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Atrapados en el hielo
En 1914 el explorador Ernest Shackleton y su tripulación partieron para hacer el primer viaje a pie por la Antártida, pero su barco quedó atrapado. El fascinante relato de una de las mayores epopeyas en la lucha del hombre frente a la Naturaleza.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 8, 1998
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17051 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Alexander
46 books199 followersCaroline 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 787 reviews
October 9, 2008
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.
March 23, 2022
Oh Shackleton, how inspirational you are! This book achieves the perfect balance between sweeping the story along and providing lots of details and background information.
So many pictures. Very satisfying. Never has the failure of an expedition proved to be such an inspiration and a dramatic survival tale. Everyone lived through it, but they were not unaffected.
So many pictures. Very satisfying. Never has the failure of an expedition proved to be such an inspiration and a dramatic survival tale. Everyone lived through it, but they were not unaffected.
March 9, 2022
I read this at least fifteen years ago, but the thrill remains. I sat up all night with this story, utterly enthralled at the adventure and the courage and the heart of the man.
Reading news that the wreckage of the Endurance has been found.
Reading news that the wreckage of the Endurance has been found.
November 6, 2015
I love overcoming, travel and adventure stories and for that reason I can't avoid recommending this amazing story of Caroline Alexander. "The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition," tells the real expedition of survival to Antarctica that Shackleton and his crew had to live after his ship was swallowed by the ice. It is a thrilling story full of adventures in which as a Pandora's box, comes to the surface every human emotion, in this case even hope. A hope that none of the crew lost during the long and painful odyssey they had to suffer. I recommend this book to all lovers of survival, adventure and overcoming stories where reality sometimes is even superior to fiction.
Spanish version:
Amo las historias de superación, aventuras y de viaje no puedo evitar recomendaros este maravilloso relato de Caroline Alexander. Atrapados en el hielo narra la expedición real a la Antártida en que Shakelton y su tripulación tuvieron que sobrevivir después de que su barco fuera tragado por el hielo. Es un relato trepidante, lleno de aventuras en la que como una caja de pandora salen a flote todas las emociones humanas, en este caso incluso la esperanza. Una esperanza que ninguno de ellos perdió durante la penosa y larga odisea que tuvieron que sufrir. Recomiendo este libro a todos los amantes de los relatos de supervivencia, de aventuras y de superación en los que la realidad a veces, supera incluso la ficción.
Spanish version:
Amo las historias de superación, aventuras y de viaje no puedo evitar recomendaros este maravilloso relato de Caroline Alexander. Atrapados en el hielo narra la expedición real a la Antártida en que Shakelton y su tripulación tuvieron que sobrevivir después de que su barco fuera tragado por el hielo. Es un relato trepidante, lleno de aventuras en la que como una caja de pandora salen a flote todas las emociones humanas, en este caso incluso la esperanza. Una esperanza que ninguno de ellos perdió durante la penosa y larga odisea que tuvieron que sufrir. Recomiendo este libro a todos los amantes de los relatos de supervivencia, de aventuras y de superación en los que la realidad a veces, supera incluso la ficción.
February 24, 2020
Tengo pasión por todo lo que sean historias de supervivencia y acontecimientos históricos (cada vez que piso un museo o visito algún lugar con importancia histórica, se me hace un nudo en el pecho de la emoción....sep, soy así de rara Por eso no tengo amigos), sobre todo si los libros que leo sobre ellos tienen documentos de la época/fotos/etc.
Este en particular trata la historia de SIR Shackleton, un explorador polar, obsesionado por cumplir una meta casi imposible (para la época, me refiero a principios del siglo veinte, poco antes de la Primera Guerra Mundial), la Expedición Imperial Transantártica, con la cual pretendía atravesar el continente antártico.
Todo ésto con una tripulación de 27 hombres; entre ellos, un capitán-Frank Worsley-; el fotógrafo , Frank Hurley, gracias a quién existen las decenas de fotos que documentan el viaje y todas sus consecuencias; doctores, biólogos, decenas de perros y, por supuesto, la importantísima presencia de MRS. CHIPPY, la gara de Harry McNish, el carpintero; a bordo del barco Endurance
...nombre que refleja a la perfección la el carácter inquebrantable y perseverante de Ernest Shackleton, lo que
Absolutamente fascinante, sobre todo si son fanáticos de historias verdaderas que pasaron hace siglos (un siglo nomás, en este caso) y de las cuales todavía quedan retazos para analizar, fotos o evidencias a ver y leer, voces, testimonios, piezas a armar, etc.
