When the transatlantic cable broke, young Kennan was sent to build one across Siberia starting from Kamchatka. No one had ever been to these places before.

To succeed, he had to go into business. Reindeer were the currency of choice. Dogs were needed to pull sleds across the tundra. Each dog ate a salmon a day.

It is all fascinating, and he is a great writer. This book was a best-seller when he returned to the USA.