Today, in 1909, Commander Robert E. Peary reached the North Pole!

I am trying to figure out where I can get my hands on the other 22 volumes of The Pocket University readings, either digitally or in crappy old book form.

LibraryThing has the complete list:

I’ve clicked on a few, including the one containing today’s GDR, and get nothing. Part of the issue is that there are multiple editors and apparently no series editor.

Bookfinder probably has them all, but each shows up as a separate entry under the editor’s name, or “author not set.” The volume I’m looking for today is The Pocket University Volume XVI.Part 1. Autobiography,Greatest Americans. Only one search result. $22. Others have more hits, but are generally similarly priced. It is not in my nature to spend 22 X ~$20 for some crappy old books.

Enough about me & my woes.

As I cannot find today’s Daily Reading, “At the North Pole” by Peary himself, we will turn to a Dear Old Friend, Our Wonder World: A Library of Knowledge in Ten Volumes Volumes Four Exploration, Adventure, and Achievement (1914) for …

Holy Moly! In 1893, Mrs. Peary gave birth to their daughter, Marie Ahnightio Peary at the headquarters Peary had established at Bowdoin Bay.

Mrs. Peary, it should be said, was as devoted as her husband, and he owed much to her willingness to share in privations which few women have under gone.

Isn’t that most always how it goes? He & She.* Except for you slackers that cannot form pair bonds. But then, you slackers never staked a portion of a satin American Flag at the North Pole, did ya.

*No apologies to our– that would be Mr. Big Food’s and mine– same sex couple friends. You are not slackers, IMHO. Pair bonds & all.