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Apr 11, 2008

Kristie rated it:

I noticed one of my friends is planning to read this same story, but by a different author. The story is amazing. I like this particular version because it is written toward young adults and the author, Jennifer Armstrong, has invested years of research to produce her account of this historical event. The first page is amazing and there is an entire chapter on ice...I never knew ice could be so compelling! When you think about it, this story is truly inspiring. 27 men attempt to explore the More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Jun 08, 2008

Jens rated it:

I'm kind of a sucker for survival stories (but for some strange reason I hate "Lost"). The story of what the crew of the Endurance had to go through to survive is amazing. Being stuck in a frozen wasteland, far away from civilization, and yet surviving an antarctic winter as well as a hurricane is truly amazing. My favorite part: When the crew sleds all the way down a mountain on makeshift sleds so they don't freeze to death. "We must have covered 2 miles in only 2 or 3 minutes." More...

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Jan 27, 2012

Kristina rated it:

Shipwreck At the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong
Engl 420
Status Read in January 2012

Armstrong masterfully captures the vision of the ship the Endurance. This non-fiction read will keep you turning from page to page. Armstrong masterfully draws her readers in; readers are no longer just reading about Shackleton and his crew, but feel as if they to are braving the dangerous Antarctica. The text tells of Ernest Schackleton's attempted expedition across the Antaract More...

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Jan 16, 2012

Tani rated it:

REQUIRED CATEGORY
I'm not much of a nonfiction fan, and this book was exciting and quite well written, but I struggled until at least the halfway point to get into it. Maybe this was because Armstrong gives away the ending at the beginning. In the first chapter, as she sets up the adventure of the wreck of The Endurance and her 28-man crew led by the formidable Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, she ends with the simple phrase: They all survived. Instead of focusing on the question of who will li More...

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Sep 13, 2011

Lindsay rated it:

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I fit into the category of people who don't normally care for non-fiction, it never caught my interest, probably because I was thinking of the very boring science-book time reading I had to do. So when I started reading this that made me wary, as well as the subject matter was something I wouldn't pick up on my own either. But then I started reading and I loved it! The facts that Armstrong presented were relevant and interesting. It was written in a way More...

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Sep 13, 2011

Jeffrey rated it:

This book is true to its title in every aspect possible. This gripping tale of Shackleton and his crew’s journey to the Antarctic combined with Jennifer Armstrong’s writing shows the power that a non-fiction book can have on a reader. I was glued to every page of the journey as the crew headed towards the South Pole and endured until the end, even though they did not succeed in their original endeavor to cross the Antarctic. The writing placed alongside the pictures, which barely survived th More...

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Sep 13, 2011

Holly rated it:

I loved this book! Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is a nonfiction book with an excellent mix of information and storytelling aimed at young adults. The book tells the story of Ernest Shackelton and his loyal crew who set out to Antarctica with the goal to cross the continent on foot. Before they can even get to the continent their ship is stuck in the ice and Shackelton has to change his plans in order for the crew to survive.
By the end of the book I felt very connected to these men More...

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Sep 13, 2011

Sarah rated it:

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is a winning adventure story of survival against all odds. When Shackleton and his team of expeditionary men are trapped in the Antarctic region for 18 months, they face and overcome a series of unfortunate events. The most striking thing about this book is the fact that it is non-fiction. The sheer amount of detail makes the experiences faced by the crew of the Endurance even more horrific, and so their success in the face of such adversity even more heroic. More...

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Sep 12, 2011

Melissa rated it:

Armstrong's tale is a riveting tale of mankind's fight against the elements as well as the fight for discovery of new worlds. This account of the ill-fated Endurance describes the adventures of Captain Shackleton's voyage to cross Antarctica on foot. However, Shackleton's hopes and aims will be thwarted by not only unexpected weather but mutiny and time as the race to be the first to cross the continent stretches out of his reach. This nonfiction tale provides the unbelievable true story of a gr More...

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Sep 12, 2011

Tara rated it:

I didn't know much about Shackleton before reading this nonfiction work by Jennifer Armstrong, but I thought I knew the basics. I was wrong. I was sadly uninformed on the topic, but I am glad to say that I feel my ignorance on the subject of Shackleton has been slightly remedied, and I am now thoroughly interested in the topic and hope to learn even more. Armstrong did a great job of balancing facts relating to the weather and icebergs and such with more anecdotal stories and portraits of the cr More...

