In August 1914, renowned explorer Ernest Shackleton and a crew of twenty-seven set sail for the South Atlantic in pursuit of the last unclaimed prize in the history of exploration: the first crossing on foot of the Antarctic continent. They came with in eighty-five miles of their destination when their ship, Endurance, was trapped fast in the ice pack, and the crew was stranded on the floes. Their ordeal lasted for twenty grueling months, and the group made two near-fatal attempts to escape by open boat before they were finally rescued. Drawing upon previously unavailable sources, Caroline Alexander gives us a riveting account of Shackleton's expedition. An extraordinary re-creation of the terrible beauty of Antarctica, the awful destruction of the ship, and the crew's heroic daily struggle for survival, The Endurance thrillingly describes one of the last great adventures in the brave age of exploration—perhaps the greatest of them all.
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"If you haven't read this book you are missing out. I turn to this book all the time when I think I have things bad. A wonderful mix of journal entries and commentary. It is one of the most well rounded versions of the unbelievable Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1916. I suppose the one thing this book lacks that, Shackleton himself covers in his book South, is the story of the other boat involved in the trans-Antarctic crossing." — Andy (5 out of 5 stars)
"If you haven't read this book you are missing out. I turn to this book all the time when I think I have things bad. A wonderful mix of journal entries and commentary. It is one of the most well rounded versions of the unbelievable Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1916. I suppose the one thing this book lacks that, Shackleton himself covers in his book South, is the story of the other boat involved in the trans-Antarctic crossing."
" If I had the means, I'd visit the graves of all 28 men who set out on this journey to pay my respects. Their adventure is a remarkable story that I enjoyed reading, except for the parts where they ate their pets. (Numerous dogs, and a male cat named Mrs. Chippy- RIP) "
" I read this book in tandem with Alfred Lansing's "Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Journey," trying to pair up the chapters in corresponding blocks and going back and forth. I would highly recommend reading both books, especially in this fashion. Both books have different view points and prejudices. And Alexander's inclusion of spectacular photographs should not be missed. "
" Read this edition with the pictures. It's an amazing story about amazing men and their characters are astounding. "
" Amazing story of survival and perseverence. "
" Great book! I love stories of Polar expeditions. This story is incredible! "
" Moving account of an amazing expedition. The story is so thrilling that I didn't particularly care that they didn't achieve their goal of traversing Antarctica. Well-written, enjoyable read. "
" ...What men they were - the epitome of humanity & their integrity for the team. "
" This is an amazing story of human survival; some have said it's the GREATEST story of human survival. And I think that just has to be true. "
" My husband loved this. I thought it was really good. Amazing stories and the pictures made it. Truth can be unreal. "
" One of the better adventure books written...what these men endured is truly remarkable. The pictures in the book are a nice touch and add to the feeling of the whole event. "
" Lots of photos and supplement to "South." "
" This is probably one of the most famous adventures that turns into a mere struggle for survival. The writing is descriptive and it is just an excellent story - highly recommended! "
" the story is amazing...the telling was a little bit disappointing "
" The photography in this book is beautiful. "
" Such an exciting story! "
" I enjoyed this book and love the story of Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition. This book has a great story though it does not flow well while reading. I enjoyed the photo's in this book it makes the ice and there situation more surreal. Great book! "
" Excellent with original pictures making the adventure even more real. "
" Great account of the Shackleton expedition, stuck in ice in Antarctica, just before World War One, and how they all survived. "
" Excellent re-telling of the Shackleford Antarctic expedition. Good photographs. "
" i have both hard and soft cover. the hard for reading, the soft for cutting out the images for my walls. "
" Well, so far, it's overwritten and a little too self-conscious for history, but the photographs are wonderful, and the telling of the story didn't detract from the story itself. "
" A great read for understanding what Shackleton's expedition went through. The pictures alone make the book worthwhile, but I also found it very readable. "
" This is an incredible story of men who persevered through some of the harshest conditions imaginable. "
" They tell you the end in the beginning... and it actually makes the story all the more fascinating. This is one story I have thought about often for years. Pretty much every time I go out in the snow. Great story. "
" Another great survival story. Loved it. "
" This was an amazing book. I usually have a hard time reading historical books but there were fascinating pictures that helped keep my anticipation going. What an awesome adventure to have taken place so long ago. "
" Great story, I'd heard bits and pieces of Shackleton's expedition before. Its amazing no one died and is a testament to his leadership and their toughness.. "
" Excellent account of a epic journey to the Antarctic, a real page turner. "
" I really enjoyed this history with photos. What a story! "
" Not quite as good as Jennifer Armstrong's, Shipwrecked at the Bottom of the World. Both books are laden with many of the same photos. Excellent story. "
" Survival & adventure! I felt guilty reading this on the beach... "
" Amazing story of courage and perserverence through seemingly insurmountable obstacles. An inspirational true story, and a great show of character during Shackleton's "failure." "
" Amazing, super-interesting book. Even more amazing were the pics that really helped show the story. "
" The pictures are amazing and the harrowing story is told with clarity. The author especially gives a good feel for the men and their personalities. "
" The Photos are amazing...so glad he went back for the negatives "
" A worthy read yet somewhat disjointed in prose. I did enjoy that the author included a good deal concerning the mechanics of life. I like Alfred's version better. "
" Whenever I have a problem I think of this book & then I don't feel so bad. "
Caroline Alexander has written for the New Yorker, Granta, Condé Nast Traveler, Smithsonian, Outside, and National Geographic and is the author of several books. She is the curator of “Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Expedition,” an exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History.
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