What do you think?
Rate this book
South with Endurance: Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition 1914-1917
The definitive and spellbinding record of Shackleton's legendary Antarctic expedition, immortalized on film by pioneering photographer Frank Hurley
Sir Ernest Shackleton's trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914-1917 was one of the great feats of human endurance -- one vividly captured in the powerful and dramatic pictures taken by Frank Hurley, the expedition's official photographer. These images, appearing together here for the first time in print, constitute an amazing body of photojournalism created under the most adverse circumstances imaginable. As this book reveals, however, they are far more than visual reportage; they also are images of great artistry that capture the life-and-death drama that was played out against an arctic landscape of magnificent and terrible beauty.
The story told here through Frank Hurley's lens began in the summer of 1914, when Shackleton and his crew set sail from England with the intention of being the first to cross Antarctica from one coast to the other, passing through the South Pole on the way. After five months they reached the freezing Weddell Sea and were within sight of land when the Endurance became trapped in the ice pack. Nine months later, the ship was finally crushed, leaving the crew stranded on drifting ice floes at the end of the earth.
What followed is one of the most remarkable survival stories in the history of human exploration. Shackleton's men camped on the ice floes for five months before they escaped in their lifeboats and, after a harrowing five-day voyage, reached Elephant Island, a barren outcrop too remote for any hope of rescue. From there, Shackleton and five other volunteers set out for South Georgia Island and miraculously reached their destination after traversing 850 miles of the fiercest seas on the face of the planet in an open lifeboat. There they raised help, and three months later, after three failed attempts, Shackleton made it back to Elephant Island with a rescue ship.
Incredibly, every single one of his men survived. Almost as incredible is the fact that so much of this drama was captured on film by Frank Hurley, and that so many of these pictures survived. South with Endurance is the first book to reproduce a total of nearly 500 extant photographs, including many remarkable color images that have never been published before. It is also the first to reproduce the photos to a standard and size that display Hurley's work as the art that it is. Drawn from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society in London, the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney, and the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, the photographs are complemented by excerpts from Hurley's diary, a chapter about the expedition itself, a biographical essay, and commentary about Hurley's photographic techniques.
Sir Ernest Shackleton's trans-Antarctic expedition of 1914-1917 was one of the great feats of human endurance -- one vividly captured in the powerful and dramatic pictures taken by Frank Hurley, the expedition's official photographer. These images, appearing together here for the first time in print, constitute an amazing body of photojournalism created under the most adverse circumstances imaginable. As this book reveals, however, they are far more than visual reportage; they also are images of great artistry that capture the life-and-death drama that was played out against an arctic landscape of magnificent and terrible beauty.
The story told here through Frank Hurley's lens began in the summer of 1914, when Shackleton and his crew set sail from England with the intention of being the first to cross Antarctica from one coast to the other, passing through the South Pole on the way. After five months they reached the freezing Weddell Sea and were within sight of land when the Endurance became trapped in the ice pack. Nine months later, the ship was finally crushed, leaving the crew stranded on drifting ice floes at the end of the earth.
What followed is one of the most remarkable survival stories in the history of human exploration. Shackleton's men camped on the ice floes for five months before they escaped in their lifeboats and, after a harrowing five-day voyage, reached Elephant Island, a barren outcrop too remote for any hope of rescue. From there, Shackleton and five other volunteers set out for South Georgia Island and miraculously reached their destination after traversing 850 miles of the fiercest seas on the face of the planet in an open lifeboat. There they raised help, and three months later, after three failed attempts, Shackleton made it back to Elephant Island with a rescue ship.