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Sep 12, 2011

Kirby rated it:

WOW! What a story! At about age 18 I began a transformation from fiction-reader to non-fiction-reader, that has been pretty permanent. Before I began reading I had already anticipated my reaction--I knew I'd love it. I wondered how Armstrong would be able to turn a true story into something captivating enough to grab the attention of an adolescent reader without sounding like a textbook. I noticed that tone affected how I read it, which seemed to be more like a novel than anything else. For inst More...

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Sep 11, 2011

Alyssa rated it:

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World is a nonfiction work about the story of Shackleton and his crew becoming trapped near the South Pole. Shackleton led the exhibition to the South Pole in the early twentieth century in order to be the first to cross the continent. The crew's ship, though, became entrapped in ice before they ever reached land. The book continues by describing how the crew managed to survive when their ship was destroyed and they were forced to live on ice until they could ac More...

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Sep 10, 2011

Tayler rated it:

This was quite the interesting non-fiction book. I didn't really know what to expect while reading it, knowing it was non-fiction, however, I thought the topic matter was very interesting.

This book is about Ernest Shackleton and his ship, the Endurance, sailing to the Antarctic circle in hopes of being able to cross the continent and be part of the first team of explorers to do so. However, 100 miles from land, the Endurance became stuck in ice and the men were trapped their all winter More...

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Sep 09, 2011

Ashleync rated it:

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance by Jennifer Armstrong
This non-fiction novel follows the adventure of Shackleton and his crew as the travel to the bottom of the world aka Antarctica. This crazy, yet true story details how the men and their ship Endurance, an appropriate name i feel, and their struggle to survive after the ship is stuck in the ice, then destroyed forcing the men onto the ice, and the their voyage to find saf More...

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May 08, 2011

Garrett rated it:

This book is about the members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, headed by Ernest Shackleton. With his crew aboard the ship the Endurance, Shackleton head from England to the Antarctic to conquest the South Pole. In 1914, the Endurance heads for the Antarctic, only to meet more problems and difficulties than they could have ever imagined. The crew deals with failing ships, unforeseen geographical challenges and all the problems that arise from being stuck on a barren ice land in comple More...

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Apr 05, 2011

Brenden rated it:

Jennifer Armstrong’s rehashing of the story of Shackleton and his crew on the Endurance is a noteworthy rendition of the tale for its simplicity and ease of read, however, it offers readers little more than a dumbed down version of the story, and while this may be easier for younger readers, it leaves those with any semblance of intelligence scratching their heads at the monotone droning voice of the unfeeling, cold, short sentence spouting narrator. Honestly, it was almost like reading a story More...

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Apr 04, 2011

Haley rated it:

Though the theme of exploration and glaciers didn’t initially thrill me, I found this tale an enjoyable read. It was a page-turner, even equipped with pictures to truly grasp the severity of Shackleton’s plight. Not to mention, I thought Shackleton’s display of leadership was exemplary, whether the result of Armstrong’s literary doing or not. He was so self-sacrificing, even staying cheerful for his men their entire time of distress to keep morale up, a simple act I’m not sure I could continue f More...

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Apr 03, 2011

Devon rated it:

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World was a gripping read. It is a mixture of adventure and tragedy as we witness the devastation that the optimistic Shackleton team faced. Completely isolated from civilization and any hopes of rescue, the team struggles to survive as their readers sympathize with them and cringe at their misfortunes. While the story in itself is compelling enough to create successful book, the author's presentation of the material was nothing short of spectacular. Armstrong artf More...

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Feb 15, 2011

Carly rated it:

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World provided a teeth-chattering and thrilling adventure that I will never forget. Initially, the shape of the book and the layout of the first few pages made me a little uneasy, but after reading the first few pages, I was hooked and every concern had vanished. It was as if the book was frozen to my hands, because I read it from cover to cover without even considering to set it down. Jennifer Armstrong effortlessly made me feel like I was on the Endurance with Sh More...

