Arctic exploration

The opening pages plunge listeners into a visual feast of old prints and sketches, from a Viking long‑ship cutting through icy seas to maps that misplace entire coastlines. It traces the restless Norse who, driven by trade and rivalry, stumbled onto Iceland, Greenland and even the western shores of North America centuries before Columbus. Their daring raids and fragile settlements set a rugged tone for the centuries of curiosity that would follow.

The narrative then fast‑forwards to the late fifteenth century, when a Venetian‑born explorer in Bristol dreams of a north‑west route to India. With royal backing, he and his son sail into uncharted waters, naming new lands and sparking a fever for the polar unknown that would dominate European ambition. Through vivid anecdotes and contemporary accounts, the book captures the mix of adventure, miscalculation, and relentless hope that launched the age of Arctic exploration.