The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition

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The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition

4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 · rating details · 4,765 ratings · 231 reviews

In August 1914, days before the outbreak of the First World War, the 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. Weaving a treacherous path through the freezing Weddell Sea, they had come within eigh...more In August 1914, days before the outbreak of the First World War, the 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. Weaving a treacherous path through the freezing Weddell Sea, they had come within eighty-five miles of their destination when their ship, Endurance, was trapped fast in the ice pack. Soon the ship was crushed like matchwood, leaving the crew stranded on the floes. Their ordeal would last for twenty months, and they would make two near-fatal attempts to escape by open boat before their final rescue.

Drawing upon previously unavailable sources, Caroline Alexander gives us a riveting account of Shackleton's expedition--one of history's greatest epics of survival. And she presents the astonishing work of Frank Hurley, the Australian photographer whose visual record of the adventure has never before been published comprehensively. Together, text and image re-create the terrible beauty of Antarctica, the awful destruction of the ship, and the crew's heroic daily struggle to stay alive, a miracle achieved largely through Shackleton's inspiring leadership.

The survival of Hurley's remarkable images is scarcely less miraculous: The original glass plate negatives, from which most of the book's illustrations are superbly reproduced, were stored in hermetically sealed cannisters that survived months on the ice floes, a week in an open boat on the polar seas, and several more months buried in the snows of a rocky outcrop called Elephant Island. Finally Hurley was forced to abandon his professional equipment; he captured some of the most unforgettable images of the struggle with a pocket camera and three rolls of Kodak film.

Published in conjunction with the American Museum of Natural History's landmark exhibition on Shackleton's journey, The Endurance thrillingly recounts one of the last great adventures in the Heroic Age of exploration--perhaps the greatest of them all.(less)

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published November 3rd 1998 by Knopf (first published 1998)

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May 30, 2007 Xio rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historysociologyetc

I. f'n adore these men. As far as I'm concerned I AM one of these men. (Only the godforsaken tundra I explore is urban U.S)

I don't want to hear any of your goddimmed complaints until you've been stranded on South Georgia Island living in wet clothing on a diet of seal, penguin then penguin and seal, looking forward to a period of immobilty so that nothing of your nerves picks up information of icy damp material touching raw, chafed, bruised skin...

And you know, all of that and they still held th...more

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Jun 22, 2008 Suzanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: travel, sailing, nonfiction, naturalist

Saw this exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem when the book came out. The exhibit had many of the Frank Hurley photographs from the book along with artifacts, actual film, explanations etc.
This was a remarkable exhibition and one to remember when we think we have had a bad day....A great choice for adventuresome, inquisitive teenagers 14 years or older, or younger depending on their maturity. There are some gruesome images (starvation, eating seal meat etc) And, they are real, unlike vi...more

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Oct 08, 2008 Vanessa rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

As a big fan of Alfred Lansing's version of the story, I had to read this one too. It is a worthy complement to Lansing's "Endurance" and contains a great deal more detail on some situations, interpersonal relations and the psychological impact on the men who went through this incredible experience - all stuff that Lansing tactfully omits. Added to that, there are many more of Frank Hurley's dazzling photographs. I would recommend reading this in addition to Lansing's work.

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Aug 28, 2011 Natalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-outdoors, survival, arctic-antarctica, photography

The exhibition catalog for the exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History is more than a coffee-table book, this beautifully photo illustrated history of the Endurance expedition is a must read/must see for anyone interested in the history of polar exploration.

Alexander, who writes so ably and knowledgeably about polar exploration also recently penned The Race to the South Pole in National Geographic's Sept 2011 issue.

Illustrations and photos like this one by Herbert Ponting below from...more

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Jun 18, 2008 Will rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to attend a lecture by the author shortly after the book was released, and managed to get an autograph. I'm especially happy I did, as this book is a visceral experience. It was lovingly crafted and the publisher did not cut corners, particularly on the excellent grade paper. All the more important, because the reproduction of the photography is superb.