Excelente expedición hacia el fondo del asunto; de la recuperación del pasado, de las vivencias de un grupo de hombres que no se dejaron vencer por el frío ni el hambre.
5/5
Este en particular trata la historia de SIR Shackleton, un explorador polar, obsesionado por cumplir una meta casi imposible (para la época, me refiero a principios del siglo veinte, poco antes de la Primera Guerra Mundial), la Expedición Imperial Transantártica, con la cual pretendía atravesar el continente antártico.
Todo ésto con una tripulación de 27 hombres; entre ellos, un capitán-Frank Worsley-; el fotógrafo , Frank Hurley, gracias a quién existen las decenas de fotos que documentan el viaje y todas sus consecuencias; doctores, biólogos, decenas de perros y, por supuesto, la importantísima presencia de MRS. CHIPPY, la gara de Harry McNish, el carpintero; a bordo del barco Endurance
...nombre que refleja a la perfección la el carácter inquebrantable y perseverante de Ernest Shackleton, lo que
Absolutamente fascinante, sobre todo si son fanáticos de historias verdaderas que pasaron hace siglos (un siglo nomás, en este caso) y de las cuales todavía quedan retazos para analizar, fotos o evidencias a ver y leer, voces, testimonios, piezas a armar, etc.
Excelente expedición hacia el fondo del asunto; de la recuperación del pasado, de las vivencias de un grupo de hombres que no se dejaron vencer por el frío ni el hambre.
5/5
October 28, 2018
There have been a lot of books on the Shackleton expedition - including Alfred Lansing's 1959 classic Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage - but this is an absolutely outstanding addition to that list, for at least two excellent reasons.
But first, let's just reconsider exactly what we're talking about here. Shackleton's story is not just one epic tale of survival - it's more like six separate and equally incredible tales linked back to back:
- Surviving the antarctic winter trapped aboard the slowly-crushing Endurance, followed by five months out on the floating (and crumbling) ice making their way back to open water (15 months);
- The harrowing week-long journey of the entire crew in three small boats to Elephant Island;
- The epic tw0-week trip of Shackleton's six-man team from Elephant to South Georgia Island, crossing the Southern Ocean - the world's roughest seas - in "one of the world's greatest boat journey's ever accomplished" as well as one of the more prodigious feats of navigation;
- Shackleton's exhausted three-man crossing of South Georgia - a maze of unexplored mountains and glaciers - to reach a Norwegian whaling station and organize a rescue of his remaining crew...
- Who meanwhile were enduring four months stranded on Elephant Island's small and insanely-inhospitable rocks with no idea whether or not Shackleton was still alive;
- And most stressful for Shackleton, his three month logistic and political struggle to get a proper rescue boat that could make it through the mid-winter ice back to Elephant Island.
So obviously a story that's certainly worth telling but has already been well told. Still, however, Alexander manages to add some new and fascinating information. With the support of various survivors' families, she mines never-before used diaries to paint vivid portraits of many of the team's colorful characters, (hampered only slightly by the hard-to-differentiate names of the exclusively British/Australian/NZ crew - Wild, Worsley, Wordie, McIlroy, McLeod, McCarthy, McNish, Maclin, Marston, Holness, How, Hudson, Hussey, Hurley, Bakewell, Blackborow, Clark, Crean, etc.).
And second, as curator of Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Expedition, the American Museum of Natural History's 1999 exhibition (which I was lucky enough to attend, and which turned me on to the Shackleton legend in the first place), Alexander was able to include over 130 of Frank Hurley's photos in a beautifully-produced book that serves almost as an extended exhibition catalog.
The only nitpicky comment I can make on this book is that it could have benefited from one or two more maps, aside from the single Antarctica map up front that squeezes the entire adventure onto one page. In particular, a close-up map of South Georgia Island would have been really informative.
But otherwise, for anyone with even passing interest in classic adventure stories, this is just an insanely good book - can not over-recommend!
UPDATE: There is also an EXCELLENT 2000 documentary (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) based on this book and narrated by Liam Neeson, which features much of the film footage shot by Hurley as well as a number of additional photos. Can get it on Amazon, or your library may have it.
