Away at Christmas [Hardcover]

Away at Christmas is on the face of it a marvellous tribute to the lengths people will go to celebrate Christmas. Trapped in pack ice, robbed by brigands, lost in Africa, the intrepid traveller in this wonderful collection never forgot his Christmas dinner - even if it was only pemmican pies and brandy. But if extreme Christmases are the focus of the book there is much more to enjoy besides. This is a concise, readable and thoroughly researched history of the insatiable urge to explore. This is a book for life, not just for Christmas. --Michael Palin

'A delightful collection of unusual and often touching tales by explorers and others celebrating Christmas in strange places.' --Robin Hanbury-Tenison

Praise for Home for Christmas: 'A deeply moving book. A real work of love, and considerable research. I can't think of a more appealing Christmas present to give - or to receive.' --Sir Alistair Horne

Away At Christmas is a collection of stories about the world's greatest explorers. From 1492 to the present day, it uses diary entries to highlight where each explorer was and what they did to celebrate the festival in some of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth. Each entry is a light-hearted but informative look at the lives of some well-known, and some less well known, navigators. A tribute to the spirit of human endeavour, Away At Christmas is an extraordinary collection charting the startling achievements of explorers through the centuries. With illustrated maps charting the routes taken and distances covered, it's an ideal gift purchase for any lover of history, endurance and discovery.

After serving in the British Army for ten years, Jeremy Archer now lives in London and works in the City. An enthusiastic amateur historian, he has travelled the world visiting battlefields. He writes occasional articles for a variety of publications, including the British Army Review. Away at Christmas is his second book.