Here is one of the very, very few great adventures from the age before our communications became global, when mail still trave...more

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May 11, 2007 Raghu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is about the abortive trans-Antarctic expedition led by Ernest Shackleton between 1914-16. Caroline Alexander has written a superb, well-researched and absolutely gripping account of the journey and the subsequent epic survival of all the men against all odds once the ship sinks deep in the Weddel sea.
Shackeleton shows extraordinary leadership and courage in attempting an impossible 800-mile journey in the roughest oceans on a 22-foot boat to reach South Georgia island with five of hi...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Cathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a big fan of Alfred Lansing's 1959 story, "Endurance," I was leery of another version, but I was drawn into this one because #1: my library doesn't have too many audio books to choose from, and #2: I was sucked in by the promise of new material from previously unavailable sources. An excellent retelling; this book is definitely worthwhile. Shackleton and his crew set forth on a mission to cross the Antarctic continent on foot. Their ship freezes solid in the pack-ice before they can even begi...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Gerry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Endurance is certainly the word that should be used to describe the way Shackleton and his men kept going in the most difficult of conditions.

He and a crew of 27 set sail in the ship 'Endurance' in August 1914 bound for the South Atlantic with the intention of being the first men to cross Antartica. Within 80 miles of their destination the ship became trapped in the pack ice and their endurance began. The 'Endurance' itself was a safe haven for them for some time but then it was crushed in the g...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Lori rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: autobiographical

Another of the books I read for my group dynamics class. We analyzed what it was about Shackelton that made him such a great leader in the face of adversity. The account exemplified qualities of effective leadership as well as important characteristics of group members.
Donald H. McGannon said: “Leadership is action, not position.” I found this quote to be very applicable to the message behind this book. Shackleton acted with determination as he made the welfare of his men his number one goal. H...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Jenifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this version second. It's awesome because it has all the amazing photos and is especially descriptive of the techniques and pains used to capture the images and preserve them. It's fun to see a head-shot of each of the main characters. This version also offers much more information about getting ready for the expedition and what happened to each of the men afterwards.

This author was able to stress more of the incredible details of the voyage. After the Endurance was entrapped in the ice,...more

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Jan 31, 2010 Cym Lowell rated it 5 of 5 stars

The story of the trek of Ernest Shackleton and his crew across Antarctica in 1914-1915 is told in this magnificent biography in a manner so that the reader feels a part of the crew. The trip was undertaken in the wooden ship Endurance with sails billowing and steam engines throbbing on its way into the icy domain of South Georgia and the South Pole. It was not the first mission to the frozen world.

Danger vested immediately as the ship was consumed by the icy forces of raw nature and the crew, in...more The story of the trek of Ernest Shackleton and his crew across Antarctica in 1914-1915 is told in this magnificent biography in a manner so that the reader feels a part of the crew. The trip was undertaken in the wooden ship Endurance with sails billowing and steam engines throbbing on its way into the icy domain of South Georgia and the South Pole. It was not the first mission to the frozen world.

Danger vested immediately as the ship was consumed by the icy forces of raw nature and the crew, including 69 sledging dogs and a cat named Mrs. Chippy, was on its won with no means of escape. The adventure was captured with the artistic photography of Frank Hurley, with many previously unpublished photos prominent in this story.

Endurance was entombed by ice in the early months of 1915. The story touches on the lives and feelings of the crew, as well as the amazing leadership of Shackleton. He seemed to prize optimism in his men, which he referred to as “true moral courage.” The reader is there with these brave souls, anticipating each step in the process with the enduring question of whether they will survive to return to England (and World War I) -- boiling whale blubber, catching penguins for food, tending to the parasite infested dogs, addressing the aches and fears of the crew, giggling at the antics of the dogs, or the seeing the natural beauty of the icescape.

