Robert Michael Ballantyne (1825–1894) was a Scottish writer whose works have become classics of adventure literature. While working in Canada for the Hudson''s Bay Company, he witnessed the harsh life of settlers and clashes with the indigenous population. These impressions formed the basis of his first autobiographical book, Life in the Wilds of North America (1842), after which Ballantyne devoted himself entirely to literature.This edition contains his two most famous novels. The Ice World tells the story of a young sailor, Fred Ellis, who sets out to find his missing father by joining the crew of a whaling ship. They face the test of an icy wasteland, where nature becomes their main enemy.The Coral Island is Ballantyne''s most famous book, which inspired many subsequent authors. Three young Englishmen find themselves on an uninhabited island in the Pacific Ocean after a shipwreck. They must learn to survive, confront the dangers of the wild, and confront the cruel side of human nature. This story of courage, friendship, and fortitude continues to captivate readers around the world.