Incredibly, every single one of his men survived. Almost as incredible is the fact that so much of this drama was captured on film by Frank Hurley, and that so many of these pictures survived. South with Endurance is the first book to reproduce a total of nearly 500 extant photographs, including many remarkable color images that have never been published before. It is also the first to reproduce the photos to a standard and size that display Hurley's work as the art that it is. Drawn from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society in London, the State Library of New South Wales in Sydney, and the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge, the photographs are complemented by excerpts from Hurley's diary, a chapter about the expedition itself, a biographical essay, and commentary about Hurley's photographic techniques.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 22, 2001
12 people are currently reading
1388 people want to read
About the author
Frank Hurley
39 books6 followersCaptain James Francis (Frank) Hurley (1885-1962) was an adventurer and photographer.
At the beginning of Hurley's career, the explorer Douglas Mawson "took a chance on the confident young man. And so did Kodak. Hurley, whose postcard business was suffering through a recession, was in debt to a local branch of Kodak. The Kodak manager provided photographic equipment, and Hurley went off on the Mawson expedition in 1911."(Kodak: Biography of Frank Hurley).
Before World War I, Hurley would make six trips to the Antarctic with early famed explorers creating some of the most renowned images of polar exploration and survival.
Lionel Greenstreet, First Officer of the Endurance, said of him: “Hurley is a warrior with his camera & would go anywhere or do anything to get a picture.”
In 1917, Hurley became an Australian Imperial Force (AIF) official photographer with the honorary rank of captain. He served with fellow Australian film-maker/photographer Hubert Wilkins under Charles Bean in the Australian War Records Section documenting the indescribable carnage and condition of the trenches.
Hurley's task was purportedly to take propaganda photos that would help promote the war effort, Wilkins' was to gather a documentary record of men and events but the two traveled together and both took great risks on the battlefield. Hurley would photograph the war in France (including the Third Battle of Ypres aka Passchendaele), as well as later in Palestine and Cairo.
He married Antoinette Leighton April 11th, 1918 then returned to London to work on an exhibition of Australian war photography.
After the war he made trips to the Antarctic, and to the Torres Strait Strait and New Guinea. He flew with Ross Smith, the legendary fighter ace he knew from the Palestinian Theatre. He returned to Europe on several occasions and visited the United States.
During the 1930s Hurley worked in Sydney for Cinesound, then in 1940, Hurley resumed war photography with the AIF in the Middle East where he would remain til 1946.
On January 16, 1962, "at the age of 76, he came home from an assignment lugging his battered old camera case. He sat down and, uncharacteristically, said he did not feel well. He sat there all night and died next day." (Kodak: Biography of Frank Hurley).
At the beginning of Hurley's career, the explorer Douglas Mawson "took a chance on the confident young man. And so did Kodak. Hurley, whose postcard business was suffering through a recession, was in debt to a local branch of Kodak. The Kodak manager provided photographic equipment, and Hurley went off on the Mawson expedition in 1911."(Kodak: Biography of Frank Hurley).
Before World War I, Hurley would make six trips to the Antarctic with early famed explorers creating some of the most renowned images of polar exploration and survival.
Lionel Greenstreet, First Officer of the Endurance, said of him: “Hurley is a warrior with his camera & would go anywhere or do anything to get a picture.”
In 1917, Hurley became an Australian Imperial Force (AIF) official photographer with the honorary rank of captain. He served with fellow Australian film-maker/photographer Hubert Wilkins under Charles Bean in the Australian War Records Section documenting the indescribable carnage and condition of the trenches.
Hurley's task was purportedly to take propaganda photos that would help promote the war effort, Wilkins' was to gather a documentary record of men and events but the two traveled together and both took great risks on the battlefield. Hurley would photograph the war in France (including the Third Battle of Ypres aka Passchendaele), as well as later in Palestine and Cairo.
He married Antoinette Leighton April 11th, 1918 then returned to London to work on an exhibition of Australian war photography.
After the war he made trips to the Antarctic, and to the Torres Strait Strait and New Guinea. He flew with Ross Smith, the legendary fighter ace he knew from the Palestinian Theatre. He returned to Europe on several occasions and visited the United States.
During the 1930s Hurley worked in Sydney for Cinesound, then in 1940, Hurley resumed war photography with the AIF in the Middle East where he would remain til 1946.
