A fictional biography of German meteorologist Alfred Wegener follows the groundbreaking scientist from his 1880 birth to his final Arctic exploration in 1930, discussing the offbeat scientific adventures and exploits that marked his life, from a record-breaking long-distance balloon flight in 1906, to his horrific experiences during World War I, to his struggle to defend his controversial theories. A haunting first novel based on the fascinating life of an Arctic explorer whose fearless pursuit of scientific discovery revolutionized our perception of the world. In his lifetime Alfred Wegener was a German meteorologist who was better known for his offbeat scientific adventures than for his now famous theory of continental drift. In this lushly imagined and beautifully written novel, Clare Dudman charts his life from his 1880 birth to his last daring Arctic exploration in 1930. Dudman vividly chronicles the key episodes that punctuated his life, such as his 1906 record-setting long-distance balloon flight; his several expeditions to Greenland; his passionate love for his wife; his investigations into meteorites, lunar craters, and the formation of raindrops; and his horrific experiences in the trenches of World War I. Dudman also tells of his struggle to defend his controversial theories, a struggle that forced him to leave all that he loved to make one final, fateful expedition to Greenland at the age of forty-nine. A passionate tale of obsession, endurance, courage, and love, this novel is a scintillating blend of science and history that is sure to appeal to readers of historical fiction and adventure narratives as well as to fans of Dava Sobel's successful histories.