Yet Fawcett, who had become a preeminent South American explorer, seemed assured of success. When he and his companions sent a dispatch back from the village of a friendly Indian tribe they warned friends and relatives that they might be unable to communicate for up to two years. They were confident that during the course of those years they would find Z and unlock its ancient secrets, and the world waited with baited breath for the conclusion of their daring adventure. It never came.

Percy Fawcett disappeared, and it is the fate of he and his young companions – as well as the existence or illusion of Z – that David Grann explores in his book The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon. Grann ventures into the Amazon, following Fawcett’s trail and seeking out the Indian tribes who may hold the key to the explorers’ fates. Through the narrative of his own journey he weaves the tale of Fawcett’s early expeditions, his remarkable ability to survive the most treacherous conditions, and his growing obsession with a lost civilization which may be the fabled El Dorado. It is an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones, a thrilling peek into a part of the world where the past is alive, jealously guarding its secrets.

In 1845 Sir John Franklin sailed from England for the Arctic regions with two ships and 128 men on what was viewed as a mission of certain success. His orders were to find and sail through the Northwest Passage, and to insure his success he was equipped with two of the most technologically-advanced ships ever dispatched to the Arctic – the Terror and the Erebus – and enough supplies to keep him and his men fed and comfortable for at least five years. When the expedition, its ships, and every man on board vanished without a trace, however, the Franklin Expedition turned from a triumphant display of British naval power and ingenuity into one of the greatest and most enduring mysteries in the history of exploration. For the next twenty years England would send out dozens of intrepid men to search for Franklin and his crews – first in the hope of rescue, then simply to solve the puzzle of their fate. Yet to this day only three graves, two cryptic notes, and a scattering of artifacts and human bones have been located to give any indication of what tragedy befell the expedition.

So how is the ill-fated Franklin Expedition connected to the desk in the Oval Office used by U.S. presidents? That is the story that Martin W. Sandler unfolds in his book Resolute: the epic search for the Northwest Passage and John Franklin, and the discovery of the Queen’s ghost ship. It is a fascinating look at the personalities and expeditions – both thrilling and horrifying – that preceded Franklin and ventured into the Arctic wastes after his disappearance.

This and other tales of cold climate adventure and endurance are on display this month at MPL. See how warm January suddenly feels after reading these non-fiction stories of heroism and survival!