By August of 1915, the blocks of young ice were grinding on Endurance, eventually breaking it up and sending crew and dogs on their way, even teams of men pulling the life boats. In April 1916, the team finally came to land at Elephant Island ending their trek across thin ice. The n Shackleton led a crew across 800 miles of ocean and ice back to South Georgia. Rescue of the men and dogs on Elephant Island finally occurred in August 1916.

Caroline Alexander has an amazing skill of blending diary detail and pictures to allow us readers to enjoy the optimism of the beginning, the agony of the shipwreck, the leadership of Shackleton, and the strength of character to endure the way forward. I felt as if I was on the journey, relieved at last to be on my way home with not a life lost! Simply Amazing! (less)

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Nov 02, 2009 Gary rated it 5 of 5 stars

After reading the Lansing book, I thought I would not enjoy this as much, except for the excellent photos taken by expedition photographer Frank Hurley. However, I found that Alexander was able to glean more from the participants through their diaries than Lansing was either willing or able to do. She did a better job of revealing their character and flaws. I now understand one of the possible reasons why Shackleton's wife commanded that his body be returned to South Georgia Island to be buried...more

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Sep 25, 2012 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first read Capt. Frank Worsley's first-hand account of the expedition & was thoroughly fascinated by his telling of this amazing & actually horrifying ordeal in the Antarctic. Wanting to know more, I then began Shackleton's "South" as an e-book -without photos- & was wishing there were photos to show me what they were talking about. Then I chanced upon this book by Caroling Alexander at my neighborhood public library. Bullseye! In this book, Alexander has compiled all the pictures...more

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Sep 30, 2007 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: nonfiction

I read Lansing's book on this same topic and I was hooked on the story. While this story didn't go into as many details as Lansing's book, it did provide a glimpse into the relationships and thoughts of many of the men. The author's dependence on diaries really gave a the reader a clue as to how everyone felt as they struggled to survive. I also like how the photographs were strewn throughout the book and humanized a lot of the men. A great retelling of an an amazing adventure!

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Dec 23, 2008 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adventurers

I picked up this book by accident, thinking it was the Alfred Lansing account. I ended up reading them both, and am glad I had this version, from the Nat'l History Museum, to supplement the other. About a third of it is pictures, and they are amazing. The other, more famous book has only 4 or 5 slides. The text is very similar, with the Lansing version being a little bit more readable. An interesting tidbit I got from my chance reading of this book is that one of the famous pictures from the or...more

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May 06, 2012 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars

Heather Stewart
Informational
Wow! I loved this book. This is the heroic tale of Ernest Shackleton and his expedition to the South Pole. His goal was to be the first to travel across the continent of Antarctica on foot. His team never made it to land because of the pack ice that built up around the coast. Their boat, the Endurance, became frozen into the ice with nowhere to go. It eventually sank and the twenty-eight member crew was forced to travel to an island where they knew there would be whal...more

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May 12, 2012 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars

For pure, true adventure, there are few stories that match Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic. I have read two books on the subject and this is the lesser. The greater is Alfred Lansing's Endurance:Shackleton's Incredible Voyage.

The story is that Shackleton set out in a wooden ship to explore Antarctica, partly because the races to the North and South pole had been so successful in terms of fame, glory and eventually some money. The world watched this explorers with genuine hero worship. B...more For pure, true adventure, there are few stories that match Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic. I have read two books on the subject and this is the lesser. The greater is Alfred Lansing's Endurance:Shackleton's Incredible Voyage.

The story is that Shackleton set out in a wooden ship to explore Antarctica, partly because the races to the North and South pole had been so successful in terms of fame, glory and eventually some money. The world watched this explorers with genuine hero worship. But the ship was caught in an ice floe and crushed, so the men and sled dogs disembarked, pulling two long boats and all the supplies they could carry. Some of the statistics elude me (I read this years ago), but it is fair to say it was about 30 mean who survive for two years on the ice. They had three blessings. One was in having a leader who was decisive, determined and, while not always adored by his crew, one who set his view unwaveringly on survival. The second blessing is that they had a navigator of uncommon skill. The third is our blessing: they had an expedition photographer who plates survived.