But first, let's just reconsider exactly what we're talking about here. Shackleton's story is not just one epic tale of survival - it's more like six separate and equally incredible tales linked back to back:
- Surviving the antarctic winter trapped aboard the slowly-crushing Endurance, followed by five months out on the floating (and crumbling) ice making their way back to open water (15 months);
- The harrowing week-long journey of the entire crew in three small boats to Elephant Island;
- The epic tw0-week trip of Shackleton's six-man team from Elephant to South Georgia Island, crossing the Southern Ocean - the world's roughest seas - in "one of the world's greatest boat journey's ever accomplished" as well as one of the more prodigious feats of navigation;
- Shackleton's exhausted three-man crossing of South Georgia - a maze of unexplored mountains and glaciers - to reach a Norwegian whaling station and organize a rescue of his remaining crew...
- Who meanwhile were enduring four months stranded on Elephant Island's small and insanely-inhospitable rocks with no idea whether or not Shackleton was still alive;
- And most stressful for Shackleton, his three month logistic and political struggle to get a proper rescue boat that could make it through the mid-winter ice back to Elephant Island.
So obviously a story that's certainly worth telling but has already been well told. Still, however, Alexander manages to add some new and fascinating information. With the support of various survivors' families, she mines never-before used diaries to paint vivid portraits of many of the team's colorful characters, (hampered only slightly by the hard-to-differentiate names of the exclusively British/Australian/NZ crew - Wild, Worsley, Wordie, McIlroy, McLeod, McCarthy, McNish, Maclin, Marston, Holness, How, Hudson, Hussey, Hurley, Bakewell, Blackborow, Clark, Crean, etc.).
And second, as curator of Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Expedition, the American Museum of Natural History's 1999 exhibition (which I was lucky enough to attend, and which turned me on to the Shackleton legend in the first place), Alexander was able to include over 130 of Frank Hurley's photos in a beautifully-produced book that serves almost as an extended exhibition catalog.
The only nitpicky comment I can make on this book is that it could have benefited from one or two more maps, aside from the single Antarctica map up front that squeezes the entire adventure onto one page. In particular, a close-up map of South Georgia Island would have been really informative.
But otherwise, for anyone with even passing interest in classic adventure stories, this is just an insanely good book - can not over-recommend!
UPDATE: There is also an EXCELLENT 2000 documentary (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) based on this book and narrated by Liam Neeson, which features much of the film footage shot by Hurley as well as a number of additional photos. Can get it on Amazon, or your library may have it.
June 21, 2018
On pg 3, Alexander quotes Shackleton giving a prophetic warning to the ship's skipper as he navigates worsening conditions: "What the ice gets, the ice keeps." It's an obvious spoiler to say right off that the ice got the ship and nearly kept the crew. The rest is Alexander's riveting account of this astonishing and harrowing story, one filled with impressive examples of leadership, ingenuity, misery, and, in the end, cussed endurance, physical and mental. ES also said, "Optimism is true moral courage," and while that might sound a bit grandiose to some ears, his dogged belief in it is probably what kept the crew alive. And he didn't just spout it, he lived it. He was constantly monitoring the spirits of his men, and organizing activities for entertainment, camaraderie, and comfort (relatively speaking, of course), even serving them meals in their tents after particularly bad events.
Alexander does this story justice with marvelous writing. Her descriptions of landscape, weather, stalking killer whales, and the booming, cracking sounds of buckling ice sheets and bursting ship planks are as vivid as any cinemax movie. She provides insightful and poignant portraits of the crew, their virtues and failings, the devoted friendships and simmering rivalries and resentments.
Her summation of an 800 mile journey in a small open boat, battered by frigid gale force storms, manned only by ES and two others, in a a desperate attempt to seek help best captures the heart of this story:
"Throughout their seventeen day ordeal, Worsley had never allowed his mind to relax and ceases its [navigational] calculations. Together the six men had maintained a ship routine, a structure of command, a schedule of watches. They had been mindful of their seamanship under the most severe circumstances a sailor would ever face. They had not merely endured; they had exhibited the grace of expertise under ungodly pressure."
