Amazon.com
Just about every other person in the world seems like an unfocused dilettante compared to long-distance swimming legend Lynne Cox. Soon At the age of 14, after several years of training hard in pools and the open sea, she was swimming the 26 mile stretch from Catalina Island to the coast of California. A year after that, she surpassed a lifelong goal by not only swimming the English Channel but setting a new men's and women's record in the process. Rather than be satisfied, Cox aimed still higher, conquering the Cook Strait in New Zealand, the Strait of Magellan and, the Cape of Good Hope, none of which had been swum before. Being the first to swim the Bering Sea from Alaska to what was then the Soviet Union is perhaps Cox's most impressive achievement, requiring a phenomenal amount of physical strength and endurance to withstand the chilly waters and diplomatic persistence to gain permission from Gorbachev during the Cold War. Swimming to Antarctica is Cox's remarkably detailed account of her major swims and all that went right and wrong with them. While there are plenty of highs, as one might expect in a memoir by so impressive an athlete, all is not sunshine and roses for Cox. She overcomes extreme physical hardship, predatory sharks, and a swim through a sewage-soaked Nile while suffering from dysentery. There is plenty in Swimming to Antarctica to encourage even non-swimmers to work hard to achieve the seemingly impossible, but Cox, a skilled and highly readable writer, sticks to the swimming, leading the reader by example. For thrills and inspiration, it's hard to find anyone better than Lynne Cox. --John Moe
Book Description
Now in paperback, with photos and maps added especially for this new edition, here is the acclaimed life story of a woman whose drive and determination inspire everyone she touches.
Lynne Cox started swimming almost as soon as she could walk. By age sixteen, she had broken all records for swimming the English Channel. Her daring eventually led her to the Bering Strait, where she swam five miles in thirty-eight-degree water in just a swimsuit, cap, and goggles. In between those accomplishments, she became the first to swim the Strait of Magellan, narrowly escaped a shark attack off the Cape of Good Hope, and was cheered across the twenty-mile Cook Strait of New Zealand by dolphins. She even swam a mile in the Antarctic.
Lynne writes the same way she swims, with indefatigable spirit and joy, and shares the beauty of her time in the water with a poet's eye for detail. She has accomplished yet another feat--writing a new classic of sports memoir.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational!.......2007-09-09
This is not the type of book that I would normally read, but my book club was reading it. It was incredibly inspirational-- Lynne Cox is really amazing. It is a quick read, very enjoyable.
A Swimmer's Autobiography.......2007-04-12
Celebrate your passion for whatever it is in life you hold most dear. This tale of one woman's quest to swim various natural obstacles will captivate and inspire you.
Way more than Swimming tales. Helps The World.......2007-01-21
I note a couple of negative reviews. Perhaps those should read again. Sure seems like a wonderful woman and wonderful story. I have bought 11 copies so far and given it to close friends. I then saw Lynne Cox on 60 minutes "swimming to Antarctcica" just this Christmas. It and this book and she was the best Christmas present I have ever had. Good Work Lynne, keep it up.
eww.......2006-12-07
This is a story of dangerous swimming and umm more swimming in fact all there is is pretty much swimming.
I found the book sort of interesting but when LYNNE COX has to swim in Egypt, well lets just say its not a good book for squeemish readers. In all, the book's ok. The swimmer has to swim through many obsticles including icebergs. So in all I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.
P.S. For readers who do want to buy this book I would suggest that you borrow it from the library.
Great Book.......2006-03-05
Lynne Cox is very brave and her determination to succeed in every aspect of her life was very inspiring. She proves that when you have a passion for something and are willing to work for it, then nothing is out of reach. I really enjoyed this book not just because of that, but also because Lynn proves that she is just as skilled of a writer as she is a swimmer! She captures and holds your attention right to the end, describing in detail her life as a long-distance swimmer. The best way that I can explain it is that it was so good it was almost like reading fiction, if that makes sense.
I loved this book and I recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. You definitely don't have to love swimming to love this book, that's for sure. But I actually do love swimming and it inspires me to try my best at that when summer rolls around.
My only problem with the book is that I wish she hadn't wrote an autobiography so soon! I'm dying to read more!
Amazon.com
In the summer of 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set off aboard the Endurance bound for the South Atlantic. The goal of his expedition was to cross the Antarctic overland, but more than a year later, and still half a continent away from the intended base, the Endurance was trapped in ice and eventually was crushed. For five months Shackleton and his crew survived on drifting ice packs in one of the most savage regions of the world before they were finally able to set sail again in one of the ship's lifeboats. Alfred Lansing's Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage is a white-knuckle account of this astounding odyssey.
Through the diaries of team members and interviews with survivors, Lansing reconstructs the months of terror and hardship the Endurance crew suffered. In October of 1915, there "were no helicopters, no Weasels, no Sno-Cats, no suitable planes. Thus their plight was naked and terrifying in its simplicity. If they were to get out--they had to get themselves out." How Shackleton did indeed get them out without the loss of a single life is at the heart of Lansing's magnificent true-life adventure tale.
Book Description
The astonishing saga of polar explorer Ernest Shackleton's survival for over a year on the ice-bound Antarctic seas, as Time magazine put it, "defined heroism." Alfred Lansing's scrupulously researched and brilliantly narrated book -- with over 200,000 copies sold -- has long been acknowledged as the definitive account of the Endurance's fateful trip. To write their authoritative story, Lansing consulted with ten of the surviving members and gained access to diaries and personal accounts by eight others. The resulting book has all the immediacy of a first-hand account, expanded with maps and illustrations especially for this edition.
