Book excerpt: Throughout history there have been brave men and women who dared to go where few had gone before. They broke new ground by drawing on incredible reserves of courage, fortitude and intelligence in the face of terrible adversity. Their endeavors changed the world and inspired generations. Spanning several centuries and united by the common theme of the resilience of the human spirit, this is the ultimate collection of the stories of the intrepid explorers who forged new frontiers across land, sea, skies and space. The 50 incredible journeys include Tenzing and Hillary's conquest of Everest; Neil Armstrong's giant leap; Christopher Columbus' new world; Amelia Earhart flying the Atlantic; gold fever in the Yukon; and the hunt for a man-eating leopard in India. Great Expeditions includes not only some of the most famous journeys in history but also introduces many more that ought to be more widely recognized and celebrated.