I've read a few other books of extraordinary expeditions -- Captain Sir Richard Burton, Lost City of Z, Jungle of Stone -- and this is the first of which I found myself wondering at the end, "Was it worth it?" Alexander acknowledges that the original mission was a failure. Considering again ES's quote about the inexorable power of ice, I can't help but ask, "If you knew that coming in, what did you think your odds were of surviving?" While S's belief in optimism as moral courage is probably what saved his crew, is it not also the attitude that put them at risk in the first place, and to what end? Where do heroic courage and foolhardiness overlap? This is prissy cavilling, I understand, but I would've liked Alexander to explore this question, even if just briefly. Of course, the impulse to test oneself against the most challenging elements -- whether out of desire for glory or discovery and advancement in knowledge, or some irresistible existential need --underlies innumerable discoveries that have benefited humanity (or some of humanity more than others) in the long run, and I don't mean to suggest that all such journeys should always produce immediate and practical gains, but since Alexander does such a find job of plumbing the personalities of these admirable figures, yes, even, heroic, I just wish she'd dug a little deeper into examining the ambiguous side of the story. This niggling concern was enough to cost an otherwise excellent book a 1/2 star: 4 1/2 stars.
Alexander does this story justice with marvelous writing. Her descriptions of landscape, weather, stalking killer whales, and the booming, cracking sounds of buckling ice sheets and bursting ship planks are as vivid as any cinemax movie. She provides insightful and poignant portraits of the crew, their virtues and failings, the devoted friendships and simmering rivalries and resentments.
Her summation of an 800 mile journey in a small open boat, battered by frigid gale force storms, manned only by ES and two others, in a a desperate attempt to seek help best captures the heart of this story:
"Throughout their seventeen day ordeal, Worsley had never allowed his mind to relax and ceases its [navigational] calculations. Together the six men had maintained a ship routine, a structure of command, a schedule of watches. They had been mindful of their seamanship under the most severe circumstances a sailor would ever face. They had not merely endured; they had exhibited the grace of expertise under ungodly pressure."
I've read a few other books of extraordinary expeditions -- Captain Sir Richard Burton, Lost City of Z, Jungle of Stone -- and this is the first of which I found myself wondering at the end, "Was it worth it?" Alexander acknowledges that the original mission was a failure. Considering again ES's quote about the inexorable power of ice, I can't help but ask, "If you knew that coming in, what did you think your odds were of surviving?" While S's belief in optimism as moral courage is probably what saved his crew, is it not also the attitude that put them at risk in the first place, and to what end? Where do heroic courage and foolhardiness overlap? This is prissy cavilling, I understand, but I would've liked Alexander to explore this question, even if just briefly. Of course, the impulse to test oneself against the most challenging elements -- whether out of desire for glory or discovery and advancement in knowledge, or some irresistible existential need --underlies innumerable discoveries that have benefited humanity (or some of humanity more than others) in the long run, and I don't mean to suggest that all such journeys should always produce immediate and practical gains, but since Alexander does such a find job of plumbing the personalities of these admirable figures, yes, even, heroic, I just wish she'd dug a little deeper into examining the ambiguous side of the story. This niggling concern was enough to cost an otherwise excellent book a 1/2 star: 4 1/2 stars.
May 30, 2007
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 their 'spirits'. Because what is the frigging point of complaining, EVER? Even they, no ship, frozen, hungry, hurt recognizing their having made a choice about being where they are know its now STILL their choice about what to do with the situation they meet.
And then you hear people bitching about their feet hurt cause the impossible shoes they chose to wear to lap the mall are chafing the pedicure.
Contempt!!!
Not that I care that much. The book is excellent, a bit magaziney.
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 their 'spirits'. Because what is the frigging point of complaining, EVER? Even they, no ship, frozen, hungry, hurt recognizing their having made a choice about being where they are know its now STILL their choice about what to do with the situation they meet.
And then you hear people bitching about their feet hurt cause the impossible shoes they chose to wear to lap the mall are chafing the pedicure.
Contempt!!!
Not that I care that much. The book is excellent, a bit magaziney.
June 6, 2020
No matter how many books I read nor movies I watch, I just can't seem to get enough of Shackleton. Trying to imagine the dashing of dreams and the prolonged suffering that he and his crew had to endure is too much. But the real heroism lies in the qualities that Shackleton himself brought to this excursion -the way he selected his crew not so much on seamanship experience but on each's personal optimism; the way he was able to quickly recognize, without ego, that the Excursion was now a rescue operation; the way he made the impossible come to pass over and over and over again; and the way he couldn't rest until all his men were back with him.
Alexander writes a compelling account of the unbelievable expedition and does so in a concise and highly readable way. My only regret is that the photos which accompany her book are not included in the audio version.
Alexander writes a compelling account of the unbelievable expedition and does so in a concise and highly readable way. My only regret is that the photos which accompany her book are not included in the audio version.
