Author of eight books, Edmonton native and University of Alberta graduate to share the extraordinary story behind the discovery and exploration of two historic polar expedition ships.
EDMONTON – November 10, 2026 – Canadian explorer, author and Royal Canadian Geographical Society President and CEO John Geiger is in Edmonton on Tuesday, November 10th to release of his latest book, Quest: Shackleton’s Last Ship and the End of the Heroic Age.
The book recounts the remarkable discovery of Quest, the final ship of legendary Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, in the Labrador Sea, and the subsequent expedition to survey the wrecks of both Quest and Terra Nova, the final ship of Captain Robert Falcon Scott.
Shackleton and Scott were colleagues, then rivals in the competition to be the first to discover the South Pole. Shackleton, the expedition leader known for always saving his crew did not attain the South Pole, while Scott did, but tragically died along with his team mates from hypothermia and exposure on the return trip.
In 2024, Geiger led the expedition that discovered Quest in the Labrador Sea. In the summer of 2026, he returned with a team assembled from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS) and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to survey both historic shipwrecks Quest and Terra Nova.
The expeditions brought together maritime history, modern exploration and advanced marine technology to investigate two vessels that played important roles in the history of polar exploration.
For Geiger, the Alberta visits also represent something of a homecoming. He grew up in Edmonton and graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in history.
An accomplished author, Geiger has written or co-written eight books, including the acclaimed Frozen in Time, which explores the gravesites of three sailors who died during Sir John Franklin’s ill-fated Arctic expedition. Franklin’s two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, disappeared during the expedition and their eventual discoveries renewed international interest in one of the great mysteries of Arctic exploration.
Readers and members of the public will have the opportunity to hear Geiger discuss the expeditions, the historical significance of the shipwrecks and the experience of bringing these remarkable stories to life.
Event details:
Tuesday, November 10, 2026
7:00 p.m. – Book Talk with John Geiger, Audrey’s Books
10702 Jasper Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John Geiger is President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and Canadian Geographic, Canada’s #1 paid magazine with a monthly reach of 4.6 million people. He is an internationally recognized author and explorer. Raised in Edmonton, he is a graduate of the University of Alberta, where he studied history.
His latest book, Quest: Shackleton’s Last Ship and the End of the Heroic Age, recounts the discovery and survey of two historically significant polar exploration vessels and brings readers along on the remarkable expeditions that found them.
For information or interviews please contact:
Rosemary Thompson
Senior Vice President, External
Canadian Geographic
[email protected]
(613) 240-6739
