The book is in two sections: explorers by land and explorers by sea and covers the lives of some of the less well-known explorers who lived lives of 'extraordinary romance'. The explorers include Chang K'ien, Hans Schiltberger, Joan Fernandez, Ulrich Schmiedel, Bertram Thomas, Rub' Al Khali, Pytheas, Will Adams, William Dampier, La Perouse, Mary Kingsley, and Ferdinand Pinto.