We’re excited to be giving away two copies of Realm of Ice and Sky by Buddy Levy to our GrownUps members!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
The riveting tale of the men who first flew the most advanced technological airships of their time to the top of the world, risking and even giving their lives for science, country, and polar immortality.
Arctic explorer and American visionary Walter Wellman pioneered both polar and trans-Atlantic airship aviation, making history’s first attempts at each. Wellman has been cast as a self-promoting egomaniac, known for his catastrophic failures. Instead, he was a courageous innovator who pushed the boundaries of polar exploration and paved the way for the ultimate conquest of the North Pole, which would be achieved not by dog sledge or aeroplane, but by airship.
American explorer Dr Frederick Cook was the first to claim he reached the North Pole in 1908. A year later, so did American Robert Peary, but both Cook’s and Peary’s claims had been seriously questioned. There was enough doubt that Norwegian explorer extraordinaire Roald Amundsen-who’d made history and a name for himself by being first to sail through the Northwest Passage and first man to the South Pole-picked up where Walter Wellman left off, attempting to fly to the North Pole by airship. He would go on the Norge, designed by Italian aeronautical engineer Umberto Nobile. The 350-foot Norge flew over the North Pole on May 12, 1926, and Amundsen was able to accurately record and verify their exact location.
However, the engineer Nobile felt slighted by Amundsen. Two years later, Nobile returned, this time in the Italia, backed by Prime Minister Benito Mussolini. This was an Italian enterprise, and Nobile intended to win back the global accolades and reputation he believed Amundsen had stripped from him. The journey ended in disaster, death, and accusations of cannibalism, launching one of the great rescue operations the world had ever seen.
Author Information
BUDDY LEVY is the author of ten books, including Labyrinth of Ice: The Triumphant and Tragic Greely Polar Expedition and Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk, as well as Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma, and the Last Stand of the Aztecs and River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana’s Voyage of Death and Discovery Down the Amazon. His books have been published in eight languages and won numerous awards. He lives in Idaho.
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Terms and conditions
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You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
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The competition closes on 10th June 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 11th June 2026.
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It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
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Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
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GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
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By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
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One entry per household.
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The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
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You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
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You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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