figures adds complexity to the story, allowing readers to understand the human side of exploration – the rivalries, personal struggles and occasional betrayals that shaped these historic quests.

The darker aspects of Arctic exploration also emerge in “Realm of Ice and Sky,” particularly in the aftermath of the Italia disaster. Stranded on shifting ice, Nobile’s crew faced starvation and isolation, leading to rumors of cannibalism – one of the more grisly elements that intrigued Buddy when researching his book. “While the act itself is horrifying, it offers insight into the extremes to which humans are pushed in life-and-death situations,” he says. “These moments of desperation and survival are what is most compelling in this exploration of human endurance in the harshest of environments.”

Ultimately, Buddy hopes readers will not only learn about this dramatic moment in history but also feel as though they’ve journeyed into the icy, perilous world of these explorers. His immersive approach to research – spending time in the places he writes about, including three weeks in Svalbard  – helps him convey the daunting reality of the Arctic. “By physically experiencing these environments, I hope to give readers a visceral sense of what it was like for these explorers to battle the ice, the weather and their own fears,” he says.

Through his detailed storytelling and meticulous research, Buddy brings a little-known chapter of Arctic exploration to life, allowing modern readers to connect with the past in a deeply personal way. In “Realm of Ice and Sky,” he captures the thrill, tragedy and triumph of the explorers who braved the extreme cold in pursuit of a dream that, for many, would prove fatal.

Find more information at buddylevy.com. Buddy will be at Off the Beaten Path for a Fireside Chat on Saturday, March 1 from 7-10 p.m.