Vagrant Viking; my life and adventures [Unknown Binding]

Peter Freuchen (Author)

Book Description

This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Unknown Binding
• ASIN: B00005X2PI
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,149,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing Adventure down to earth., April 26, 2002

By 

Alan Erkkila "Old Whig" (Brooklyn Center, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vagrant Viking; my life and adventures

Peter Freuchen, a Danish arctic adventurer, writes with the friendliest style you could possibly imagine while narrating absolutely harrowing adventures he experienced alone in arctic Greenland. He was the first man to cross the central glacier alone--eskimos didn't feel the need--yet the kindliness of his style makes you feel that you could have attempted the feat yourself. Maybe you could, now, with the help of his insights... and a few years in Thule with an eskimo wife. But his insights would be no less necessary after such experience.
Humans learn best from stories told by their loved ones, these stories will be useful to those who brave the arctic and you will love Peter Freuchen like a grandfather after reading this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Heroic adventure - life in the Arctic, September 6, 2008

By 

C. Bryan (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

There are few books like this one, high sprited autobiographies that have a new danger on every two pages. You will read of death, murder, cold, sleepless weeks, long journeys across ice fields, starvation, rescue, strange food, odd social customs, everlassting friendships.

Freuchen, a Dane, begins his tale at his childhood - and one is instantly captivated with his humor and adroit prose style. His story is interesting from the first page to the (all too soon) end of the book. Thankfully he has written others, so the joy of reading more continues.

As a young man, Freuchen makes his first trip to Greenland - and falls in love with the place and the people. The native people teach him there is humor in tragedy, survival in death, human dignity wherever there are humans. Sometimes a bear in the cave with you in the middle of a storm. Sometimes you freeze your foot off. Sometimes you are offered the wife of a friend, for a night - and then his other wife has a snit and one must spend another night in the igloo just to make amends. A great story.

That is the first 200 pages.

Then comes 200 pages of Freuchen's life as an author, trader, film actor, farmer, sailor, lecturer, journalist, world traveler and screen writer. This is interesting - but not as much so as the first half of the book.

Then comes the last seventy pages - and it really picks up. We see Freuchen as saboteur, spi, courier and refugee (also refugee helper). He and his family evade the Germans (WWII) and blow things up and hide people and get arrested and escape and have a harrowing time running guns here and there - hot stuff. The center section of this book lags in excitement, although the man's life is never dull.

He meets famous people (kings and notables). Named Thule Greenland.

Returning in old age to his adopted Greenland, Peter has last words with family and friends - lamenting the loss of primitive life in the arctic but rejoicing in the progress of mankind.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 50 YEARS AGO BUT STILL FRESH, April 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Vagrant Viking; my life and adventures

incredible book, much better than most fiction, really keeps one enthralled. the translation from the original danish by johan hambro is crisp and clear. the best part is the author wrote 4 more books all translated to english. they are eskimo, arctic adventure, it's all adventure, and the law of larion. together these 5 volumes represent a vast storehouse of true information about a part of the world few travel to. great reading too!