Shackleton finally, after slogging across a healthy piece of Antarctica, got the men to Elephant Island which was, as I remember, still well south of Tierra del Fuego. They ate the dogs, the rare seal and penguins, combating boredom, hunger, exposure, weather and trying not to combat each other. Shackleton, the navigator and perhaps two others finally set sail in a long boat across ice filled seas to try to sail and row to a tiny island some 400 miles distant where there was a whaling station. In a pure miracle of navigation they find the island. They landed on the wrong side. They must walk across a mountain range and hope to come to come out on the other side somewhere near the only humans --living in a tiny settlement -- for perhaps a thousand miles. All of the superlatives usually generously scattered on lesser tales are well deserved for this remarkable, amazing, miraculous, utterly impossible feat.

If you happen to read Alexander's book first, I doubt you will be disappointed. She tells the tale well. The photographs of the Endurance being crushed by the ice are works of art, beautifully balanced, fine grained, clear and stunning simply as photographs. But then you think, the man is taking pictures of the death of the one thing they were depending on to save their lives: the ship. The story is well told. But I read Lansing first, and he captures the sense of what it must have been like, especially in rowing across the Antarctic sea with ice water sloshing into the boat, storms, black waves...and having no certainty at all that the huge effort of men already weakened by exposure, inadequate food would mean anything more than drowning in a freezing sea. Neither Lansing or Alexander over romanticizes the efforts of the men or of their leader: these are fallible men just trying to survive which, in my view, makes the result all the more compelling.

I admit I don't read many true life adventure stories, but Shackleton's expedition is one worth becoming enthralled by, by either author. I would have given Alexander's book, written only a few years ago another star just for the trip. Lansing's book was written well before, and if I can find it to post it,I will give it 5 stars.

Oh, and the 'P.S.' to the whole thing: Shackleton's achievements were pretty much ignored. He and his crew did not know it, but WWI had broken out and the world's fascination with explorers had came to an abrupt end. (less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Paul rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book

What a striking book. The ship, the ordeal and the book are accurately captured in the title. Alexander is a good tour guide through her thorough research a nd use of primary documents to usher us travel back to the closing of an era of continental exploration. Having listened to it on CDs, I had to run to the library and pick up the hardbound copy to take in through Hurley's photographs - not just snapshots but works of art. I'm never skilled in identifying one favorite anything, but a few that...more

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Feb 17, 2013 Becca rated it 4 of 5 stars

the only reason that i'm giving this 4 stars instead of 5 is because i'm comparing it to alfred lansing's version. that is the version to read for an intimate telling of the ordeal. alexander's version is amazing, but more of a bird's eye approach. i loved that she included so many background details. her story started before the ship set sail and ended long after the men were rescued - telling what happened to each man, individually, for the remainder of their lives. i also loved how many photo...more

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Apr 02, 2009 Stacy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I remember my mom read this a while back, right after it came out, and she raved for a while about these amazing men and what they survived. It took me a while to read it myself, but I found myself raving on to other people about how these guys willed themselves to survive this horrible ordeal, how long can people wear the same clothes (years, apparently), how miserable it would be to be sleeping for a year in a reindeer sleeping bag that's shedding hair and rotting around you, how would it be t...more

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Feb 07, 2008 Lael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just one word. Brrrrrrrr. The photos are amazing, and the story of survival intriguing. The real question that came out of this for me is "What makes a hero?"

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Oct 28, 2011 Simon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, kindle-books

I was able to finish this book is basically one day of reading. It's well-written, and it is a great story of courage and determination. The author does not do much to delve into the psyche of each man on the expedition (you will find yourself having trouble remembering the names and the personalities attached to them, just because there are quite a few of them), and in fact, does not even analyze Shackleton much.

