With Scott to the Pole : the Terra Nova Expedition 1910-1913 : The Photographs of Herbert Ponting

by Herbert Ponting, Beau Riffenburgh (Illustrator)

"Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our bodies must tell the tale". - Robert Falcon Scott's 'message to the public' c. 29 March 1912. Through Beau Riffenburgh's narrative and the perfectly composed images of Herbert Ponting, "With Scott to the Pole" tells the story of the triumph and tragedy of Scott's 1910-13 expedition to the South Pole. Along with four companions, the explorer reached the pole only to be bitterly disappointed to discover the Norwegian flag planted there by Roald Amundsen. Scott and his men could no longer hope to secure the first attainment of the South Pole for the British Empire, and their despondency shows in the photographs that survived them. Yet with grit and courage they started on the 800 mile return from the pole. A harrowing time ensued. By the time they were within 11 miles of a depot which would have saved them they had already lost two members of the expedition, and it was at this point that Scott and his remaining two companions were overcome by a blizzard and died. "With Scott to the Pole" is a fitting tribute not only to Ponting 's spell-binding aesthetic vision, but also to a magnificent story of adventure and heroism.

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography, History

240 pages, Hardcover

First published September 20, 2004

Reviews

[Tittirossa · Rating 5 out of 5]

La mia passione sconfinata per Scott nasce da una mostra vista in Irlanda su Crean (unico irish della spedizione), poi da una su Sackelton (eroe dei ghiacci!), poi da uno dei più bei libri sull'argomento (Il peggior viaggio del mondo di Cherry-Garard) .... la conquista del Polo Sud da parte di Scott è talmente epica e drammatica (battuto da Amundsen di un mese, ma in realtà partivano da due idee completamente diverse, una agonistica l'altra scientifica) che non sono riuscita a sottrarmi al richiamo di questo libro. Ottimo riassunto e magnifiche foto!

[Pete daPixie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up from a charity shop for £2 and now joins my coffee table collection.
A stunning book! What makes it so are the black and white photographs of Herbert Ponting. Using the modern vernacular, these images are awesome. Published in 2004 from the archives of the Royal Geographical Society and the Scott Polar Research Institute, with text that documents the late nineteenth century Antarctic explorations through to Scott's Terra Nova Expedition of 1910-1913.

In 1977 I was referred to the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge for a position of ship's officer on the BAS ship 'John Biscoe'. At the interview I was asked how I would feel about additional shore work involving the tagging of penguins! Looking at Ponting's images in this book, I think I made the right choice to turn down the offer.

[jmbadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aconsegueix transmetre amb emoció la tragèdia de Scott i ho complementa amb les fotos magnífiques d'Herbert Ponting. De vegades però, caldrien descripcions mes novel·lades que permetessin assimilar millor la gran quantitat d'informació. És estrany també que no s'acompanyi el relat de mapes per poder entendre millor els itineraris de l'expedició.
Així i tot, un llibre magnífic.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome photo survey....

[Dieter D]

they die at the end

[Skull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing photographs by Ponting, and the narrative is excellent, i would have liked less words and more and larger photographs but can have no complaints.

As a photographic record of the Scott Terra Nova Antarctic expedition it is superb.