October 4, 2013
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 taken by the ship's photographer (Hurley) during that legendary journey & they are worth ...gold. :)
The photos are reproduced exceptionally clear with good info about them & complementing these extraordinary photos, Alexander has integrated not only her well researched narrative but many comments gleaned from the diaries kept by some of the men on this harrowing expedition, making this a fine report. In fact, for an excellent overview of Shakleton's Antarctic Expedition this is the place to begin. It also is the place to go if you want the human interest aspect of the 28-man team. Alexander's book leaves you feeling you've gotten to meet the guys & even the animals. Of particular interest to the cat lover in me is that this book is dedicated to "Mrs. Chippy" the Tabby cat that the carpenter, McNish brought along obviously not thinking (wrongly) that this would be a trip from hell that his beloved cat would not survive. You gotta read it to find out that part of the story. Personally I still regard Worsley's book as better. Alexander's comes off to me as a report, whereas in Worsley's telling you EXPERIENCE the Antarctic! Evenso, this is a MUST SEE book filled with out-of-this world photos. Don't miss out, they are amazing.
The photos are reproduced exceptionally clear with good info about them & complementing these extraordinary photos, Alexander has integrated not only her well researched narrative but many comments gleaned from the diaries kept by some of the men on this harrowing expedition, making this a fine report. In fact, for an excellent overview of Shakleton's Antarctic Expedition this is the place to begin. It also is the place to go if you want the human interest aspect of the 28-man team. Alexander's book leaves you feeling you've gotten to meet the guys & even the animals. Of particular interest to the cat lover in me is that this book is dedicated to "Mrs. Chippy" the Tabby cat that the carpenter, McNish brought along obviously not thinking (wrongly) that this would be a trip from hell that his beloved cat would not survive. You gotta read it to find out that part of the story. Personally I still regard Worsley's book as better. Alexander's comes off to me as a report, whereas in Worsley's telling you EXPERIENCE the Antarctic! Evenso, this is a MUST SEE book filled with out-of-this world photos. Don't miss out, they are amazing.
March 7, 2013
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 begin the overland portion of the expedition. They winter over on the ship and await the thaw. Spring arrives, but the shifting floes crush the ship. And so begins their test of endurance. Shackleton believed that optimism is the true measure of moral courage. As the leader of a crew of 27 men, he sings (badly) in their sing-alongs, serves them tea in their tents, stands watch during their most desperate hours, and ultimately carries all of them to safety.
Added features in this edition include photographs taken by expedition member Frank Hurley (I missed those on audio). Also, a fascinating afterword tells how each of the expedition members ultimately died: in what year and under what circumstances. Most died relatively young; some of heart attacks while in their fifties; and one died of lung cancer -- I wondered about the effects of those tundra grass cigarettes... and all the huddling over blubber stoves.
I highly recommend this book; read it slowly and savor it. In my case I had to often rewind:)
Added features in this edition include photographs taken by expedition member Frank Hurley (I missed those on audio). Also, a fascinating afterword tells how each of the expedition members ultimately died: in what year and under what circumstances. Most died relatively young; some of heart attacks while in their fifties; and one died of lung cancer -- I wondered about the effects of those tundra grass cigarettes... and all the huddling over blubber stoves.
I highly recommend this book; read it slowly and savor it. In my case I had to often rewind:)
August 3, 2007
Although my favorite book on Shackleton's expedition is Alfred Lansing's account, this is also an excellent version. Focusing on the diverse members of the crew, Alexander creates vivid portraits of each man, revealing the camaraderie and toughness that undoubtedly contributed to their survival. The main narrative is interspersed with extracts from the crew's journals, and there is of course a portrayal of Shackleton himself, a truly gifted leader. As the author noted, "At the core of Shackleton's gift for leadership in crisis was...the fact that he elicited from his men strength and endurance they had never imagined they possessed; he ennobled them."