Customer Reviews:
Mind boggeling.......2007-05-29
This is an amazing story of leadership, and man's ability to persevere under extraordinary circumstances. It is really unbelievable. I was staggered by the odds these men overcame and their determination to press on. The book is well written and easy to read.
Amazing story.........2007-05-19
This is a great book that will make you feel as though any hardship you have ever encountered is really not so bad when you think about what these men endured. Imagine being cold, wet, hungry, tired for basically 2 years while in the back of your mind you know that the chances of ever seeing the civilized world is remote at best. These men handled it well. Very good historical account written based on interviews, historical accounts, and actual diaries of the men on the journey.
Finest adventure book ever written.......2007-04-21
I am working my way through the top 100 Adventure Books of all time. This one is, so far, the best. It is the concatenation of several adventure books, since almost every type of mishap and obstacle is encountered. Shackleton must go down as a true hero, as well as his crew. The version of the book with the glossies in the middle was captivating... I spent a good bit of time staring at the remarkable pictures. The story of how those film plates survived this oddysey is, in itself, remarkable.
A good adventure would be ruined by poor writing. Lansing is superb and does credit to this story.
This story could never be made into the movie because it would be considered too "far-fetched" to be believable. Note that there is a documentary DVD that (in a nutshell) describes some of the story, as well as lets you see an interesting reunion of the Endurance crew's children. Try to get this video right after you read the book.
Antarctic Travelogue.......2007-04-10
This true story of Ernest Shackleton's journey to the Antarctic in 1915 is a great preview to a trip to the White Continent. This adventure story will make you thankful for what you have.
Shackleton's Incredible Voyage.......2007-03-12
Excellent book, technical, and lots of good visuals. The book would be good to use with upper middle school and high school social studies classes accompanying with the film.
Book Description
It is ironic that a 90-year-old story of courage and endurance should have lessons for the Internet Age-but it does! Anyone attempting to lead in the face of uncertainty and adversity will learn much from this tremendously engaging and compelling book.
DAVID A. NADLER, Chairman, Delta Consulting Group, Inc., and author of Champions of Change and Competing by Design
Perkins offers a unique and refreshing perspective on the challenge of leadership. His insights-and skillful use of the Shackleton expedition as a case study make the book a valuable contribution and a must-read.
WILLIAM H. DONALDSON, Co-founder, Chairman, and CEO, Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, Inc., founding Dean, Professor of Management, Yale School of Management, Former Chairman and CEO, The New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
Leading at the Edge captures the remarkable Endurance story and serves as an effective guide for all those who find themselves in leadership positions--both on and off the ice.
ANN BANCROFT, Polar Explorer, attempting the first all-women's crossing of Antarctica in November 2000 with Norwegian explorer Liv Arnesan
An epic story that not only provides lessons on how to be a good leader, but also makes us stop to think about the fundamental goals of leadershipan invaluable tool for any leadership initiative.
DEBORAH ANCONA, Seley Distinguished Professor of Management, Sloan School of Management, MIT
Dennis Perkins uses Shackleton's extraordinary adventure to demonstrate invaluable, practical traits of leadership. Leading at the Edge is a well-written, power-packed read. I could not recommend it more highly.
JOHN H. DALTON, Former Secretary of the Navy, and Chairman and CEO, Metal Technology, Inc.
Fascinating. Great story after story, along with important learnings about leadership.
ED LAWLER, Director, Center for Effective Organizations, USC.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Part adventure story, part leadership guide, this intriguing book examines Shackletons legendary Antarctic expedition through the lens of business to reveal a set of powerful strategies for corporate leaders. In the chronicles of extraordinary adventures and against the-odds survival, nothing compares to the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his team of Antarctic explorers. Stranded in the frozen sea for nearly two years, they endured extreme temperatures, hazardous ice, dwindling food, complete isolation, and perpetual blackness.
Yet, despite the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, the group remained cohesive, congenial, and mercifully alive a fact that speaks not just to luck but to an unparalleled feat in leadership.
Now, for the first time ever, LEADING AT THE EDGE draws on this amazing story to reveal the power of effective organizational leadership under conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change. The book uncovers 10 lessons complete with stirring examples from the Shackleton expedition, as well as contemporary business case studies of the strategies in action on what it takes to be a great leader. Readers learn how to:
*Set a personal example with vivid symbols and behaviors *Instill optimism while staying grounded in reality *Reinforce the team message constantly *Find something to celebrate and something to laugh about *Have the courage to take big risks, and more.
For managers and executives who feel stressed out or stretched thin, these memorable strategies will help bring order to chaos and success in the face of the most daunting adversity.
Customer Reviews:
I heard Perkins speak, then bought the book..........2007-06-14
As a former Outward Bound instructor who loves adventure, I found this book riveting. As a business coach I know that learning occurs when we are on the edge, in a little less familiar place. This story supplements the narratives about Shackleton because Perkins takes the story and applies it to leadership. Hence, it becomes contemporary. I liked some of his points so much that I referenced him in my book. I strongly encourage you to read this book. Doug Gray, PCC, author of [ASIN:0975884158 Passionate Action: 5 Steps to Extraordinary Success in Life and Work]]sionate Action.
