BERING. The Russian Discovery of America

England 2003. Vitus Jonassen Bering (1681-1741) is a towering figure in the history of exploration. In the course of two expeditions that consumed most of his adult life - and eventually led to his death - he journeyed from St. Petersburg to Siberia and ultimately to the norhtwest coast of North America. Along with the members of his expedition, Bering greatly expanded the Russian empire, pioneered the geography of the North Pacific Ocean, and laid the groundwork for Russian trade and settlement in the American West. In the first biography of Bering written in more than a century, Frost chronicles the life of this extraordinary explorer. Drawing on a wide range of new evidence - including personal letters and archaeological evidence derived from the recent discovery of Bering’s grave site - the author reconstructs Bering’s personality, his perilous voyages, and his uneasy relationship with the naturalist Georg Steller, unobtrusively guided the stranded expedition as Bering lay dying. A riveting narrative of adventure and disaster on the high seas, this biography is also a major contribution to the history of maritime exploration., English, Year2003, Illust. B/W20, Illust. Color, ISBN 0300100590, Code 5946. Hardbound with Jacket, In Pristine Condition, Bibl. Index. Pages 330, Size 9 1/2”x 6 1/2”