On January 16, 1962, "at the age of 76, he came home from an assignment lugging his battered old camera case. He sat down and, uncharacteristically, said he did not feel well. He sat there all night and died next day." (Kodak: Biography of Frank Hurley).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
August 23, 2019
Having read Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage and The Lost Men: The Harrowing Saga of Shackleton's Ross Sea Party, I just had to have this when I spotted it in a charity shop. This is Frank Hurley’s account of Shackleton’s infamous journey to Antarctica. The photography is often stunning, breathtaking and, at times, heartbreaking. Seeing so many photographs of the men who lived through this experience brings it to life in a way that words on their own cannot.
Want to read
May 16, 2016
(1911-1914)
(1911-1914)
(1911-1914)
(Shackleton)
May 29, 2024
Excellent, indispensable addition for any true Shacklehead. And while the last thing I need is another book describing Sir Ernest's epic journey, that section here is brief; of considerably more interest was the overall bio on Hurley himself* and the details of the equipment he used.
And then, of course, there are the photos themselves - as the blurb says, this is "the definitive" and apparently largest collection assembled in one book (although Caroline Alexander's wonderful The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition also has an impressive collection), most of which are presented here one-to-a-page, rather than shrunk and sandwiched in amongst lots of text. And remember - the bulk of these were shot on 8"x 6" glass plates that he rescued and then carried throughout the entire nightmare journey, (Hurley was able to save 150 such negative plates, but had to destroy an additional 400 - many of which had thankfully already been printed. Those that survived remain in such good condition that high quality prints can still be made from them today; and certainly many of the photos here - even those shot below decks in low light situations - appear razor sharp and almost grain-free.)
Most all of the more famous photos are included here, but also a number I've never seen before. And there are a surprising number of color shots as well, using an early process called Paget Color Plates, (ironically, these pictures are among the few remaining examples of that process).
I also found the section on Hurley's equipment of particular interest, since as a photo student way back in the mid-'70s I used to roll and process my own B&W film in those old red-light darkrooms that younger folks only know of (if at all) from old movies. Most books harp on Hurley's "glass plate negatives" which indeed constitute a remarkable story; but he also used a variety of other then-cutting-edge technologies with both still and motion cameras, as well as very early types of Kodak roll film.
So, yeah - excellent book, and an absolute steal for $1 at our huge local used book store.** My only complaint: when did publishers start printing photos captions in 8 pt. type?? I love "white space" as much as the next guy - but that is bullshit.
________________________________
* This is the first Endurance-related book I've read since Crean: The Extraordinary Life Of An Irish Hero, a great bio of probably the most remarkable crewman on this amazing journey. Tom Crean not only participated in Scott's ill-fated "Terra Nova Expedition," (during which he undertook a 35-mile solo walk across the Ross Ice Shelf to save the life of Edward Evans, for which he was awarded the Albert Medal), but it was also Crean who - along with Shackleton and Endurance navigator Frank Worsley - made the epic overland crossing of South Georgia that launched the rescue effort for those left behind on Elephant Island.
** Book itself is in new condition, with only minor abuse to the dust jacket - but that still pisses me off. "Book abuse" - like most other forms of abuse - should be a crime, albeit a relatively minor one, resulting in at least the loss of one's library card or suspension of Amazon privileges.
And then, of course, there are the photos themselves - as the blurb says, this is "the definitive" and apparently largest collection assembled in one book (although Caroline Alexander's wonderful The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition also has an impressive collection), most of which are presented here one-to-a-page, rather than shrunk and sandwiched in amongst lots of text. And remember - the bulk of these were shot on 8"x 6" glass plates that he rescued and then carried throughout the entire nightmare journey, (Hurley was able to save 150 such negative plates, but had to destroy an additional 400 - many of which had thankfully already been printed. Those that survived remain in such good condition that high quality prints can still be made from them today; and certainly many of the photos here - even those shot below decks in low light situations - appear razor sharp and almost grain-free.)
