Peary

Much of the value of this biography of the discoverer of the North Pole lies in its access to hitherto unavailable personal documents, notably Peary's diary. The diary, often quoted here, gives final proof that Peary did in fact discover what he was searching for, and for which Congress awarded him its thanks and a retirement pension. However Peary's former surgeon, the affable Dr. Frederick Cook, had telegraphed to the world that he had discovered the Pole and had telegraphed this message five days before Peary reached a wireless to break the news. This frustration, after twenty three years…