Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue

A gripping work of narrative history from bestselling author Buddy Levy.

Explores the 1897–1898 Greely Arctic rescue, one of the most dramatic survival missions in exploration history.

Praised for combining rigorous research with novelistic storytelling.

Realm of Ice and Sky recounts the extraordinary true story of the U.S. government’s attempt to rescue Lieutenant Adolphus Greely and the remnants of his Arctic expedition after years trapped in the polar ice. Battling extreme cold, starvation, and isolation, Greely’s men endured unimaginable hardship as rescue missions repeatedly failed to reach them.

Drawing on diaries, letters, and historical records, Buddy Levy reconstructs both sides of the ordeal — the desperate fight for survival in the Arctic and the perilous naval rescue effort that raced against time. The result is a powerful story of endurance, leadership, and sacrifice at the edge of the known world.

“A harrowing and compulsively readable account of survival against impossible odds.” — Publishers Weekly

“Levy once again proves himself a master of narrative history.” — Kirkus Reviews