South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917 - Couverture souple

Shackleton Sir, Ernest Henry

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 1409930742 ISBN 13 : 9781409930747

Editeur : Dodo Press, 2009

Synopsis

In August of 1914 Sir Ernest Shackleton set out with a crew of twenty-eight aboard the ship 'Endurance' in an effort to become the first men to cross the vast Antarctic land mass. Their adventurous tale of exploration soon became a struggle for survival when the ship was enclosed by a sea of ice which slowly crushed it leaving them stranded in a barren icy wilderness. What would follow is one of the most gripping tales of heroism and survival in the face of almost certain death to have ever been told. Drawing upon the first-hand accounts of the men who lived to tell the tale, "South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition (1914-1917)" is a fascinating saga of polar exploration.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Shackleton's South is one of the great books of exploration. Written by a national hero, about what he called 'the last great journey on earth' - his Antarctic expedition in which his ship, the Endurance, was crushed by the ice, and he and his men made a 600-mile trek across ice and ocean to solid land. They then embarked on a 700-mile journey in an open boat to South Georgia, followed by an epic crossing of the uncharted mountains of that island. His account is superbly written, and the book has never ceased to enthral readers since it was first published in 1919.

Since that time, however, Shackleton's life - and his account of the expedition - have been dramatically revalued by scholars and biographers, and it emerges that South conceals much of the truth about his great feat. In this edition Peter King, who has examined the latest research on the entire episode, presents in his additional notes a much more detailed picture of what really occurred. The major defects in Shackleton's organisation, the inadequate finances, the lack of training provided for his crew in the handling of skis, sledges and dogs, Shackleton's personal problems (which were considerable), the failure to provide proper supplies of food - these and many other details are explained, and give a fascinating background to what remains a magnificent drama of leadership.

In addition, the book contains over a hundred beautifully produced photographs by Frank Hurley, the official photographer of the expedition as well as other contemporary illustrations. The explanatory captions, and the maps charting the course of the expedition, enable readers to follow Shackleton's account almost as it they were present themselves.

Biographie de l'auteur

Ernest Shackleton was born in 1874 and joined the merchant navy at 16. A passion for exploration led to him joining the Royal Geographic Society whilst still at sea and in 1901 he secured a place on Captain Scott's first Antarctic expedition. In 1907 he embarked on his own Antarctic mission and was knighted on his return to England. 7 years later, in his ship the Endurance, he set off on an attempt to cross the Antartic from one side, to the other. Although his ship was trapped and crushed in ice Shackleton made an incredible journey to rescue his men and returned home a hero.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Dodo Press
• Date d'édition: 2009
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 1409930742
• ISBN 13: 9781409930747
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 340
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible