Book excerpt: From the South Pole to the Sahara, women, as avidly as their male counterparts, have sought adventure around the globe. Not always accepted, more often than not these female explorers have had to struggle against restrictive societal mores in addition to the challenges presented by the deserts, mountains, and other wild places that beckoned to them. Women Who Dare: Women Explorers highlights the achievements of several extraordinary women, documenting their inspiring stories with dozens of historical photographs.