Leading At The Edge.......2006-07-24
Perkins uses Shackleton's Antarctic expedition of the early 1900's to identify ten leadership strategies. These stategies have proven useful for me in both military and civilian business settings. Perkins uses real-life examples form the Shackleton expedition in Part One to identify the strategies. In Part Two he uses recent (from when the book was written) business example to demonstrate how these strategies can be applied. This is an easy read and the stories of the Shackleton expedition helped keep my focus on the people that we lead while keeping the ultimate goal in sight. The title of this book applies whether you are leading at the edge of the world, the edge of survival, or at the edge of competition.
"Fortitudine Vincimus"!
Simply Amazing.......2005-01-02
This book is a "must read" for everyone aspiring to become a leader. The different life and death situations that Shackleton and his men faced, and how they overcame the obstacles in their way, is an example for all to follow.
The book is written masterfully, allowing the reader to reflect on how different leadership techniques were applied and how to apply the techniques to the situations particular to the reader.
Outstanding Work!
Invaluable lessons for business or life!.......2004-12-15
A fantastic text based on an epic journey. The history of Shackleton's ill-fated expedition is a sharp contrast to the modern view which epitomizes personal liberty as the highest virtue.
This book features vignettes from an expedition faced with nearly insurmountable odds that highlight the difficult choices faced by Shackleton and his men. In the face of adversity, they managed to endure, though not without cost. Perhaps the most moving part of the narrative is knowing that, after he and a few of his men made it (barely) to the safety of a remote whaling, he insisted on mounting numerous rescue attempts for his other stranded crew-mates until they were successfully extracted.
I highly recommend this book to anyone, whether or not you are involved in business management. As a father, I found many of the examples and stories inspirational, and I have shared them with my children to teach them the virtues of perseverence and the responsibilities of leadership.
Leadership & Action.......2003-05-13
The author, Dennis N. T. Perkins, shows extraordinary insight in leadership with 10 clearly stated principles. Based in strong part on Shackelton's expedition, these 10 principles are not only clearly stated, but truly make a difference. It is obvious that Perkins understands leadership. The book is easy to read, but takes plenty of mental energy. This book should be read by any manager, and should be considered a classic.
Average customer rating:
- Much more than a "coffee table" book!
- AWESOME
- Excellent book!
- An excellent book on Antarctica!
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Antarctica and the Arctic: The Complete Encyclopedia
David McGonigal , and
Lynn Woodworth
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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General
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Similar Items:
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Antarctica: The Blue Continent
ASIN: 1552975452 |
Book Description
Antarctica has not always been a place of ice and snow. Once part of the supercontinent of Gondwanaland, it is believed to have enjoyed a warmer climate in which plants and land animals thrived. However, nowadays less than one percent of the surface is ice free, and at bedrock level the ice can be up to a million or more years old. In comparison, the Arctic consists entirely of pack-ice which breaks into ice floes in summer and floats on the Arctic Ocean.
While the ice gives rise to spectacular scenery, both on land and sea, these regions also have an astonishing variety of wildlife. The two Poles have few common species (apart from some birds and whales) but many unique endemic ones - polar bears, walruses and puffins in the north, penguins and elephant seals in the south.
The content will cover the following topics, among others:
Geography and geology
Climate and weather
Ice, icebergs, glaciers and land formations
History and exploration
Wildlife and flora - how unique life has evolved in a very harsh environment
Polar science - the scientists who live and work in Antarctica, the research bases
Icebreaker shipping and tourism
Politics and treaties and the interested parties, including the 1988 Minerals Convention
The people of the Arctic
Conservation and the future (specific Polar issues, such as melting of the ice caps and ozone depletion).
Both regions have long been associated with tales of great heroism in their exploration, and here too there are common links. Roald Amundsen was first to the South Pole and died in a rescue in the north (at that time his ship, the Fram, had been furthest south and furthest north). Frederic Cook, who lodged a false claim to being first to the North Pole, was the first to winter over in Antarctica, as part of a Belgian expedition. Nowadays, tourists can visit in cruise ships and see the almost impossible task the explorers set themselves.
Both areas are of concern ecologically. For several years there has been a hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica; one is now opening over the Arctic Circle. Ecologists watch both Antarctica and the Arctic for any signs of change that may have implications for the planet as a whole. They join scientists from all over the world conducting research in these unique conditions.
With interesting and authoritative text written by a team of international experts, accompanied by over a thousand superb photographs, this book will fascinate all with an interest in the Poles and their wildlife.
Customer Reviews:
Much more than a "coffee table" book!.......2005-01-01
This is a beautifully produced and wonderfully comprehensive book. If you want a book which concentrates on wildlife then look elsewhere (eg Antarctic Wildlife by H Shirihai) - better still get both as complementary to each other!
The layout and structure is well conceived, the maps are clear, the photos are always good and often magnificent, the writing is aimed at intelligent readers, the index is good and above all the coverage is all-embracing within its subject. There is a nice section on Antarctic related Web links but, a minor criticism, no Bibliography. As the title indicates it is 90+% about the Antarctic with the Arctic as an "add-on". I was at first a bit negative about the inclusion of the Arctic but have come to the view that it is useful as a comparator - but you wouldn't buy this book for its Arctic content.