Most all of the more famous photos are included here, but also a number I've never seen before. And there are a surprising number of color shots as well, using an early process called Paget Color Plates, (ironically, these pictures are among the few remaining examples of that process).
I also found the section on Hurley's equipment of particular interest, since as a photo student way back in the mid-'70s I used to roll and process my own B&W film in those old red-light darkrooms that younger folks only know of (if at all) from old movies. Most books harp on Hurley's "glass plate negatives" which indeed constitute a remarkable story; but he also used a variety of other then-cutting-edge technologies with both still and motion cameras, as well as very early types of Kodak roll film.
So, yeah - excellent book, and an absolute steal for $1 at our huge local used book store.** My only complaint: when did publishers start printing photos captions in 8 pt. type?? I love "white space" as much as the next guy - but that is bullshit.
________________________________
* This is the first Endurance-related book I've read since Crean: The Extraordinary Life Of An Irish Hero, a great bio of probably the most remarkable crewman on this amazing journey. Tom Crean not only participated in Scott's ill-fated "Terra Nova Expedition," (during which he undertook a 35-mile solo walk across the Ross Ice Shelf to save the life of Edward Evans, for which he was awarded the Albert Medal), but it was also Crean who - along with Shackleton and Endurance navigator Frank Worsley - made the epic overland crossing of South Georgia that launched the rescue effort for those left behind on Elephant Island.
** Book itself is in new condition, with only minor abuse to the dust jacket - but that still pisses me off. "Book abuse" - like most other forms of abuse - should be a crime, albeit a relatively minor one, resulting in at least the loss of one's library card or suspension of Amazon privileges.
September 11, 2010
While I loved the book and gave it 4 stars. Have just recently found out about the supposed "fake" shots Frank Hurley made with composite photographs. I've yet to research it and find out more.
There's an article or two here;
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/0...
and discussion on a forum here;
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/for...
There's an article or two here;
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/0...
and discussion on a forum here;
http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/for...
November 3, 2022
Libro fotografico di alto livello. Le foto sono suggestive, davvero impressionanti e sapere che chi le ha scattate lo ha fatto in condizioni proibitive, rende il risultato, se possibile, ancora più superbo.
Frank Hurley dopo l’esperienza con l’Endurance, è diventato uno stimato fotografo e i suoi lavori gli hanno valso onore tra i grandi.
Frank Hurley dopo l’esperienza con l’Endurance, è diventato uno stimato fotografo e i suoi lavori gli hanno valso onore tra i grandi.
January 27, 2015
Exceptionally and utterly fascinating. An absolute ‘must-read’, or rather, look. I feel extraordinarily fortunate to have found this book second-hand at a remarkably reasonable price, not long after Channel 4 broadcast a film-length drama production of this expedition.
This is not merely a book of photographs taken at a time when photography still required copious and delicate equipment, supplies, and significant technical know-how. The detailed text tells the story of the expedition, and of Frank Hurley’s contribution to a success beyond its ostensible failure.
To geologists and climate scientists nowadays, Hurley’s photographs are invaluable for comparison with those of our present day. My interest and awe lies in the ‘wood and rope’ technology of the day; the equipment with which those men worked with, and on which their survival depended. This book is a stark and abject reminder as to how far our world has ‘shrunk,’ to a (depressing?) point where paying tourists can visit Antarctica, whilst the rest of us hope and pray that the American taxpayer will foot the bill for a manned expedition to Mars.
This is not merely a book of photographs taken at a time when photography still required copious and delicate equipment, supplies, and significant technical know-how. The detailed text tells the story of the expedition, and of Frank Hurley’s contribution to a success beyond its ostensible failure.
