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Robert Young Pelton and Rory Nugent are kindred spirits. Nugent first made his name by crossing the Atlantic solo four and a half times—the “half” voyage inspiring the new book he’s now writing.

A boatbuilder, sailor, writer, and journalist, Nugent began with the perfection of open space—the union of wind, sail, boat, and sea—before steering toward darkness: African swamps, war’s deep shadows, vanishing traditions, and fragile human memory.

Pelton and Nugent explore pure adventure—the rewards, penalties, and balance between home and the unknown. They talk of McGuffins, curiosity, insanity, silence, and the tools of their trade: magazines, books, even typewriters.

Nugent’s work has appeared worldwide and in three acclaimed books: The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck (1991), Drums Along the Congo (1993), and Down at the Docks (2009). Born in New York in 1952, he studied history at Williams College, built radical boats, and at twenty-four became the youngest entrant in the Observer Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race. He completed four solo crossings; his fifth ended in shipwreck and rescue after five days adrift.

Turning from ocean risks, he hunted the possibly extinct pink-headed duck through India, tracked Mokele-mbembe in the Congo, and chased rare flora in Morocco. Water guided him down the Brahmaputra River, Nile, Uele River, and Sobat River; across the Great Western Erg and Great Sand Sea; and high into the Himalayas.

In 1992, Nugent shifted to journalism, covering war zones and failed states. He wrote for Spin and others, producing lauded series on the Sudanese civil war, the IRA, and the rise of radical Islam—including the widely read My Lunch with Osama bin Laden (Rolling Stone, 2001). After years in Iran and Iraq, he returned to the U.S. to chronicle America’s working class, resulting in Down at the Docks.

Today, Nugent continues writing on disappearance, survival, and the thin line between myth and reality—ever chasing what endures and what is vanishing.

More at www.rorynugent.com

Robert Young Pelton is a Canadian-American author, journalist, filmmaker, and adventurer known for his conflict reporting and for venturing alone into some of the world's most dangerous and remote areas to chronicle history-shaping events. His work often involves interviewing military and political figures in war zones and spending time embedded with various groups, including the Taliban, Northern Alliance, CIA operatives, al Qaeda, and Blackwater .
He has been present at numerous conflicts, from Ukraine to the the Battle of Grozny and from Qali Jangi in Afghanistan to the rebel siege of Monrovia in Liberia.
Pelton is the author of several books, most notably the New York Times bestselling guide, "The World's Most Dangerous Places," which provides information for navigating high-risk zones. He has also written "Come Back Alive," a survival guide, and his autobiography, "The Adventurist: My Life in Dangerous Places". His work includes feature stories for National Geographic, Men’s Journal, Foreign Policy and Vice. He has worked as a contributing editor for National Geographic Adventure and has worked for major media networks like Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, CBS's 60 Minutes, ABC Investigative Division, and CNN.
Pelton is also the founder of DPx Gear, a company that designs rugged survival tools and knives based on his field experiences.