One Step at a Time

Walking

AN ODE TO WALKING FROM ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING EXPLORERS AND THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF SILENCE 
 
'Erling Kagge is a philosophical adventurer - or perhaps an adventurous philosopher' New York Times 
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'After having put my shoes on and let my thoughts wander, I am sure of one thing - to put one foot in front of the other is one of the most important things we do.' 
 
From those perilous first steps as a toddler, to great expeditions, from walking to work to trekking to the North Pole, Erling Kagge explains that he who walks goes further and lives better. 
 
Walking is a book about the love of exploration, the delight of discovery and the equilibrium that can be found in this most simple of activities. 
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'If you are a walker this book will resonate with you, if you have seldom or never walked this book should be compulsory reading' Rosamund Young 
 
'A thought-proving and enjoyable book that revels in seeing the global in the local. Erling Kagge reveals new ways to view home and homo sapiens, and, as he travels leisurely, we grow slowly wiser' Tristan Gooley 
 
'Part rumination, part walking coach and companion . . . and one that might just do more for your health and happiness than your treadmill alone ever could' New York Journal of Books 
 
'A thoughtful book-length essay on a taken-for-granted human activity' Kirkus 
 
'[Walking is] much more subtle than a typical self-help . . . Erling Kagge uses his acquaintance with extreme environments to reflect on the mental and physical benefits of walking' Economist

A thought-proving and enjoyable book that revels in seeing the global in the local. Erling Kagge reveals new ways to view home and homo sapiens, and, as he travels leisurely, we grow slowly wiser.

Tristan Gooley, author of 'The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs'

'If you are a walker this book will resonate with you, if you have seldom or never walked this book should be compulsory reading'

Rosamund Young, author of 'The Secret Life of Cows'

Erling Kagge is a philosophical adventurer - or perhaps an adventurous philosopher

A thoughtful book-length essay on a taken-for-granted human activity.

[Walking is] much more subtle than a typical self-help . . . Erling Kagge uses his acquaintance with extreme environments to reflect on the mental and physical benefits of walking

Part rumination, part walking coach and companion . . . and one that might just do more for your health and happiness than your treadmill alone ever could

Drawing on the experiences of Kagge's extraordinary life in wild places, this is a book of great concentration

Erling Kagge is a Norwegian explorer who was the first in history to reach the 'three poles' - North, South and the summit of Everest. He now lives in Oslo where he runs a publishing house. He is the author of multiple books, including Silence, which is published in 38 languages, and Walking.

From the bestselling author of Silence comes an illuminating examination of the joy of walking. 
 
From those perilous first steps as a toddler, to great expeditions, from walking to work to trekking to the North Pole, Erling Kagge explains that he who walks goes further and lives better. 
 
Walking is a book about the love of exploration, the delight of discovery and the equilibrium that can be found in this most simple of activities.

An Adventurer’s Guide to Surviving Winter

Philosophy for Polar Explorers

'Erling Kagge transforms and consoles us' Alain de Botton 
 ____________________________ 
 
Surviving extreme conditions can teach us to lead a fulfilled life. No one knows this better than Erling Kagge, who was the first man in history to reach all of the Earth's poles by foot - the North, the South, and the summit of Everest. In Philosophy for Polar Explorers he brings together the wisdom and expertise he has gained from the expeditions that have taken him to the limits of the earth, and of human endurance. 
 
In sixteen meditative but practical lessons - from cultivating an optimistic outlook, to getting up at the right time, to learning to take pleasure in the small things and comfort in solitude - Erling Kagge reveals what survival in the most extreme conditions can teach us about how to lead a meaningful life. Wherever we may be headed. 
 ____________________________ 
 
'His wisdom will soothe and awaken' Fearne Cotton 
 
'A delightful book that explores the strange land between getting out of bed in the morning and reaching for the moon Tristan Gooley 
 
'A wonderfully deft Swiss army knife of a book' Dan Richards 
 
'As an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted' Sir Ranulph Fiennes 
 
 'Erling Kagge is a philosophical adventurer - or perhaps an adventurous philosopher' The New York Times 
 
'An author for our noisy times, full of a rare and deeply redemptive languor and perspective' Alain de Botton

An author for our noisy times, full of a rare and deeply redemptive languor and perspective

A wonderfully deft Swiss army knife of a book. One really feels the hard won wisdom at the book's heart, the graft and nouse of life lived in arctic extremis. Kagge's preternatural energy, warmth and sagacity shine - a cool-headed polar philosopher to treasure!

