In August 2002, Mike Horn set out on a mission that bordered on the impossible: to travel 12,000 miles around the globe at the Arctic Circle - alone, against all prevailing winds and currents, and without motorized transportation. Conquering the Impossible is the gripping account of Horn's grueling 27-month expedition by sail and foot through extreme Arctic conditions that nearly cost him his life. Enduring temperatures as low as -95 degrees Fahrenheit, Horn battled hazards including trekking on unstable ice that plunged him into frigid waters, encounters with polar bears so close that he felt their breath on his face, and a fire that destroyed all of his equipment and nearly burned him alive. From the hair-raising dangers that Horn faces alone to his amusing and inspiring encounters with the hardy inhabitants of the remotest corners of the earth, this adrenaline-filled tale chronicle's one man's unrelenting desire to push the boundaries of what is humanly possible. “This voyage has its share of death-defying episodes . . .but it's also filled with charming interludes. Through all of these adventures, Horn reflects on why he feels compelled to push himself to such limits. ‘It was inside myself that I took a long, long walk,' he says. Readers will be grateful to share his experiences vicariously.” ― Publisher’s Weekly In August 2002, Mike Horn set out on a mission that bordered on the impossible: to travel 12,000 miles around the globe at the Arctic Circle - alone, against all prevailing winds and currents, and without motorized transportation. Conquering the Impossible is the gripping account of Horn's gruelling 27-month expedition by sail and foot through extreme Arctic conditions that nearly cost him his life. Enduring temperatures as low as -95 degrees Fahrenheit, Horn battled hazards including trekking on tunstable ice that plunged him into frigid waters, encounters with polar bears so close that he felt their breath on his face, and a fire that destroyed all of his equipment and nearly burned him alive. From the hair-raising dangers that Horn faces alone to his amusing and inspiring encounters with the hardy inhabitants of the remotest corners of the earth, this adrenaline-filled tale chronicle's one man's unrelenting desire to push the boundaries of what is humanly possible. In August 2002, Mike Horn set out on a mission that bordered on the impossible: to travel 12,000 miles around the globe at the Arctic Circle - alone, against all prevailing winds and currents, and without motorized transportation. Conquering the Impossible is the gripping account of Horn's gruelling 27-month expedition by sail and foot through extreme Arctic conditions that nearly cost him his life. Enduring temperatures as low as -95 degrees Fahrenheit, Horn battled hazards including trekking on tunstable ice that plunged him into frigid waters, encounters with polar bears so close that he felt their breath on his face, and a fire that destroyed all of his equipment and nearly burned him alive. From the hair-raising dangers that Horn faces alone to his amusing and inspiring encounters with the hardy inhabitants of the remotest corners of the earth, this adrenaline-filled tale chronicle's one man's unrelenting desire to push the boundaries of what is humanly possible. Mike Horn , author of  Conquering the Impossible ,   is a modern-day adventurer whose previous expeditions include circumnavigating the globe at the equator. In 2006, he and Borge Ousland, his expedition partner, became the first two people ever to complete a solo journey to the North Pole entirely in winter. Born in South Africa, he lives with his family in Switzerland.