To geologists and climate scientists nowadays, Hurley’s photographs are invaluable for comparison with those of our present day. My interest and awe lies in the ‘wood and rope’ technology of the day; the equipment with which those men worked with, and on which their survival depended. This book is a stark and abject reminder as to how far our world has ‘shrunk,’ to a (depressing?) point where paying tourists can visit Antarctica, whilst the rest of us hope and pray that the American taxpayer will foot the bill for a manned expedition to Mars.
September 1, 2017
Bello bello bello!
Grazie grazie grazie!
Grazie grazie grazie!
November 5, 2019
Sometimes amazing photographs of a place make me keen to visit, and sometimes they don't. These photographs are wonderful and it is very fortunate that so many of them survived for us to enjoy, since I do not intend to visit Antarctica. There are also other photographs taken by Hurley at other times.
Some of the photographs are embedded in articles by later writers, but the portfolio of "Endurance" photographs also get a section to themselves and these have Hurley's (not always accurate) captions and comments from his first-hand account, plus comments from other members of the expedition, which helps with the context.
Some of the photographs are embedded in articles by later writers, but the portfolio of "Endurance" photographs also get a section to themselves and these have Hurley's (not always accurate) captions and comments from his first-hand account, plus comments from other members of the expedition, which helps with the context.
July 17, 2014
A great companion to my almighty polar nerd-out of '14. This is a "coffee table" style photography book that features the images taken by Frank Hurley on Shackleton's ill-fated but ultimately triumphant expedition. If you want to read more about Shackleton, may I suggest Endurance, the other Endurance or The Lost Men.
This book is ultimately attractive because the photography is absolutely stunning and it provides an arresting visual accompaniment to the other books. I felt that my experience with the other books was enhanced by seeing some of the sastrugi photographed with the men, the tangible bond between the men and the dogs, and the ice covering absolutely everything. There was something about seeing an ice-rimed anemometer that ramped up my respect for Frank Worsley another 1000%. There's also a lot about shipboard culture that was pretty fascinating, including seeing a scientist in blackface(!) for an evening musical review and photos of some of the men with fuzzy penguin chicks under each arm. There were even some color plates that made the men look an awful lot more identifiable with a modern reader rather than being some old-timey dudes out swashbuckling.
Hurley's is another remarkable story. The guy was so dogged (foolhardy, perhaps) about getting these images and then went to great physical lengths to preserve them after the Endurance sank and the plates, films and equipment had to be dragged hundreds of miles by dog, boat, man and Providence to reach the outside world. Obviously Shackleton found Hurley's work to be profoundly important; even as more material was jettisoned, the photographic record was Shackleton's ticket to the lecture/book circuit that would recover money to pay back debts for the expedition and cement his fame.
I don't really know that much about photography, but in a culture saturated by images, it's fascinating to consider the level of professional expertise and mechanical ingenuity combined with real artistry to produce each and every photograph. This ain't instagram, people. This is scores of pounds of chemicals, plates, films and heavy finicky cameras that required true wizardry to operate in the most inhospitable conditions recorded in human history.
This book is ultimately attractive because the photography is absolutely stunning and it provides an arresting visual accompaniment to the other books. I felt that my experience with the other books was enhanced by seeing some of the sastrugi photographed with the men, the tangible bond between the men and the dogs, and the ice covering absolutely everything. There was something about seeing an ice-rimed anemometer that ramped up my respect for Frank Worsley another 1000%. There's also a lot about shipboard culture that was pretty fascinating, including seeing a scientist in blackface(!) for an evening musical review and photos of some of the men with fuzzy penguin chicks under each arm. There were even some color plates that made the men look an awful lot more identifiable with a modern reader rather than being some old-timey dudes out swashbuckling.
Hurley's is another remarkable story. The guy was so dogged (foolhardy, perhaps) about getting these images and then went to great physical lengths to preserve them after the Endurance sank and the plates, films and equipment had to be dragged hundreds of miles by dog, boat, man and Providence to reach the outside world. Obviously Shackleton found Hurley's work to be profoundly important; even as more material was jettisoned, the photographic record was Shackleton's ticket to the lecture/book circuit that would recover money to pay back debts for the expedition and cement his fame.