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Dec 08, 2010

Chris rated it:

Armstrong, Jennifer. Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary Ture Story of Shackleton and the Endurance (1998)
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World tells the story of Ernest Shakelton, a British explorer who attempted to lead the first expedition accross the Antarctic continent in 1914.Shakelton was never able to complete his goal. His ship, The Endurance, became ice bound 100 miles from land, and what started out as a story of exploration, became one of the most amazing More...

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Oct 29, 2010

Sydney rated it:

As children out fantasies are created in adventures. Across seas, jungles, mountains and deserts we travel as explorers. Something within us calls us to discovery-until, for most of us, we are truly exposed to the elements and realities of life. However, I would argue that the fire within of inquiry doesn't go out completely. That is what Shackleton believes and so does Jennifer Armstrong. Surrounded in icicles and seal blubber the spark of long forgotten voyages of imagination gave light. Thi More...

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Oct 17, 2010

Courtney rated it:

This book is SO WELL WRITTEN. And not just for a non-fiction book; for any book. Armstrong really does a great job at telling the story, a true story, and getting her reader engaged with the characters and expedition. She truly grasps the image of a hero in Shackleton. Though his crew's morale is low, and they are in dangerous territory, he brings them home to their loved ones - even if they are missing a toe or two! I love all of the details and the dialogue Armstrong weaves into her book. She More...

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Sep 08, 2010

Becky rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Jun 14, 2010

Rachel rated it:

I was excited to read this book just from reading the title. I found out that it is a nonfiction book about the crew and captain (Ernest Shackleton) of the Endurance. They go on an expedition to cross Antarctica, but when their ship gets crushed by the ice, they have to survive in harsh conditions until someone comes to save them. The most miraculous part of the story is that they all survive.

I was excited to read the details of this true story, but I was a little disappointed by the More...

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Jun 04, 2010

Talese rated it:

This nonfiction novel is about the amazing true story of Ernest Shackleton, his crew and their ship Endurance. In 1914, Shackleton and his men sailed from England with the goal of becoming the first explorers to cross Antarctica all the way from one side to the other. After traveling for five months, their ship became trapped in ice while they were still 100 miles from land! Endurance sinks and the men spend the next five months camping and traveling through the ice towards land. Later, Shacklet More...

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Dec 09, 2009

Brittany rated it:

This is a tale of survival, a non-fiction account of the shipwreck of the Endurance in the year 1914, only two years after the Titanic disaster. In this story, we follow the experiences of Sir Ernest Shackelton and his crew on their attempt to cross the frozen tundra of the Antarctic, which until that point was still very much a mystery to the world. What makes this story incredible is not what they discover about the Arctic, but what they discover about themselves and their power to survive. Up More...

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Sep 18, 2009

Emily rated it:

Non-fiction/Adventure/Survival story

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World tells the story of a sea voyage in the early 1900s of the ship, Endurance, and its crew members as they venture out to explore the freezing ice covered continent of Antarctica. Author Jennifer Armstrong begins the story giving personal information about the crew and their captain, Shackleton. She gives details about their journey right from Captain Shackleton's own journal as well as the journals of other crew m More...

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Sep 16, 2009

Lauren rated it:

Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong
True Life/Leadership/Endurance/Survival

Armstrong narrates through the terrifying and miraculous true story of Ernest Shackleton and his crew in a sophisticated and entertaining style. The story is that of Shackleton who ventures to Antarctica in hopes of being the first to travel the distance of the continent. However, weather conditions prevent him from doing so and his ship, aptly named the Endurance, eventually gets c More...

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Jan 16, 2012

Ryne rated it:

[NOTE: Spoilers ahead!]

This engaging book shares the story of the failed expedition of Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, who set out to make the first trip across the Antarctic continent. Shackleton never actually accomplished his goal--his ship, the Endurance, was trapped and destroyed by ice floes en route to the south--but he proved himself an extraordinary leader by bringing all 28 members of the expedition back alive. When one considers the hazards Shackleton's men faced in the incre More...

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Sep 10, 2011

Caroline rated it:

Armstrong's non-fiction novel about an adventure to explore Antarctica that goes wrong is well written and very well researched. It is an engaging tale of Shackleton's shipwreck and attempts at survival, but I am rating it a two simply on personal preference; two stars does not reflect on the author or novel, rather it represents what I brought to the book. I suppose my schooling has somewhat ruined many non-fiction novels for me (unless I am really interested in the topic). Everytime I read More...

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