AWESOME.......2003-11-30
I been looking for a whille for a great Antarctica book.
this is by far the best.
wall to wall photos topics on everything explorations,wildlife,marine life, you name it.
spectacular coffee table book dont miss.
it even covers the artic "north pole" also
Excellent book!.......2002-02-14
I am an Earth Science teacher and I have done research in Antarctica. The book has many wonderful photos and highly informative text about the geologic, oceanographic, atmospheric and biologic features of the polar regions. I recommend this book for anyone interested in these areas, especially teachers.
An excellent book on Antarctica!.......2002-01-28
I recently took a cruise to Antarctica and this book was in the ship's library. This is an excellent book on Antarctica and the pictures are fabulous! This makes a great coffe-table book!
Book Description
Johnson's savagely funny [book] is a grunt's-eye view of fear and loathing, arrogance and insanity in a dysfunctional, dystopian closed community. It's like M*A*S*H on ice, a bleak, black comedy."-The Times of London
Customer Reviews:
Legends of Ice and Bureaucracy.......2007-03-03
Anyone approaching this book as a sociological critique of human mores in an extreme environment is looking for a different book. Oh, there's plenty of sociology, plenty of critique, and plenty examples of human mores in an extreme environment; but these are the simple byproduct of an intelligent man's opening his eyes and recording what he sees as an Antarctic contract/wage worker.
On the bounds of journalism, not quite Gonzo, not quite straight reportage, the author manages to weave enough Antarctic lore, daily observation, and well-researched history into the narrative, so that the reader is ever mindful of the locale. This alone is a feat of work, for at times one would swear from the corporate shenanigans at the Bottom of the World that this was written as a script for the movie version of "The Office," and rejected for being too real.
The end result--as is the case with most accounts of human bureaucracy in a sublimely inappropriate venue--is hilarity. Think of it as a Monty Python sketch on a continental scale, funded by the American government, subcontracted to an arms manufacturer, and played by a diverse cast of world citizens who can never escape the moral of the story: that things just aren't fair.
Original and a fun read.......2005-11-10
For every scientist stationed in Antarctica, there are five support crew including dish washers and trash men. Luckily for us the author, Nicholas Johnson, was among them.
Johnson's story is an insider's view of life on the bottom of the planet for those of us who will probably never make it to the South Pole (which may be a good thing, after reading about the frosty welcome tourists get from the "polies"). The author combines hilarious anecdotes about day-to-day life with the history of the continent's exploration. The photo of the Easter Island snowman alone is worth the price of the book.
Having been there..........2005-09-13
Having spent 12 years working "on ice" and at every US Station and Ice Breaker, I can say this: Johnson has only scratched the surface on the lunacy, idiocy and buerocratic hell the US Antarctic program has become.
Since Raytheon has taken over as contractor, it's been one laugh after another. HR isn't about helping employees, it's about sticking to the corporate policy with a velvet hammer.
It'll be a fine day when the last Rathioyd leaves Antarcitca, but like the old song by The Who, it'll be "...meet the new boss, just the same as the old boss..."
Having met and known a few Antarctic treaty signatories, I'm sure they're doing a slow spin in their graves.
You will enjoy this book. I promise........2005-09-09
Big Dead Place is a great combination of Antarctic history and Antarctic humor. It's fascinating to see that a place that could be described as an icy hell has somehow become a beaurocratic one as well. While the tone of the book is lighthearted, with an emphasis on humor, it's clear that Johnson cares deeply about Antarctica. This book gave me a great insight into Antarctica, one that I doubt I could have gotten elsewhere; it did so whilst being funny! If you get this book, you will be entertained and you will learn something about what is probably the strangest place on the planet. I can't recommend it highly enough.
Big Dead Place.......2005-09-02
Somewhat interesting, and at times amusing. Although at times there is potential for depth in critically evaluating living at the bottom of the world, the author rarely goes there. He is stuck on the absolute surface of things, rattling along, I suspect, on pot or some other substance. He seems to have no perspective from which he can organize his observations into any kind of meaningful structure.
Book Description
The excruciating tale of the Ross Sea party, the other side of Shackleton's Endurance expedition
In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton sailed south aboard the Endurance to make history by crossing the Antarctic continent. Shackleton's story is legend, but few know the harrowing story of the Ross Sea party, Shackleton's support group dispatched to the other side of the continent to build a lifeline of food and fuel depots to bear his crossing.
“I had not anticipated that the work would present any great difficulties,” Shackleton wrote. Yet everything went tragically wrong when the Ross Sea ship, the Aurora, tore free of her moorings and disappeared in a gale, leaving ten men marooned with only the clothes on their backs and few provisions. With little hope of rescue from a world embroiled in World War I, the men decided to accomplish their mission against all odds.
Long overshadowed by the mission these men bargained their lives to sustain, this heartrending story of survival against all odds now gets its due in this definitive, surprising account of the final journey of the heroic age of polar expedition.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring tale of adventure and discovery.......2007-08-24
This book is quite a gripping story both in based in tragedy and triumph.
I saw the PBS special on the Shackleton Journey, but many times, like this, the book is much better.
The book was highly researched and vividly written describing the many astonishing moments of the expedition.
It was a ten-man journey the relies heavily on personal journals about some happy moments and some very terrible times. It goes into detail about the decreasing health of the journeymen and stuggles with scurvey, frostbite, snow blindness and the horrible mental and emotional anguish that many sucumb to on this dangerous 1330-mile mission to Antarctica.
