A justly famous tale of survival against great odds, and on inspiring leadership. This is on my "life list" of favorites.

posted Jan 15, 2009 at 10:33AM

A justly famous tale of survival against great odds, and of inspiring leadership. This is on my "life list" of favorites.

posted Jan 15, 2009 at 10:34AM

In 1914, Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition left port for the South Pole. Led by renowned polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, this crew of twenty-seven men lived aboard the Endurance, a fine ship specially made to withstand the heavy iceberg-filled seas of the southern hemisphere. Their goal was to be the first men to cross Antarctica on foot, a final accomplishment to cement Britain’s reputation and to boost moral when World War I was fast approaching. They didn’t make it. The ice-cold seas of the south closed in and froze solid around the Endurance, eventually crushing the ship to splinters and leaving the crew adrift on the ice floes—until the weather got warmer, and the ice started to melt. Even if the crew reached land, they were still thousands of miles from even the most remote outpost of civilization—with only a couple of barely sea-worthy life boats to their names. Author Caroline Alexander brilliantly re-creates Shackleton’s journey through historical accounts, first-hand accounts from journals and expedition records, and lots and lots of striking photographs (previously unpublished) taken by ship’s photographer Frank Hurley. All the crew members emerge fully-fledged, with personalities, strengths, and weaknesses that make them entirely real characters with whom readers will feel a true camaraderie and sense of adventure.

posted Dec 14, 2009 at 2:22PM

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