I don't really know that much about photography, but in a culture saturated by images, it's fascinating to consider the level of professional expertise and mechanical ingenuity combined with real artistry to produce each and every photograph. This ain't instagram, people. This is scores of pounds of chemicals, plates, films and heavy finicky cameras that required true wizardry to operate in the most inhospitable conditions recorded in human history.
February 20, 2015
Great piece to look at after reading Endurance.
April 18, 2024
At long last, I finally found the definitive edition of Frank Hurley's photographs from the Shackleton expedition, and I am hereby declaring this particular itch scratched. (I always wonder why more of the images aren't included in the written accounts - there really aren't that many.) Even so, I have a few quibbles that prevent me from awarding that elusive fifth star. First, why are the essays in art books always so reliably laaaaaaame? They are never, ever interesting. How can this be? Second, why not just put all of the photographs in the main section of the book, which includes about 80% of them? The rest are provided in a smaller-format index at the back of the book. It's not explained why some made the cut and others didn't. You're already doing a huge coffee table book with all of the photos - just put them all in the main section for heaven's sake. And this isn't a quibble, but I found it fascinating that Frank Hurley was an incurable photoshopper! He retouched and cropped and double-exposed and rearranged and cut and pasted just about everything. I did appreciate the text that explained this habit, and agree with the author that his alterations were "mostly harmless". My final impression is that I would follow Frank Wild to the ends of the Earth. Dude was such a hoss - check this guy out.
June 29, 2018
Not really bad, I suppose. Not actually deserving of two stars. If one is interested in either photography or the Antarctic explorers of last century, they might very well adore this book. But for my own part, I got only limited enjoyment out of this. I read it more-or-less simultaneously with a historic novel about Scott, which I definitely enjoyed more. My issue was that the text sections of this book actually dealt more with the life and techniques of the photographer, Hurley, rather than the infamous expedition itself. I found it mostly boring and mentally groaned whenever I opened the page to a pictureless forest of text. Effing, being a toddler, I cared more for the images, but even these were underwhelming for all their apparent respect. On this ill-fated voyage through the Southern seas, with the ship Endurance getting stuck then swallowed in the pack-ice, most photos were just of the ship or else empty fields of ice. Go figure.
January 8, 2026
The trials and tribulations of this epic expedition are now in the legends of antartic exploration. To save all his men is more than leadership, it showed a brilliant man. I also recommend a boom about Tom Crean, the great irish explorer who did so much for his boss success.
August 20, 2017
Stunning photographs from a phenomenal expedition.
March 31, 2018
Amazing photos from one of Australia's greatest photographers.
December 11, 2021
A gorgeous book, more pictures than text, telling the amazing story of Shackleton's famous Antarctic Expedition.
April 7, 2022
Incredible documentation of an enormous adventure
September 9, 2024
Was fascinated by this story and the photos. Took me a while as I was absorbed with nuances I don't normally bother with .
March 22, 2022
Sfogliato in compagnia dei bambini in parallelo alla lettura di Lansing.
December 19, 2023
You want the complete photo collection of the Endurance expedition by Frank Hurley? You get the complete photo collection of the Endurance expedition by Frank Hurley. Does exactly what it says on the tin, 5 stars, no further questions.
In all seriousness though, the book does go above and beyond in displaying a contextualising his work. Whilst not all of the prints are blown up to (nearly) full page size, and the pages are 30cm x 30cm so that’s a good size, they are all shown scaled down towards the back of the book. I wouldn’t particularly disagree with the choices of what didn’t make the cut, and even those pictures are often shown to a fair size. I love the sledge dogs but can’t say I need to see a full page print where they’re moving and so blurry you can barely see what’s going on, or have multiple identical shots of icebergs and glaciers. If they are of interest everything has been labelled well enough to be found elsewhere.
