In August 1914, explorer Ernest Shackleton and his crew set sail from England for Antarctica, where Shackleton hoped to be the first man to cross the uncharted continent on foot. Five months later, the Endurance—just a day's sail short of its destination—became locked in an island of ice, and its destiny and men became locked in history. For ten months the ice-moored Endurance drifted until it was finally crushed, and Shackleton and his men drifting on ice packs, were castaways in one of the most savage regions of the world.
Lansing describes how the men survived a 1,000-mile voyage in an open boat across the stormiest ocean on the globe and an overland trek through forbidding glaciers and mountains. The book recounts a harrowing adventure, but ultimately it is the nobility of these men and their indefatigable will that shines through.
Inspired by the ordeal that Time magazine said "defined heroism," author Alfred Lansing conducted interviews with the crew's surviving members and pored over diaries and personal accounts to create his bestselling book on the miraculous voyage.
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"Heroic is not a big enough word to describe this story of survival when everything--literally everything--goes wrong in one of the most unforgiving environments on earth. My only complaint is that reading this book made it harder for me to feel sorry for myself when I had a cold. " — Greg (5 out of 5 stars)
"Heroic is not a big enough word to describe this story of survival when everything--literally everything--goes wrong in one of the most unforgiving environments on earth. My only complaint is that reading this book made it harder for me to feel sorry for myself when I had a cold. "
“Grit in the face of seemingly insurmountable adversity.”
“One of the great adventure stories of our time.”
“After hearing Endurance, mismatched socks and traffic snarls suddenly don’t seem quite so terrible.”
“One of the most gripping, suspenseful, intense stories anyone will ever read.”
“The publishers couldn’t have found a better reader than Tim Pigott-Smith. His accent and low-key approach vibrate with subtle emotional strain as he takes us through the week-by-week, month-by-month ordeal, exuding an intensity that keeps the listener on the edge of the seat.”
“The demand for good true adventure is insatiable—and here is a good candidate…an absorbing account of Ernest Shackleton’s third expedition to Antarctica…adventure handled with professional deftness.”
“Without a doubt this painstakingly written authentic adventure story will rank as one of the classic tales of the heroic age of exploration.”
“Forget other audios on the expedition—this is the definitive.”
" Not hooked yet, waiting to see what happens. "
" powerful saga. great book for managers and aspiring ones. i use in my classroom often. "
" Absolutely amazing story, everybody should read this! Dan and I read it out loud and we couldn't put it down. The author does a really good job telling the story. "
" Even the repeated cycle of surviving each day can become mundane, but for the most part, Endurance successfully drags the reader through the suspenseful account of a true story. "
" I sat on my porch and cried as I finished this book! An amazing story of friendship, teamwork and survival. Beautiful. "
" One of the best 2 or 3 books I've ever read. "
" gripping. good to read in hot weather. "
" a truly incredible story, and the leader actually worked his ass off to bring his crew back. "
" Wow! What a great story. A case where real life is stranger than fiction. "
" wow. not the best book ever written, but truly an incredible story!! i kept reading b/c i needed to know how it ended. it's a testament to mans will to survive. "
" Got a little boring after a while... Just glad I'm not trapped at the South Pole, I guess. "
Alfred Lansing (1921–1975), a native of Chicago, was a journalist and writer. After serving in the US Navy, he majored in journalism at Northwestern University, edited a weekly newspaper until 1949, then joined the United Press, and in 1952 became a freelance writer. He is best known for his book Endurance, an account of Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic explorations. In researching the book, he interviewed ten of the expedition’s surviving members and was granted access to the journals and personal diaries of eight others in order to get a more complete view of the expedition.
Tim Pigott-Smith is an award-winning English actor of film, television, and stage and an audiobook narrator. He has narrated several notable television documentaries, including Crimes That Shook the World. He has won two AudioFile Earphones Awards, for The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyesvky. He was a three-time finalist for the 2006 Audie Award for Best Original Work for the three-part Eyewitness series by Joanna Burke. His film career includes roles in major motion pictures, including V for Vendetta, Quantum of Solace, The Remains of the Day, Gangs of New York, and more. His numerous television credits include Downton Abbey, The Jewel in the Crown, and North and South. He is also a noted radio actor, appearing in many productions on BBC Radio 4, and a regular stage actor in Shakespearean and Greek roles.
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