the unknown." "The opening of the book introduces the author's journey into the history of Arctic exploration, sparked by a promise to contribute to a series on geographical discovery. Nansen reflects on the complexity of this task, recognizing that the narratives surrounding early Arctic voyages are often riddled with inaccuracies and myths. He emphasizes the importance of relying on original sources and investigations rather than secondary accounts that may contain errors. This preface sets the stage for a detailed exploration of the various explorers, their motivations, and the often harsh realities they faced in their pursuit of knowledge about the Arctic regions." (This is an automatically generated summary.)