Can You Be A Hero If Your Efforts Are Ultimately Pointless?.......2007-06-04
Both sucessful and failed feats of courage are lauded by literature. Many have heard (and read) of the failed expedition of Ernest Shackleton to cross Antarctica. Shackletom failed to even reach the continent, as his ship, the Endurance failed to reach land.
Less well known is the story of the Ross Sea Party -- the group charged with laying in supplies that Shackleton would need as he crossed the pole and returned northward. This book tells the saga of the poorly funded "other half" of the planned expedition.
Focusing more on the shore party, rather than on the shipboard party on the Aurora, the book details the mistakes that were made in the first summer attempt to stock the depots, where Macintosh drove the sled dogs to death and made very little progress, to the stranding of the shore party at the end of the first summer when they were not picked up by the ship.
Presuming the ship lost, and wondering if a rescue would even be attempted during WWI, the 10 men were determined to do the job they were sent to do and proceeded through all odds to strive to lay the depots that Shackleton would never need.
Kelly Tyler-Lewis examines the physical and mental struggles of the shore party including their deep divisions over leadership styles. Culled from the diaries of the expedition, she has weaved a gripping tale of man's struggle against incredible odds.
Thought-provoking chronicle of adventure and adversity.......2007-01-10
The attractive front-cover design is the first indication of the quality of this work, which is well researched and written and a thoroughly engrossing read. Highly recommended.
The Strong Men.......2007-01-09
I have read nearly every book in print dealing with the exploration and saga of Shackleton and his men. Kelly Tyler-Lewis' book The Lost Men rates as one of the best. The "harrowing story" of these hearty men stranded in the desolate Ross Sea is incredible, for lack of words.
Duty-bound, these men laid the stores for a transantarctic voyage that would never materialize. These were men who risked their own lives to ensure the safety of others whose whereabouts were unknown.
The Lost Men is an epic struggle of man versus the ravages of nature and reveals the triumphs and the tragedies involved. It is a book of determination, leadership and accountability.
Of special interest are the generous notes included dealing with such issues as diet (e.g., Their diet lacked nearly all essential vitamins necessary for such a feat), body temperature (e.g., One man recorded a body temperature of 94.2), and navigation of pack ice (e.g. in 2002 it took two Coast Guard ships over two weeks to break through ice roughly thirty miles to Hut point.)
The Lost Men is an exciting and riveting book. As a two-time traveler to McMurdo Sound, I highly recommend this work.
The Most Useless Journey in the World.......2006-08-26
"The Lost Men", by Kelly Tyler-Lewis is the sister book to the original saga of Sir Ernest Shcakelton's journey to Antarctica. The original called "The Worst Journey in the World" tells of Shackelton's failed expedition to cross Antarctica. His ship the Endurance was smashed by ice in the Weddell Sea and his men stranded until their eventual rescue by Shackelton himself after a harrowing journey in a 22 foot open boat across the southern ocean.
Shackelton's Ross Sea Party, the subject of "The Lost Men", is the other half of Shackelton's ill-fated expedition. The Ross Sea party was charged with sailing to the opposite side of Antarctica from the Wedell Sea and laying storage depots of food and supplies along Shackelton's route. The harrowing saga of these men to lay these depots is brilliantly described by historian Tyler-Lewis. Despite extreme conditions, shortages of supplies, faulty leadership and blizzard after blizzard, the Ross Sea party managed to lay supply depots along Shackelton's route and waited for him in vain. The whole expedition proved to be all for naught as Shackelton's plans went awry. Two of the men from the Ross Sea party succumbed to the conditions having been weakened by the vitamin-C deficiency disease scurvy.
If you like adventure novels this one is for you. If you have read "The Worst Journey in the World" this book will complete the saga.
The writing is crisp and well done. Tyler-Lewis has done a fantastic job to bring history to life. You can feel the pain and suffering of the men in her words. Bravo!
Amazon.com
On December 14, 1911, the classical age of polar exploration ended when Norway's Roald Amundsen conquered the South Pole. His competitor for the prize, Britain's Robert Scott, arrived one month later--but died on the return with four of his men only 11 miles from their next cache of supplies. But it was Scott, ironically, who became the legend, Britain's heroic failure, "a monument to sheer ambition and bull-headed persistence. His achievement was to perpetuate the romantic myth of the explorer as martyr, and ... to glorify suffering and self-sacrifice as ends in themselves." The world promptly forgot about Amundsen.
Biographer Ronald Huntford's attempt to restore Amundsen to glory, first published in 1979 under the title Scott and Amundsen, has been thawed as part of the Modern Library Exploration series, captained by Jon Krakauer (of Into Thin Air fame). The Last Place on Earth is a complex and fascinating account of the race for this last great terrestrial goal, and it's pointedly geared toward demythologizing Scott. Though this was the age of the amateur explorer, Amundsen was a professional: he left little to chance, apprenticed with Eskimos, and obsessed over every detail. While Scott clung fast to the British rule of "No skis, no dogs," Amundsen understood that both were vital to survival, and they clearly won him the Pole.
