How, in 1930, did Alfred Wegener, the son of a minister from Berlin, find himself in the most isolated spot on earth, attempting to survive an unthinkably cold winter in the middle of Greenland? In this book, the author sets out to chronicle Wegener's extraordinary journey from his childhood in Germany to the most unforgiving corner of the planet. As the author shows, Wegener's life was anything but ordinary. Surrounded by children at the orphanage his parents ran, Wegener was driven by his scientific spirit in search not only of answers to big questions but also of solitude. Though Wegener's life ended in tragedy during his long winter in Greenland, he left us with a scientific legacy: the theory of continental drift, mocked by his peers and only recognized decades after his death. The author gives us the story of this great adventurer, of the experiences that shaped him, resulting in a tale that is both thrilling and tender.