The full size photos are absolutely gorgeous in their clarity, from the crispness of the rig in the night time ‘ghost ship’ images, to the details of all the crew in the group shots. You can even read the writing on the keys of the typewriters. The photos are all well annotated, including with all the crew’s names which is helpful as a lot of them look very similar, particularly when the beards start to grow in. The photos are dated and arranged chronologically so it’s easy to track the progress (or not) of the expedition. The book also takes advantage of the diaries to explain and contextualise in the larger outlook of the expedition, such as talking about how as well as being the expedition photographer Hurley also acted like an unofficial engineer, being responsible for building stoves that were vital to their survival in Patience Camp. Also included are the Paget prints, an early form of colour photography. Combined with the clarity of the prints and accompanying descriptions they really give a great sense of how these were all living, breathing men, rather than the disconnected image you may get from a ‘stuffy’ black and white photo.
We get more information on Hurley in chapters about both his earlier life & the start of his career, as well as his life after the Endurance. These do a good job of showing how he fit in with his contemporaries by showing examples of both works. It’s hard to not be impressed about Hurely’s dedication to his craft, whether it be lugging his heavy cameras up the rigging or having to repeatedly rip off camera screws that had frozen to his skin, but the book also doesn’t shy away from his personal issues, ability to move with the times and his interactions with others which lead to him falling out of favour to some extent.
Of complaints there are really only minor ones. Whilst it would be nice to have all of the photos regardless of quality printed to a large size the book is already huge, weighing about 2.8kg which makes it physically difficult to read. It’s definitely the kind of book you’d want to read open on a table, unless you want to dislocate a hip having it open on your lap or end up ripping the cover off if you’re holding it up. It also would have been nice to have had a better or more detailed map than the simple hand drawn one on page 11, though this is only a minor quibble.
Overall, a fantastic book for those interested in the Endurance, polar exploration more generally, or even those who are looking for a good coffee table book. There’s a reason so many of Hurley’s photos are so iconic and recognisable even over a century later, and this book is the prefect medium in which to enjoy them.
In all seriousness though, the book does go above and beyond in displaying a contextualising his work. Whilst not all of the prints are blown up to (nearly) full page size, and the pages are 30cm x 30cm so that’s a good size, they are all shown scaled down towards the back of the book. I wouldn’t particularly disagree with the choices of what didn’t make the cut, and even those pictures are often shown to a fair size. I love the sledge dogs but can’t say I need to see a full page print where they’re moving and so blurry you can barely see what’s going on, or have multiple identical shots of icebergs and glaciers. If they are of interest everything has been labelled well enough to be found elsewhere.
The full size photos are absolutely gorgeous in their clarity, from the crispness of the rig in the night time ‘ghost ship’ images, to the details of all the crew in the group shots. You can even read the writing on the keys of the typewriters. The photos are all well annotated, including with all the crew’s names which is helpful as a lot of them look very similar, particularly when the beards start to grow in. The photos are dated and arranged chronologically so it’s easy to track the progress (or not) of the expedition. The book also takes advantage of the diaries to explain and contextualise in the larger outlook of the expedition, such as talking about how as well as being the expedition photographer Hurley also acted like an unofficial engineer, being responsible for building stoves that were vital to their survival in Patience Camp. Also included are the Paget prints, an early form of colour photography. Combined with the clarity of the prints and accompanying descriptions they really give a great sense of how these were all living, breathing men, rather than the disconnected image you may get from a ‘stuffy’ black and white photo.
We get more information on Hurley in chapters about both his earlier life & the start of his career, as well as his life after the Endurance. These do a good job of showing how he fit in with his contemporaries by showing examples of both works. It’s hard to not be impressed about Hurely’s dedication to his craft, whether it be lugging his heavy cameras up the rigging or having to repeatedly rip off camera screws that had frozen to his skin, but the book also doesn’t shy away from his personal issues, ability to move with the times and his interactions with others which lead to him falling out of favour to some extent.