August 28, 2011
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 National Geographic collection, as well as many others from the National Library of Norway's Picture Collection & The Royal Geographical Society help Alexander bring the article's age of exploration back to life for today's readers:
Photograph by Herbert Ponting, National Geographic Stock
More about this photo at National Geographic
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 National Geographic collection, as well as many others from the National Library of Norway's Picture Collection & The Royal Geographical Society help Alexander bring the article's age of exploration back to life for today's readers:
Photograph by Herbert Ponting, National Geographic Stock
More about this photo at National Geographic
June 11, 2013
Lo confieso, tengo debilidad por estos libros mezcla de aventuras, viajes extraordinarios y ciencia. Es el tercero o cuarto que leo sobre las exploraciones polares y no me canso: paso frío con los expedicionarios, oigo rugir las tormentas sobre los mares o las planicies heladas, saboreo la carne de pingüino y la grasa de foca, me refugio en débiles tiendas o cabañas de madera... y aún me quedan ganas de seguir leyendo sobre estos temas. No hay literatura que me apasione más que la de las grandes exploraciones y descubrimientos de los dos últimos siglos. Lo recomiendo absolutamente :)
September 30, 2007
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!
March 23, 2020
En este libro encontraréis la historia del «Endurance» y de sus tripulantes cuando a principios del siglo XIX decidieron ir hasta el Antártico para recorrerlo a pie.
He disfrutado un montón con la lectura. El libro está lleno de fotografías originales (que en mi edición se ven bastante mal) que te acercan un poco más a las duras condiciones de la travesía y del posterior martirio que pasaron atrapados en el hielo.
Si os gustan las historias de aventuras os gustará este libro porque cuenta con los relatos reales de los miembros de la tripulación.
He disfrutado un montón con la lectura. El libro está lleno de fotografías originales (que en mi edición se ven bastante mal) que te acercan un poco más a las duras condiciones de la travesía y del posterior martirio que pasaron atrapados en el hielo.
Si os gustan las historias de aventuras os gustará este libro porque cuenta con los relatos reales de los miembros de la tripulación.
October 25, 2018
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 rest; they knew they would die if they stopped. At one point Shackleton says, "We've got to take a risk," and they slide down a glacial ridge (a very dangerous thing to do - but they've got to get to lower altitudes fast or risk freezing once night falls). All this after having made their way by open boat in a horrific ocean crossing to the island after their ship, The Endurance, was slowly and inexorably crushed by the shifting pack ice of the Antarctic Ocean. Forced to abandon ship, Shackleton and his men had lived in tents on the great ice floes through the winter before finally taking to small open boats when the ice began breaking up (literally under their feet) in the spring. Terrifying and astonishing. Alexander tells the story in a terse, vivid prose style. The book includes unpublished photographs taken by the expedition's photographer Frank Hurley. The strangest and most stunning are of The Endurance locked in the ice.
February 18, 2013
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 photos were included, as they gave me more of a feel for the perspective that these were real men going through a real experience. that this is more than just a story, it was part of history.
to echo from my alfred lansing review - as for shackleton, i think he was a very fool-hardy man to have ignored the obvious warnings and gotten them into the mess in the first place. but really, if you knew you were going to be in a life-or-death situation, he is the man i'd want as leader.
to echo from my alfred lansing review - as for shackleton, i think he was a very fool-hardy man to have ignored the obvious warnings and gotten them into the mess in the first place. but really, if you knew you were going to be in a life-or-death situation, he is the man i'd want as leader.
January 3, 2019
In some ways not the best choice for a read aloud (to the 15 year-old) because we don't read consistently every night -- over the course of three months, we found it hard to keep track of who was who among the twenty-something crew members, and got hazy on other details as well. Still, it was rather fun to experience the extraordinary story with my son (who managed to be relatively stoic about the fate of Mrs. Chippy and the dogs), and the photographs are simply stunning.
December 27, 2012
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 grinding ice and the men had to quickly decamp onto the ice floes.
Frank Hurley was the photographer and it is his stunning photographs that graphically illustrate Caroline Alexander's gripping narrative, well laced with diary entries from some of the participants. The survival of so many photographs, negatives, both normal and glass plate, is a remarkable story of survival in itself but the fact that no men were lost as their awful situation dragged on and on was incredible.
Shackleton and some of the men made a run for help in one of the lifeboats; an astonishing sea journey followed and then, after landing on a rocky outcrop called Elephant Island, the trek continued overland for three of the men in an attempt to get rescuers.
After untold hardships they managed to reach a whaling station and the first part of the rescue took place as the Elephant Island men were taken back to the mainland. Then came the difficult task of getting back to the men stranded in the Antartic wastes. After many difficulties the rescue was successful and everyone was saved.
Caroline Alexander follows the remarkable tale up with pen pictures of each of the men and what happened to them after this adventure, which all through makes enthralling reading.
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 grinding ice and the men had to quickly decamp onto the ice floes.
