This wonderful tale of physical and intellectual adventure details the development of the ANSMET (Antarctic Search for Meteorites) program of meteorite collection in Antarctica and its importance for planetary science. Starting from the chance discovery by Japanese glaciologists of several different types of meteorites in a limited field area of Antarctica, Cassidy describes the flash of insight that led to his conviction that Antarctica must be a place where many meteorites could be found. His basic idea was that it was wildly improbable to find different meteorites in a limited area unless there was a concentration mechanism at work. The subsequent discovery of several hundred meteorite samples by another Japanese team proved the point.

Alas, insights are not always easily shared. The initial rejection of his proposal to test his idea serves as a most useful lesson to young scientists everywhere – don't be discouraged by initial rejection of your new ideas, persist!

Initially undertaken as a joint Japanese–American effort, the national programs eventually diverged. The work directed by Cassidy matured into the highly successful ANSMET program that has become an integral part of the NSF's (National Science Foundation) polar research program.

I had the good fortune to participate in two ANSMET field seasons and believe that ANSMET is organized in just the right way. It need not have been thus.