New York, 1930, 1st edition or 3rd impression. 429 pp, b/w photos, illustrated end papers, portrait frontispiece, 55 pages of plates (69 illustrations in all, of which 44 are full-page), 4 maps (2 folding at rear). Larger bright blue cloth hardcover with gilt titles and no dust jacket. Book may have some foxing and former owner's gift inscription. Near Fine.
The official narrative of Byrd's initial Antarctic expedition. For many it marks the end of the heroic age in Antarctic exploration and its replacement by the mechanical age. The use of the airplane, the aerial camera, the radio and the snowmobile were all brought to bear on Antarctica's vastness. The book is named for the base camp 'Little America' from which Byrd conducted his expedition, setting up radio towers and airstrips, which revolutionized arctic exploration. Byrd was perhaps the most famous American polar explorer despite scandals regarding some of his heroic claims. However, many believe his introduction of aerial, snowmobile and radio technologies marked the end of the 'heroic age' of Antarctic explorations, which was replaced by the 'mechanical age.'