Frank Hurley was the photographer and it is his stunning photographs that graphically illustrate Caroline Alexander's gripping narrative, well laced with diary entries from some of the participants. The survival of so many photographs, negatives, both normal and glass plate, is a remarkable story of survival in itself but the fact that no men were lost as their awful situation dragged on and on was incredible.
Shackleton and some of the men made a run for help in one of the lifeboats; an astonishing sea journey followed and then, after landing on a rocky outcrop called Elephant Island, the trek continued overland for three of the men in an attempt to get rescuers.
After untold hardships they managed to reach a whaling station and the first part of the rescue took place as the Elephant Island men were taken back to the mainland. Then came the difficult task of getting back to the men stranded in the Antartic wastes. After many difficulties the rescue was successful and everyone was saved.
Caroline Alexander follows the remarkable tale up with pen pictures of each of the men and what happened to them after this adventure, which all through makes enthralling reading.
June 18, 2008
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 traveled by ship, when we were just on the cusp of mastering our natural world. And yet unlike all those others, here there exists an astonishingly complete, comprehensive, expertly assembled photorecord along with numerous personal accounts and memoirs.
Alexander did an excellent job of culling together the rich resources available documenting the disastrous expedition to reach the South Pole, and bringing them together into a striking, cohesive narrative. Some of the shots, particularly those of the Endurance at night, are utterly haunting. If Indiana Jones was real, he would have learned his trade of Sir Earnest Shackleton.
It's a little publicized fact that a trio of Royal Marines, fully equipped with the best gear the late 20th Century could produce, and in prime shape, attempted the same crossing of Elephant Island that Shackleton's trio made so long ago, with only ordinary clothes on their backs, and nails from the Endurance's sides pressed through their thin soled shoes to give them extra traction on the snow. Shackleton's trio made it, and rescued the crew. The marines had to be evacuated by helicopter.
Now that's an adventure.
Here is one of the very, very few great adventures from the age before our communications became global, when mail still traveled by ship, when we were just on the cusp of mastering our natural world. And yet unlike all those others, here there exists an astonishingly complete, comprehensive, expertly assembled photorecord along with numerous personal accounts and memoirs.
Alexander did an excellent job of culling together the rich resources available documenting the disastrous expedition to reach the South Pole, and bringing them together into a striking, cohesive narrative. Some of the shots, particularly those of the Endurance at night, are utterly haunting. If Indiana Jones was real, he would have learned his trade of Sir Earnest Shackleton.
It's a little publicized fact that a trio of Royal Marines, fully equipped with the best gear the late 20th Century could produce, and in prime shape, attempted the same crossing of Elephant Island that Shackleton's trio made so long ago, with only ordinary clothes on their backs, and nails from the Endurance's sides pressed through their thin soled shoes to give them extra traction on the snow. Shackleton's trio made it, and rescued the crew. The marines had to be evacuated by helicopter.
Now that's an adventure.
May 12, 2007
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 his fellow men. In this, he is assisted by the tremendous navigating skills of Frank Worseley. Once safe, they go back to Elephant island to rescue the remainder of the crew.
The book reads like a thriller, in the mold of 'The Day of the Jackal'. Caroline Alexander shows great skills in bringing the events alive after almost 85 years. I found it very inspiring in terms of leadership and the never-say-die spirit. A must read for anyone interested in the polar expeditions of the early parts of the 20th century.
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 his fellow men. In this, he is assisted by the tremendous navigating skills of Frank Worseley. Once safe, they go back to Elephant island to rescue the remainder of the crew.
The book reads like a thriller, in the mold of 'The Day of the Jackal'. Caroline Alexander shows great skills in bringing the events alive after almost 85 years. I found it very inspiring in terms of leadership and the never-say-die spirit. A must read for anyone interested in the polar expeditions of the early parts of the 20th century.
June 23, 2008
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 video games and horror movies.
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 video games and horror movies.
April 10, 2015
The story is amazing. It's miraculous that anyone survived the crazy-extreme conditions these men faced, but the entire crew of the Endurance lived to tell the tale. What I enjoyed even more than the text were the beautiful black and white photos taken by a photographer on board, Frank Hurley. Miraculous too that these survived, considering everything they went through. Gorgeous, dramatic shots of the ship amidst the snow and ice floes, icy, stark, and in contrast, wonderfully warm portraits of the men -- and dogs. A stunning record of this experience.