A delightful book that explores the strange land between getting out of bed in the morning and reaching for the moon

As an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted

Essential survival and life lessons from polar explorer

Silence braces a space within which we can hear ourselves think. Quietly, wisely, it makes a case for dumbing the din of modern life, and learning to listen again. Drawing on the experiences of Kagge's extraordinary life in wild places, this is a book of great concentration

The secret to a good life, seen from the ice, is to keep your joys simple. 
 
Erling Kagge was the first man in history to reach all of the Earth's poles by foot - the North, the South, and the summit of Everest. In Philosophy for Polar Explorers he brings together the wisdom and expertise he has gained from the expeditions that have taken him to the limits of the earth, and of human endurance. 
 
This is the essential guide to the art of exploration. In sixteen meditative but practical lessons - from cultivating an optimistic outlook, to getting up at the right time, to learning to find focus and comfort in solitude - Erling Kagge reveals what survival in the most extreme conditions can teach us about how to lead a meaningful life. Wherever we may be headed.

In the Age of Noise

Silence

From the Norwegian explorer, a stunning meditation on the power of embracing silence 
 
An author for our noisy times, full of a rare and deeply redemptive languor and perspective' Alain de Botton 
____________________________________________________________________ 
 
Behind a cacophony of traffic noise, iPhone alerts and our ever-spinning thoughts, an elusive notion - silence - lies in wait. But what really is silence? Where can it be found? And why is it more important now than ever? 
 
Erling Kagge, the Norwegian adventurer and polymath, once spent fifty days walking solo in Antarctica with a broken radio. In this meditative, charming and surprisingly powerful book, he explores the power of silence and the importance of shutting out the world. Whether you're in deep wilderness, taking a shower or on the dance floor, you can experience perfect stillness if you know where to look. And from it grows self-knowledge, gratitude, wonder and much more. 
 
Take a deep breath, and prepare to submerge yourself in Silence. Your own South Pole is out there, somewhere. 
 
____________________________________________________________________ 
 
'As an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted. This breathtaking, inspiring little book teaches us how to find precious moments of silence - whether we are crossing the Antarctic, climbing Everest, or on the train at rush hour' - Sir Ranulph Fiennes 
 
'Silence braces a space within which we can hear ourselves think. Quietly, wisely, it makes a case for dumbing the din of modern life, and learning to listen again. Drawing on the experiences of Kagge's extraordinary life in wild places, this is a book of great concentration' - Robert Macfarlane 
 
'Erling Kagge is a philosophical adventurer - or perhaps an adventurous philosopher' - New York Times

As an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted. This breathtaking, inspiring little book teaches us how to find precious moments of silence - whether we are crossing the Antarctic, climbing Everest, or on the train at rush hour

Silence braces a space within which we can hear ourselves think. Quietly, wisely, it makes a case for dumbing the din of modern life, and learning to listen again. Drawing on the experiences of Kagge's extraordinary life in wild places, this is a book of great concentration

Erling Kagge is a philosophical adventurer - or perhaps an adventurous philosopher

A breathtakingly beautiful, quietly life-changing book by the Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge, that shows us how to find perfect silence in our daily lives - however busy we are

Behind a cacophony of traffic noise, iPhone alerts and our ever-spinning thoughts, an elusive notion - silence - lies in wait. But what really is silence? Where can it be found? And why is it more important now than ever? 
 
Erling Kagge, the Norwegian adventurer and polymath, once spent fifty days walking solo in Antarctica with a broken radio. In this meditative, charming and surprisingly powerful book, he explores the power of silence and the importance of shutting out the world. Whether you're in deep wilderness, taking a shower or on the dance floor, you can experience perfect stillness if you know where to look. And from it grows self-knowledge, gratitude, wonder and much more. 
 
Take a deep breath, and prepare to submerge yourself in Silence. Your own South Pole is out there, somewhere.

The History of an Obsession

The North Pole

'An extraordinary book that defies genre: an elegant travel account, a learned history and a psychological thriller wrapped in one' ANNE APPLEBAUM 
 
‘Erling Kagge is a deeply thoughtful writer . . . The North Pole proves to be the perfect subject for him’ MICHAEL PALIN 
 
Throughout recorded human time, few places on Earth have inspired as much fascination as the North Pole. This is an otherworldly place with no latitude and no longitude, a place where the sun rises and stays aloft for six months before setting, plunging the expanse of ice and water into darkness for half a year. 
 
Long before we ever journeyed to the North Pole, human beings have wondered what the northernmost point of our planet might be like. It became densely mythologised by writers, thinkers, historians and philosophers across civilisations. Perhaps it was the actual garden of Eden? Or the sunny land of the Hyperboreans, as Herodotus surmised? Only recently did we get to the North Pole – fending off scurvy, polar bears and frostbite – to report on its strange wonders. 
 
