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Title: The Endurance: Shackelton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander, Michael Tezla, Martin Ruben ISBN: 1-56511-418-3 Publisher: HighBridge Company Pub. Date: 30 June, 2000 Format: Audio CD Volumes: 5 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.74 (134 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Last Great Adventure of the Heroic Age
Comment: There's lots of books written on the subject of Shackleton's extraordinary journey to the Antarctic. None really captures all the vividness and resilience of Caroline Alexander's, 'The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition.' She presents the astonishing work of Australian photographer Frank Hurley whose never-before-published visual record of the adventure recreates the terrible beauty of the Antarctic, the destruction of the ship Endurance and the heroic crew's daily struggle to stay alive with the miraculous, inspiring leadership of Sir Ernest Shackleton. The survival of Hurley's awesome images are scarcely less miraculous. The original glass plate negatives are excellently reproduced. They were stored in sealed canisters that survived months of ice floes, in open boat of the polar seas and buried in the snows of a rocky outcrop called Elephant Island. In the final footage of the expedition Hurley had to abandon his professional equipment and with a pocket camera and three rolls of Kodak film captured some of the most unforgettable images of the thrilling struggle. The expedition began in August 1914 before the outbreak of the first World War. Renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven set sail on thier ship the "ENDURANCE" for the South Atlantic from England in quest for the last unclaimed prize in history: the first crossing on foot of the Antarctic interior.
It was by 1915 the men sailed into the frozen waters of the Weddell Sea where the Endurance became trapped in the icy floes and further ice conditions brought the Endurance to a halt. With no dangerous beasts or indigenous natives to tackle the harsh conditions of a savage Antarctic would put to the test the limits of these heroic men for a long, grueling 22 months. Beginning in 1914 and ending in 1917 the Endurance expedition is said to be the last in the Heroic Age of polar expedition. Most is owed to Shackleton's greatness in leadership and insane suffering of his earlier Antarctic experiences. Shackleton was the son of a physician, born near Ballitore, Co. Kildare, Ireland, lived briefly in Dublin as a child before his family moved permanently to England. At age sixteen soon began his life in the navy with romantic ambition took to exploration that appealed to his aspiration. Leading up to the fateful expedition, Shackleton had acquired the use of sixty-nine Canadian sledging dogs to aid in the journey. The dogs were not huskies but mixed collection of big dogs. These tough, brave animals helped the men across the icy terrain to their goal-the South Pole. Hurley writes of them in his book, 'Argonauts of the South.' Sadly, as the years of the expediton grew harsh the toll not only weaken the men but their canine companions. When food was scarce the men had to make grisly accommodations for their survival. Some of the members kept diaries of these unpleasant experiences. Every page you will hold your breathe to what will happen next to the end of the successful rescue by the "Yelcho"-not a life lost and yet been through Hell. This was an excellent and thrilling story that will probably never happen again in our lifetime as one of the last greatest adventures.
Rating: 4
Summary: Enduring photographs bring epic adventure into focus
Comment: Caroline Alexander brings a wealth of information into this "last of heroic Antarctic adventures". What sets this book apart from the several others written on this subject is the broad scope of details provided. Each of the 28 characters are individually described in the beginning although for the most part the majority have a collective role in the success of the expedition. Yes success, as in 28 start, 28 survive. It really is hard to go wrong with such a great story. By focusing on the ship's cat Caroline comes dangerously close. The collection of the thoughts from members diaries brings the gravity of their situation to a level the reader can feel and fear. The book itself is beautifully printed, the numerous photographs hit the highlights the trip and are captioned in detail. Where Alfred Lansing's book ends on a romanticized high note, Caroline Alexander goes on to detail the fates of the mates after the expedition. Needless to say such a journey is the high water mark for displaying character in the most oppressive of situations. My advice is to buy it for your coffee table, for it is a beautiful book, but read Alfred Lansing's' Endurance accompanied by the Nov. 1998 National Geographic article (by Ms. Alexander) which includes the Frank Hurley photographs.
Rating: 5
Summary: Don't Pass this one up!
Comment: A REAL story told REALLY well.
I listened to it on tape. One of my top five favorite books of all time. I would not have found it if my librarian hadn't suggested it. Couldn't put it down - If you are a man (or woman) in search of true adventure from days gone by then this is the book for you. This insanely difficult journey reveals the true character and spirit of these men in their effort just to stay alive. It feels like you are almost there with them, but glad that you aren't.
A true vision quest.
Buy it-
Read it -
Then give it to a friend - It's that GOOD!
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Title: The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty by Caroline Alexander ISBN: 067003133X Publisher: Viking Press Pub. Date: 15 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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Title: Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing ISBN: 078670621X Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: April, 1999 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title:The Endurance - Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition ASIN: B0000A7W16 Publisher: Columbia Tristar Hom Pub. Date: 02 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $17.36 |
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Title:Shackleton - The Greatest Survival Story of All Time (3-Disc Collector's Edition) ASIN: B000063TON Publisher: A & E Home Video Pub. Date: 09 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $12.97 |
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Title: South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage by Sir Ernest Shackleton, Ernest Henry Shackleton ISBN: 0786705973 Publisher: Carroll & Graf Pub. Date: September, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
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