Especially 5 stars for the edition beautifully illustrated by Eric Palmquist that is available at the Rochester Public Library. When I received this book from the library I was dismayed by its size, like a coffee table book, which made it difficult to read in the bathtub or surreptitiously at work, which let’s be honest, is where I do most of my reading. However, the illustrations and photographs taken during the voyage are fantastic and add so much to the story. There is something on nearly every page and I’ll admit to being disappointed when I’d turn a page and find a wall of text and no picture :) As to the story, it was fast-paced and covered the voyage from inception (I especially enjoyed the “getting the gang together” part) to safe arrival. I appreciated the Scandinavian habit of dramatic understatement. I was on the edge of my seat at times, laughed out loud, and learned a lot along the way. The author’s premise has since been disproven (and some of his ideas problematic today), but he treated everyone with respect and had reverence for the wisdom of the people he studied.