In the vastness and silence of the Arctic
wastes, a man and his wife were caught like flies in amber,
their 35-foot steel cutter frozen in the polar ice. After a
beautiful and sometimes hair-raising voyage beyond Baffin Island
and far above the Arctic Circle, Diana and Alvah Simon could go
no further, and made preparations for the long Arctic night. But
her father's diagnosis of terminal cancer called Diana away--and
after a dramatic evacuation by helicopter, Alvah was left to
survive the winter alone. This is their story: of an epic
voyage, their encounters with the Inuit people, his descent into
near-madness, and Diana's return in the spring, through harsh
weather and near disaster.
"North to the Night is a significant addition
to the literature of the Arctic, by an author-explorer of the
first rank. Alvah Simon writes beautifully about his iced-up
world and, indeed, about Nature itself, but without the dreamy
romanticism that has sunk many a lesser narrative. His book is
the genuine article. Urgently recommended."--Lawrence Millman,
author of Last Places: A Journey in the North and An Evening
Among the Headhunters.
"Punctuated with wit, charm, surprisingly
turns, spirituality, romantic views, and crystalline insights,
North to the Night is more than just a great read. Through
gales, blizzards, endless night, crushing ice, and near sinking
we are taken to the edge of madness and the core of human
frailty and strength.--Steve Callahan, author of Adrift.
"This is truly an adventure story--an intense
and gripping exploration of the extreme reaches of the outer and
inner world. It reminded me of Jon Krakauer's work, with its
blend of suspense and analysis and sheer ability to communicate
why and how people do extraordinary things. Though set in the
dark of the long Arctic winter, North to the night is filled
with illumination.--Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
and The Age of Missing Information.
About the Author: Alvah Simon spent thirteen
years sailing the world, finding adventure in Borneo's jungles,
Africa's deserts, and Cape Horn's ship graveyards. For their
Arctic journey, he and his wife, Diana, received the 1997
Cruising World Outstanding Seamanship Award. The Simons live
aboard the Roger Henry.