Of complaints there are really only minor ones. Whilst it would be nice to have all of the photos regardless of quality printed to a large size the book is already huge, weighing about 2.8kg which makes it physically difficult to read. It’s definitely the kind of book you’d want to read open on a table, unless you want to dislocate a hip having it open on your lap or end up ripping the cover off if you’re holding it up. It also would have been nice to have had a better or more detailed map than the simple hand drawn one on page 11, though this is only a minor quibble.
Overall, a fantastic book for those interested in the Endurance, polar exploration more generally, or even those who are looking for a good coffee table book. There’s a reason so many of Hurley’s photos are so iconic and recognisable even over a century later, and this book is the prefect medium in which to enjoy them.
February 9, 2013
While the pictures of Frank Hurley are exceptional, one must have read the entire written account ("South", Ernest Shackleton, "Endurance, Frank Worsley)) at least once to have a full appreciation for these photographs. The efforts taken to secure the plates and film, while slightly commercial in nature, were nonetheless epic. Diving into a sinking ship in Antarctic waters to retrieve film and living through it, only to be marooned for a further year, all the while taking pictures? Even if all of them were composites, or outright fakes, Frank Hurley and his comrades went through hell to present them to us. And I, for one, am grateful to him. A fantastic collection that gives life to an inspirational story.
April 27, 2013
I pick this book up every couple of months and page through it again. These photos are absolutely stunning, by any standard, but if you've read about the Endurance and know the story, you'll really appreciate what Hurley withstood to get these photos. I've read quite a bit about the Endurance expedition, but these photos is what really brought it into relief for me. The story is so incredible it almost defies imagination that anyone survived. it's difficult to imagine anything they experienced, but we are so fortunate to have such beautiful photographic evidence thanks to Hurley's Herculean constitution.
December 18, 2013
Seeing the photos after reading "Endurance" for the full story was amazing. And these were taken when photography wasn't as easy as pulling out the digital SLR! The photographs are beautiful. It really helps in visualizing the icy conditions that the crew endured during their 1.5+ year ordeal. This book contains a nice summary of the time the crew was stranded, but as a summary, it doesn't get into the nitty-gritty, so I'm glad I read the full account first. But if you just wanted an overview of the ill-fated expedition, it's pretty good. Probably a good amount for kids to read. It also has the life story of Frank Hurley, the photographer, who had a pretty adventurous life himself!
June 30, 2017
This is an essential part of the library for anyone who has been enthralled by the story of Shackleton's Endurance expedition. I recommend having it next to you while reading Alfred Lansing's spectacular book, Endurance. The tragedy of this edition is that so many of Hurley's photographs lie somewhere at the bottom of the Weddell Sea, never to be appreciated as these are.
May 1, 2016
I am can't decide what is more remarkable - these photos or the story of Shackleton and the Endurance. The book tells the story of the Endurance and of Hurley's life. But the stars of the book are Hurley's photos.
A beautifully presented book which pays respect to the men on the Endurance and to Hurley's talent.
A beautifully presented book which pays respect to the men on the Endurance and to Hurley's talent.
January 7, 2010
i thought this was really cool book. it is a true story about a group of men that go try to go to anartica and their ship breaks down and they have to find another way home. i read it at school and loved it and think that all of you should read it.
May 18, 2010
A beautifully documented picture book that also included a thorough description of the expedition to the Antartic. I liked it for what I learned about their way of surviving the cold whilst being stranded in the Antartic.
February 3, 2011
What these gentlemen experienced during this expedition is simply mind-boggling. Mr. Hurleys photographs are nothing short of spectacular. The fact that any photos and notes survived for us to relive this bit of history borders on miraculous!
July 31, 2012
The most amazing photos to go with the most amazing story. If someone had made that up, all that those men went through, and survived you'd say - "Aye right, can't you write something a bit more believable".
December 19, 2014
An incredible true story of courage, will, and endurance in the harshest of environments. Not only a great story, but written in a way that keeps the reader wanting to know more about how or what will happen next.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews