In 1930 the dashing Gino Watkins led a group of fourteen intrepid and largely inexperienced young men (including the author's father) to pioneer the first commercial air route between Europe and America.

Alongside high adventure, triumph and tragedy, Scott paints a stunning portrait of two lost worlds - the Inuit hunters of the polar regions and the 'Brideshead' generation of English men addicted to adventure. One member of the expedition was stranded alone on the ice cap for five months, for much of the time in total darkness.

Blizzards raged continuously and temperatures dropped to -41°C. For six weeks he was utterly trapped in an ice cave, unable to get out as his companions mounted a desperate, last-ditch rescue attempt.