But it does tell the story in a compelling, artful way. I will definitely re-read t...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Keith Kendall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure

I read this book over the course of about 3 days. It was fascinating reading, and I read quickly so as to actually finish it. I considered how their travails compared to those endured by those who are successful in any endeavor. They were not successful in their goal of traversing Antartica, but were successful in coming back without loss of life. I suppose that is because of the perseverence of their leadership.

The constrast in tenacity between their leader, and some who gave up is a striking l...more

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Apr 22, 2008 Jon marked it as to-read

I began reading this at work and started getting really excited. The pictures are great.

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Sep 14, 2011 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: exploration, first-time-reading-author, read-in-2011

British explorer Shackleton’s failed attempt to cross the Antarctic continent on foot

Five stars for the fantastic black and white photography of the failed expedition, and four stars (maybe) for the succinct description of the expedition.

The voyage starts off somewhat underwhelming with the total failure to make land due to the ice, but becomes pretty amazing when the party must escape from the ice after the endurance is crushed, the long voyage of the James Caird boat across 800 miles of open...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Kenno82 rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the first book that I have read about the Shackleton expedition. Amazing story, but I found the writing a bit dry. It wasn't gripping like a story of this nature should be. Alexander makes some interesting points regarding Shackleton as a leader, and a lot of Hurley's photos are included. However, there's little insight into what the members would've been going through physically and emotionally. All in all, not a bad introduction to the story... but I'm sure there's better accounts. I'l...more

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Jul 04, 2011 Rene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club-books

Fascinating. I could hardly put this book down. The topic of exploration and survival in the antarctic was so interesting to me. I loved how the author discussed leadership and what made people likable in such dire circumstances. It made me stop and think about qualities I appreciate in others and what kinds of personality traits I would like to improve in myself. I also couldn't help but think about the fabrics and survival materials we have now in addition to the foods that would be available...more

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Mar 27, 2011 Ken rated it 5 of 5 stars

What’s better than the tale of Shackleton’s Antarctic Expedition? The tale of Shackleton’s expedition WITH PICTURES!

The tale of the Endurance crew is probably the most extraordinary true-adventure tale of all-time. And this book is my favorite retelling of the story. The B&W photos are gorgeously reproduced, and Alexander even tells some details of how they were taken and preserved.

The inclusion of photos is very significant to me; they make the tale really come alive. This is one of my all...more

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Mar 29, 2010 Dawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

For some reason, I find myself obsessed with books about Antarctic and Arctic exploration in the final years before radio and telegraph. This story is thrilling. The photos taken on the expedition (included in the book) are amazing. I really felt like I got to know these guys. Reading their story made me appreciate the abundance of food in our kitchen, hot water in our bathroom, and clean clothes! Shackleton was an incredible leader, evidenced by the fact that he didn't lose a single member of t...more

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Aug 18, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, exploration

I read through the night to finish it. At 3am I thought I would put it down and go to sleep, but how could I leave Shackleton, Crean, and Worsley just as they were setting out on foot in a desperate bid to get to the nearest whaling station on the island of South Georgia in order to get help for the men they had left behind. In a sheer act of will, they cross 22 miles of treacherous uncharted territory, traversing mountains, ice, and glaciers. It takes them 36 hours, with only short intervals of...more

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About Caroline Alexander

Caroline Alexander has written for The New Yorker, Granta, Condé Nast Traveler, Smithsonian, Outside, and National Geographic. She is the curator of "Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Expedition," an exhibition that opened at the American Museum of Natural History in March 1999. She lives on a farm in New Hampshire.

More about Caroline Alexander...

Books by Caroline Alexander

The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty

The War That Killed Achilles: The True Story of Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War

Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition: The Remarkable Journal of Shackleton's Polar-Bound Cat

Lost Gold of the Dark Ages: War, Treasure, and the Mystery of the Saxons

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