Amundsen in Huntford's view is the "last great Viking" and Scott his bungling opposite: "stupid ... recklessly incompetent," and irresponsible in the extreme--failings that cost him and his teammates their lives. Yet for all of Scott's real or exaggerated faults, he understood far better than Amundsen the power of a well-crafted sentence. Scott's diaries were recovered and widely published, and if the world insisted on lionizing Scott, it was partly because he told a better story. Huntford's bias aside, it's clear that both Scott and Amundsen were valiant and deeply flawed. "Scott ... had set out to be an heroic example. Amundsen merely wanted to be first at the pole. Both had their prayers answered." --Svenja Soldovieri
Customer Reviews:
A Ripping Good Yarn.......2007-02-20
I saw a program on PBS about Amundsen and the Northwest Passage and decided I wanted to know more so I bought this book. Much has already been said and thus doesn't need repeating. If you hold to the hero status of Scott then you are apt to be severely disappointed. He does NOT fair well in the cold light of history. Amundsen comes across as someone who was at the peak of his game and was just better at this sort of thing.
One of the best books I've read in a LONG time. Well worth the time spent.
Read the notes at the end of the book!.......2007-02-18
There are simply too many errors in this book to state here. I can only suggest that the reader look at the notes at the end of the book. Huntford derives almost all of his negative comments from two or three people on Scott's expeditions. Why are so few of the comments collected from hundreds of men who loved and supported Scott. I'd hate to have my life judged before the world by the few people I've pissed off out of the many I've known. And just a note in passing---the Markham diary or jornal he keeps referring to? It's not a diary or journal; it is a collection of notes made by a very old Markham years after he encountered Scott on the street (prior to appointing Scott as leader on the first expedition).
Scott certainly made some serious judgement errors and prevaricated occassionally, but Huntford lies on almost every page of his book by omission and deception.
I have no complaints about his description of Amundsen; Amundsen was the better of the two explorers. In fact, Amundson was arguably the greatest of all polar explorers in the heroc age. Some of the best polar explorers appear almost amateurish by comparison.
The Last Place On Earth.......2007-01-12
For those who like to read history, this is very well researched.
Well researched, penetrating, a tad biased.......2006-12-07
I've finished reading both this and Fiennes "Race to the Pole". Huntford clearly spent an enormous amount of time digging through many expedition diaries and personal letter archives. He simply doesn't just quote them, but knits them together in a fine tapestry of interrelated decisions and events. This provides keen insights into the importance of planning, preparation, and attention to detail during operations.
Huntford carefully walks the reader through how Amundsen clearly understood the difficulties ahead of him, while Scott was content to draw hasty conclusions based on faulty testing, prejudice, and unwarranted opinions of the uninformed. Huntford also details the subtle and not-so-subtle difference in the leadership styles of both men, one who built a consensus, and the other who promulgated orders without allowing discussion or feedback.
My only complaints are 1) Huntford descended into the use of terms such as "weak, incompetent, and stupid" for Scott, which was unnecessary and detracted slightly from the rest of his scholarship, and 2) he avoided the use of much of the material that would have reflected positively on Scott, as found in Fiennes book, which is why I only gave this 4 stars.
The last book on earth...twisted facts, and damn lies .......2006-08-10
The central theme of this book, (i.e that Captain Scott was a blundering idiot) has been exposed as nonsense by a series of recent and well balanced books written by expolorers such as Ranulph Fiennes and Antarctic researchers such as Susan Solomon, rather than amateur critics. Read "The Worst journey in the World" if you want a proper account of the Terra Nova expedition. But if you really must buy "The Last Place on Earth" then also read Antarctic explorer Ranulph Fiennes "Captain Scott" which exposes it as a lie.
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- Much to enjoy is this fine book
- Still waiting for a plot
- the Mars trilogy, set in Antartica, and trimmed to one book
- Great Robinson Tale
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Antarctica
Kim Stanley Robinson
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Red Mars (Mars Trilogy)
ASIN: 0553574027
Release Date: 1999-07-06 |
Amazon.com
In the near future, Wade Norton has been sent to Antarctica by Senator Phil Chase to investigate rumors of environmental sabotage. He arrives on the frozen continent and immediately begins making contact with the various scientific and political factions that comprise Antarctic society. What he finds is an interesting blend of inhabitants who don't always mesh well but who all share a common love of Antarctica and a fierce devotion to their life there. He also begins to uncover layers of Antarctic culture that have been kept hidden from the rest of the world, and some of them are dangerous indeed. Things are brought to a head when the saboteurs--or "ecoteurs" as they call themselves--launch an attack designed to drive humans off the face of Antarctica. This is Kim Stanley Robinson's first book since his award-winning Mars trilogy, and while some of the themes may be familiar to seasoned Robinson readers, the book is never less than engrossing. As usual Robinson does a masterful job with the setting of his story, and anyone interested in Antarctica won't want to miss this one. --Craig Engler
Book Description
From the award-winning author of the Mars Trilogy comes a thrilling new novel....
Kim Stanley Robinson, author of the Hugo and Nebula award-winning Mars trilogy, is one of the most original and visionary writers of fiction today. Now, in his latest novel, he takes us to a harsh, alien landscape covered by a sheet of ice two miles deep. This is no distant planet--it is the last pure wilderness on earth.
A stark and inhospitable place, its landscape poses a challenge to survival; yet its strange, silent beauty has long fascinated scientists and adventurers. Now Antarctica faces an uncertain future. The international treaty that protects the continent is about to dissolve, clearing the way for Antarctica's resources and eerie beauty to be plundered. As politicians and corporations move to determine its fate from half a world away, radical environmentalists carry out a covert campaign of sabotage to reclaim the land. The winner of this critical battle will determine the future for this last great wilderness....
