A composite account of the 1926 Svalberg to Alaska flight with Nobile, giving a fairly florid account of the expedition, avoiding most of the controversy it engendered. Obviously not much about reading in a crowded gondola, but there are a few things of interest:
p. 103, in a chapter on the Norge flight from Rome to Svalbard, written by Gustav Amundsen, a description of their quarters near Leningrad: On one wall hangs a paraffin lamp, yielding a feeble light, just enabling those sitting under it to read! The whole of our library consisted of two books, which one of us, whom I will not name, had commandeered from Consul Platou in Leningrad. I hope our worthy consul will forgive the culprit when he hears what a joy those two books were to us. I do not think, however, that he would care to have them returned, for a well-worn public library book would look brand-new compared with the rags we left!
p. 194, in a long chapter on navigation over the polar sea, written by H.J. Riiser-Larsen, there is mention of the almanacs used, i.e. the Nautical Almanac and the Norwegian Fishery Almanac (the only one with azimuths to 90°) and since they might have to overwinter there were almanacs for 1927 as well.
[A distinctly odd book for its multiple authorship, its poor organization, and its disingenuousness.]