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The impossible first : an explorer's race across Antarctica  Cover Image Book Book

The impossible first : an explorer's race across Antarctica / Colin O'Brady.

O'Brady, Colin, (author.).

Summary:

Colin O'Brady's awe-inspiring memoir spans his triumphant recovery from a tragic accident to his gripping 932-mile solo crossing of Antarctica. Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, Colin O'Brady was determined to do just that, even if, ten years earlier, there was doubt that he'd ever walk again normally. From the depths of a tragic accident, he fought his way back. In a quest to unlock his potential and discover what was possible, he went on to set three mountaineering world records before turning to this historic Antarctic challenge. O'Brady's pursuit of a goal that had eluded many others was made even more intense by a head-to-head battle that emerged with British polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd--also striving to be "the first." Enduring Antarctica's sub-zero temperatures and pulling a sled that initially weighed 375 pounds--in complete isolation and through a succession of whiteouts, storms, and a series of near disasters--O'Brady persevered. Alone with his thoughts for nearly two months in the vastness of the frozen continent--gripped by fear and doubt--he reflected on his past, seeking courage and inspiration in the relationships and experiences that had shaped his life. Honest, deeply moving, filled with moments of vulnerability--and set against the backdrop of some of the most extreme environments on earth, from Mt. Everest to Antarctica--The Impossible First reveals how anyone can reject limits, overcome immense obstacles, and discover what matters most.

Record details

  • ISBN: 9781534461987
  • ISBN: 1534461981
  • Physical Description: xi, 288 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 24 cm
  • Edition: Young readers edition.
  • Publisher: New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020.

Content descriptions

Formatted Contents Note:
The captain -- Frozen tears -- You are strong, you are capable -- The suggestion -- Commit to the break -- More hospital -- All in, all gone -- Ghost town -- Getting home -- The whiteboard -- The ripple effect -- Farthest south -- An inch from failure -- Put your boots back on -- Infinite love.
Awards Note:
Alex award winner, 2021
Subject: O'Brady, Colin > Travel > Antarctica.
Adventure and adventurers > Antarctica.
Explorers > United States > Biography.
Antarctica > Description and travel.

Available copies

  • 1 of 1 copy available at Kenton County.

Holds

  • 0 current holds with 1 total copy.
Show Only Available Copies
Location Call Number / Copy Notes Barcode Shelving Location Status Due Date
Erlanger Branch 919.8904 O13i 2020 (Text) 33126024489761 YA Nonfiction Available -

Summary: Colin O'Brady's awe-inspiring memoir spans his triumphant recovery from a tragic accident to his gripping 932-mile solo crossing of Antarctica. Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, Colin O'Brady was determined to do just that, even if, ten years earlier, there was doubt that he'd ever walk again normally. From the depths of a tragic accident, he fought his way back. In a quest to unlock his potential and discover what was possible, he went on to set three mountaineering world records before turning to this historic Antarctic challenge. O'Brady's pursuit of a goal that had eluded many others was made even more intense by a head-to-head battle that emerged with British polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd--also striving to be "the first." Enduring Antarctica's sub-zero temperatures and pulling a sled that initially weighed 375 pounds--in complete isolation and through a succession of whiteouts, storms, and a series of near disasters--O'Brady persevered. Alone with his thoughts for nearly two months in the vastness of the frozen continent--gripped by fear and doubt--he reflected on his past, seeking courage and inspiration in the relationships and experiences that had shaped his life. Honest, deeply moving, filled with moments of vulnerability--and set against the backdrop of some of the most extreme environments on earth, from Mt. Everest to Antarctica--The Impossible First reveals how anyone can reject limits, overcome immense obstacles, and discover what matters most.

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