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-04
"A group at the Antarctic runs into some mystery and adventure. The main characters are an ex-basketball player and a professional really cold places type guide, both of whom used to have a thing.
It seems down here with the whacky male-female relationship women have a bit of fun. The guide expert has to lead a band out of trouble, and an environmental group is at the heart of this novel.
You also get some antarctic history.
The senator in this book appears in the Forty/Fifty books as well.
Much to enjoy is this fine book.......2006-12-30
Most reviewers have been critical of this book because they do not compare it favorably with KSR'S Mars Trilogy.This is my first KSR book and I found it very enjoyable.If you want to learn about the vast and mysterious continent while being entertained by a plot that really gets going about halfway through (and I mean thriller pace)then pick up this book and you won't be disapointed.I would venture to say the science and politics in the book are more relevant now than when it was written in 1998.
Still waiting for a plot.......2006-10-31
Ok, I'm sorry to say I've given up on this book. With so many good books in the world to read...I'm just not willing to waste any more time reading a bad one. After 200 pages...there is still no plot. Maybe I'm missing something and this is supposed to just be lots and lots of talk about a cold white landscape. Oh well
the Mars trilogy, set in Antartica, and trimmed to one book.......2004-07-31
The title of this review is an accurate summation of my opinion of the book: it is, in all important aspects, nothing more than a retelling of the groundbreaking Mars trilogy ("Red Mars", "Green Mars", and "Blue Mars"). Robinson chose to set this novel in Antartica, and trimmed the page count down to a single book.
The book has strong points. Cutting the basic story back to a single book removes some of Robinson's worst excesses in the Mars trilogy. The handwaving about perfect communist communities is reduced to a tolerable level. Unnecessary technical details are kept to a minimum; there is just enough to make the story accessible to an audience that is not familiar with the technology used in ultra-cold conditions.
The book also has weak points. Cutting the basic story back to a single book removes much of the exposition and character development. Details about Wade's life in DC are given, but they never come into play again. The ecoteur is barely sketched. In the final third of the book, we suddenly find a group of people who have gone native in Antartica; this group is used as a deus ex machina to save many of the main characters. X goes from a whiner who can't get over Val to a well-spoken organiser of a co-operative enterprise.
The book isn't a bad one. It feels jagged in places, and certainly could have used a fair amount of additional exposition. The story moves along pretty well (and certainly better than the Mars trilogy does). If you have read the Mars trilogy, you can safely skip this novel. If you read this book and like it well enough, you should read the whole Mars trilogy to see where Robinson takes the ideas.
Great Robinson Tale.......2004-05-18
Antarctica is probably my favorite KSR book, of the 10 or so I've read. I love his vision of the continent and the stories of the people who live there. Fun adventures, likeable characters, and amazing descriptions of settings. Plus, although the Mars trilogy is great, Antarctica is a little less intimidating to get into- you don't end up becoming devoted to thousands of pages of reading to enjoy it.
Book Description
Before Sir Ernest Shackleton's exploration of the Antarctic waters in 1914, Captain Roald Amundsen led a courageous team through ice-chocked waters to become the first expedition to reach the South Pole in 1911. Read the fascinating account of his journey in The South Pole.
"Roald Amundsen planted the Norwegian flag on the South Pole on December 14, 1911: a full month before Robert Falcon Scott arrived onthe same spot. Amundsen's 'The South Pole' is less well-known than his rival's, in part because he is less of a literary stylist, but also, perhaps, because he survived the journey.His book is a riveting first-hand account of a truly professionalexpedition; Amundsen's heroism is understated, but it is heroismnonetheless."
--The Times of London, 23 June 2001
At the beginning of the twentieth century, the South Pole was the most coveted prize in the fiercely nationalistic modern age of exploration. In the spring of 1911 two separate expeditions left their respective camps in Antarctica in a desperate bid to achieve the glory of being first to reach the South Pole: a British party, led by Captain R. F. Scott, and a Norwegian one under Captain Roald Amundsen.
The South Pole,— Amundsen's first-hand account of the expedition,— is a fascinating and highly readable history of the tenacity and perseverance of the age.
"The last of the Vikings," Roald Engebreth Gravning Amundsen was a powerfully built man of over six feet in height, born into a family of merchant sea captains in 1872. In 1903 he navigated the Northwest Passage in a 70-foot fishing boat. Soon afterwards he learned that Ernest Shackleton was setting out on an attempt to reach the South Pole. Shackleton abandoned his quest a mere 97 miles short of the Pole, but Amundsen began preparing his own expedition. Although this was the age of the amateur explorer, Amundsen was a professional: he left little to chance, apprenticed with Inuits, and obsessed over every detail.
On October 18, 1911 Amundsen's party set out from the Bay of Whales, on Antarctica's Ross Ice Shelf, for their final drive toward the pole. His British counterpart, Robert Falcon Scott, dependent on Siberian ponies rather than on dogs, began his trip three weeks later. While Scott clung fast to the British rule of "No skis, no dogs," Amundsen understood that both were vital to survival. Aided by exceptionally cooperative weather conditions, Amundsen's men passed the point where Shackleton was forced to turn back on December 7, and at approximately 3pm on December 14, 1911, Roald Amundsen raised the flag of Norway at the South Pole, one month before Scott's party would arrive.
