We have always sought to explore the unknown. There have always been men who want to be the first to be somewhere, the first to do something. The spirit of adventure runs strong with some – too strong to ignore and so strong as to lead to truly astonishing accomplishments.

In “The White Darkness” (Doubleday, $20), author David Grann offers up the story of one such man, a man whose lifelong affinity for the idea of polar exploration and the men who pioneered it led him to become a polar explorer himself. His devotion led to incredible feats, Antarctic adventures the likes of which we hadn’t seen in nearly a century.

The book – which sprang from an article Grann had written for the New Yorker – tells a tale both gritty and uplifting. It’s a story of how we might share the triumphs of the past while pushing forward along our own paths.

Autumn is most definitely upon us. The leaves have undergone their chromatic transformation and largely fallen from the trees. The warm winds of summer have given way to the chilly breezes of fall; even days with above-average temperatures have a bite in the air.

And of course, as October comes to an end, we come to Halloween.

While the celebration of the holiday has certainly expanded well beyond the day itself, with events taking place throughout much of October, these last few days will see a particular flurry of fantastic and frightening events leading up to the 31st.

Bangor has plenty going on in this lead-up to Halloween. There are interesting events taking place a bit farther afield as well. Here are just a few of those happenings from both near and far.