Norwegian adventurer, philosopher and acclaimed author Erling Kagge ventured to the North Pole in 1990. Blending memoir from that intrepid journey, along with history, philosophy and a stark warning about melting ice, comes a profound meditation about nature and our place within it. The North Pole is for anyone who’s gazed out at the horizon – and wondered what happens if you keep walking. 
 
'A philosophical adventurer or perhaps an adventurous philosopher' NEW YORK TIMES 
 
‘Erling Kagge transforms and consoles us’ ALAIN DE BOTTON 
 
'As an explorer Erling Kagge is world class; as a writer he is equally gifted’ SIR RANULPH FIENNES

Erling Kagge’s decades-long obsession with the North Pole has produced an extraordinary book that defies genre: an elegant travel account, a learned history and a psychological thriller wrapped in one. He evokes the “silver-shining vacantness” of the North Pole like no one else could

Erling Kagge is a deeply thoughtful writer who has a strong and very individual style. The North Pole proves to be the perfect subject for him

A dazzling book - soulful, awe-inspiring, and deeply thought-provoking. Erling Kagge takes readers on a journey they’ll never forget

Jonathan Eig, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of King: A Life

Erling Kagge transforms and consoles us

A philosophical adventurer or perhaps an adventurous philosopher

An electrifying memoir of a daring journey through Earth’s most unforgiving landscapes. Intrepid explorer and philosopher Erling Kagge masterfully intertwines the adrenaline of his 58-day ski trek to the apex of the world with captivating lore, forgotten histories of past expeditions to the frozen unknown, and profound reflections on survival and our planet's fragility. A bouillabaisse of pure delight.

Laurie Gwen Shapiro, author of The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica

A distinctive, thoughtful, and quietly moving work by that rarest of creatures, a genuine philosopher-explorer. Erling Kagge in this gem of a book demonstrates how the North Pole has served as a container of countless human hopes, dreams, and sorrows—including his own

Darrell Hartman, author of Battle of Ink and Ice

This book is a deeply affecting odyssey through time and space, as we footstep with Erling Kagge to the North Pole, alongside all the crazed, idealistic, inspiring individuals who attempted to get there over the centuries. This book is the perfect guide if you know you will never make it there yourself

Erling Kagge is an extraordinary individual. He is an adventurer in the true sense of the word, exploring his curiosity with physical and intellectual and creative capabilities, all of which are prodigious, and fully engaging the reader in his adventures. They tend to leave us in wonder, while conveying a curious stoicism, as he invites you to join him on the journeys, experience the frightening dangers and profound sights, share the often sheer craziness, executed with sublime daring, skill, and even wry humor, that make the read chilling. At the conclusion of a Kagge read, I usually note my hands are sweating

  Bob Shaye, Founder of New Line Cinema 

Throughout recorded human time, few places on Earth have inspired as much fascination as the North Pole. This is an otherworldly place with no latitude and no longitude, a place where the sun rises and stays aloft for six months before setting, plunging the expanse of ice and water into darkness for half a year. 
 
Long before we ever journeyed to the North Pole, human beings have wondered what the northernmost point of our planet might be like. It became densely mythologised by writers, thinkers, historians and philosophers across civilisations. Perhaps it was the actual garden of Eden? Or the sunny land of the Hyperboreans, as Herodotus surmised? Only recently did we get to the North Pole – fending off scurvy, polar bears and frostbite – to report on its strange wonders. 
 
Norwegian adventurer, philosopher and acclaimed author Erling Kagge ventured to the North Pole in 1990. Blending memoir from that intrepid journey, along with history, philosophy and a stark warning about melting ice, comes a profound meditation about nature and our place within it. The North Pole is for anyone who’s gazed out at the horizon – and wondered what happens if you keep walking.

Erling Kagge

16 Life-lessons from Surviving the Extreme

Surviving extreme conditions can teach us to lead a fulfilled life. No one knows this better than Erling Kagge, who was the first man in history to reach all of the Earth's poles by foot - the North, the South, and the summit of Everest. In Philosophy for Polar Explorers he brings together the wisdom and expertise he has gained from the expeditions that have taken him to the limits of the earth, and of human endurance. 
 
In sixteen meditative but practical lessons - from cultivating an optimistic outlook, to getting up at the right time, to learning to take pleasure in the small things and comfort in solitude - Erling Kagge reveals what survival in the most extreme conditions can teach us about how to lead a meaningful life. Wherever we may be headed.

Erling Kagge

The Philosophy of an Explorer

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