A polar masterpiece of history and adventure,
The South Pole is the stunning first-hand account of one of the greatest success stories in the annals of exploration. Most skillfully Amundsen constructs the expedition's character through its personalities
the cast of veteran explorers, scientists, and crew
providing insight not only into Amundsen's philosophy of exploration, but into the classical age of polar explorers.
Download Description
World-renowned polar explorer Captain Roald Amundsen's (1872-1928) conversational, candid, and engrossing account of his Norwegian expedition's successful race, first aboard the Fram and then by dogsled, to be the first to reach the South Pole. Setting out from Norway in August, 1910, the Fram arrived in Antarctica in January, 1911. After months of preparation by the members of the expedition operating out of their Bay of Whales base on the Ross Ice Shelf, Amundsen and four of his companions set out for the South Pole on October 20, 1911, with four sledges, each pulled by 13 dogs. On December 14 the five reached their goal, arriving a full month before the rival British expedition led by Captain Robert F. Scott. "I cannot say -though I know it would sound much more effective - that the object of my life was attained. That would be romancing rather too bare-facedly. . . . Of course, there was a festivity in the tent that evening - not that champagne corks were popping and wine flowing - no, we contented ourselves with a little piece of seal meat each, and it tasted well and did us good," Amundsen wrote afterward.
Customer Reviews:
MasterPiece. .......2007-06-07
Wonderful. Strong. Beautiful. It is a great book. You end up thinking that the five hundred pages are not enought. Amundsen is the project management himself. It is a pleasure to read such an adventure in a such complete edition, with all maps, photos, cientific info, etc. Highly recommended.
Disappointed with the Indy Publishing edition........2007-01-16
Don't waste your money on the Indy Publishing edition of this book. No pictures, no maps, no dust jacket. It is no fun to read a full paragraph description by the author of an incident that was recorded with a photograph that is not in the book. A better investment would be the paper back edition.
Amundsen was funny!.......2006-02-22
This book was a lot of fun, in a geeky documentary sort of way.
Amundsen had a dry sense of humor, kind of like Tolkien. You know, polite and proper but every once in a while you can picture an arched eyebrow. Like Gandalf cracking a subtle joke. If you are not paying attention, you will miss it... but if you *are* paying attention, it'll make you chuckle.
I laughed out loud several times when reading this book, which is something I never did when reading other Antarctica books.
So if you are worried about this book being "dry" and "boring", well, did you like Lord of the Rings? If so, Amundsen's writing might "click" with you too.
The Norwegian Method.......2006-02-12
Roald Amundsen's "The South Pole" is a detailed, even exhaustive account of his successful 1910-1912 expedition to the South Pole. Amundsen's expedition was the first to reach the South Pole, after failures by other expeditions.
Amundsen was relentlessly methodical and practical in planning and executing the expedition. He identified a practical method of travel for the long haul to the South Pole from the Antarctic coast: dog sleds and skiis. He and his crew experimented and tested all their equipment and supplies in the Antarctic while patiently waiting for the right weather to travel. In striking contrast to his British competitor, Robert Falcon Scott, Amundsen correctly estimated the amount of food that would be consumed by physically active men operating for weeks in sub-zero temperatures. Amundsen's preparation is so complete that the actual expedition sometimes has all the drama of a weekend fishing trip. Amundsen was apparently a modest man, and it falls to Roland Huntford in an introduction to draw the obvious comparison with the catastrophic failure of the Scott expedition.
Amundsen's account provides all the detail necessary for anyone who might wish to duplicate his feat. Unfortunately, his writing style is very dry and even dedicated students of polar exploration may find finishing this book a long haul.
This book is highly recommended to students of the history of polar travel.
Preparedness Leads To Success.......2003-05-27
In the Foreword, Roland Huntford describes Amundsen's narrative as "all that Scott's is not". How right he is! This a very large book, but nonetheless an easy read. Amundsen relates a fascinating tale of fortune, misfortune, hardship, and ultimately - success. The narrative is detailed, but not overly so. In many places, a dose of humor is weaved in. Complete with numerous photos, maps, and scientific data, this book should be considered one of the great narratives of exploration. The great moral lesson of this tale is that preparedness ultimately leads to success. Is it any wonder that Roald Amundsen and his comrades won the race to the South Pole?
Average customer rating:
- Almost the definitive work on Antarctica.
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WILD ICE
Ron Naveen ,
Colin Monteath ,
Tui De Roy , and
Mark Jones
Manufacturer: Smithsonian
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Binding: Hardcover
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Waiting to Fly: My Escapades With the Penguins of Antarctica
ASIN: 0874743958 |
Customer Reviews:
Almost the definitive work on Antarctica........2004-12-25
If ever you have considered visiting Antarctica - for whatever reasons, this is the one book which will answer those questions which we, until now, unanswered.
It says much for this work - which is described as a voyage of images and reflections by four explorers and photographers, that the final copyright of the book itself is shown as belonging to the Smithsonian Institute. A sign of quality in itself. It would be easy to describe those images as "Outstanding" or "Stunning" - and so they are, but those words are too frequently used for lesser photographs.
This is a book which explains the Antarctic in a way in which it has not been explained before. It does so with an excellent mix of text and photography which, as I have said, answers those questions that until now remained unanswered.
If all you want is to know something about Antarctica - then stop and pick up this book. You will not be disappointed.
NM
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