Icebound

In Icebound, Andrea Pitzer chronicles the gripping story of 16th-century Dutch explorer William Barents and his crew's treacherous Arctic expeditions, particularly their last mission which ended in disaster on the frozen coast of Nova Zembla. Stranded and battling extreme conditions, the men face starvation, relentless winter, and the threat of polar bears over the course of a year. Combining a thrilling tale of survival with a rich exploration of the Age of Exploration, Pitzer’s extensive research and personal retracing of Barents's journeys highlight themes of human resilience, ingenuity, and the enduring quest for discovery.