November 6, 2015
This is one of these stories when reality is more unbelievable than fiction!
July 2, 2014
The Endurance is a short, quickly-paced book about Ernest Shackleton’s failed expedition to cross the Antarctic. The book was originally intended as a companion volume to the American Museum of Natural History’s 2011-12 exhibition, but can be read and enjoyed on its own.
The 1914 Trans-Antarctic Expedition, lead and organized by Ernest Shackleton, has captivated scholars and adventurers alike. Even now, a century on, it remains one of the greatest stories of human survival. The journey of the 27-man crew is canonical and especially unusual for its extensive crew documentation: virtually all the members maintained detailed journals, and a filmmaker-photographer accompanied the expedition with the intention of making a documentary. Numerous books have been written about the expedition, including Shackleton’s own South, and Edward Lansing’s Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage.
Caroline Alexander is a deft storyteller, efficiently and seamlessly merging excerpts from crew members’ diaries with photographs and independent research. She contextualizes the events of the expedition against the world arena, providing a rudimentary social and political framework upon which to build the story. She had access to sources previously unavailable to other researchers, and skillfully unifies diary entries and independent research. The result is a comprehensive, thoughtful, and thorough recollection of the expedition. With unexpected intimacy, Alexander reconstructs both the physical voyage and the burgeoning relationships between the men. She has an acute sense for the social dynamics on the ship, and is skilled in her candid nuanced portrayals of the individual men.
The story is, too, one of profound individual and shared loss: the destruction of the ship, Endurance, the abandonment of the intended goal, and the elimination of the final shreds of human comfort. In the spare, unforgiving Antarctic landscape, every minute comfort is integral morale – and the loss of any part is devastating. Dogs were brought on the expedition, with the intention of using them for sledging across the ice floes and tundra. After the expedition’s original intent is abandoned, the dogs are no longer needed (and become a burden: consuming valuable resources). Ultimately, the necessary action is to cull the sled dogs: in the crewmen’s journals, this event is detailed as one of the most difficult tasks ever undertaken. Similarly, Harry McNish’s beloved cat, Mrs. Chippy (brought onboard as an unofficial mascot and ship-pet), is also killed: the personal loss suffered never quite heals and alienates McNish from the other crew members.
With these events, especially, the remaining artifice of humanity in the Antarctic is destroyed: the affection and caretaking for the crew’s animals. The elimination of the dogs and cat is one of the most final and damning demonstrations of nature’s detached, dispassionate brutality in the expedition. And yet, it is a testament to the mental and physical fortitude of the men that despite the setbacks, losses, and constant dangers, they remain generally good-humored and civil, publicly and privately. The characteristic English stoicism is present as the men to recount their brief descents in madness and near-annihilation in the elements: diary entries are terse (though often dryly humorous) and even clinical.
The chronology is also notable: Shackleton and his men left in 1914 and were outside radio contact for the majority of World War I. As the War progressed, the public perception of heroism, too, shifted dramatically. At the outset, the individual, affluent English explorers gleaned tremendous public attention and support; the advent of World War I re-defined heroism as military members, serving as a force of benevolence overseas. The wealth and aristocracy that had cultivated Shackleton’s celebrity, then, became another relic of the Romanticized Colonial past – eroded by the wartime effort and displaced by new icons and values.
In many ways, the Shackleton expedition marked the end of the great Romantic period of English exploration (resurrected dramatically, if briefly, by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hilary in their ascent of Everest). The mechanized destruction of World War I, its revolt against the dreamy, Romantic ambitions of the late 19th century, left little space for the decadence of financed exploration. Alexander notes the difficulty Shackleton had in procuring rescue vessels for his men, in part due to the Great War. The British government provided funding in 1914, but (by 1917) was consumed with the war effort and unable (and unwilling) to devote additional resources the expedition: the PR value of rescuing the men didn't offset the manpower and cost necessary for such action. National attentions were turned elsewhere: to faltering economies, the war effort, post-war reconstruction.
After dispersing from the Falkland Islands , most crew members immediately entered military or civilian service to their respective countries. The book’s final act is devoted to the post-expedition lives of the crewmembers, ranging from abject poverty to business ownership (with one crewmember, not warmly viewed by his cohorts, finding profession as a spy). The eclectic crew, unsurprisingly, went on to equally disparate lives.
As an aside: I made the mistake of reading The Endurance on Kindle: the text is interspersed with photographs (taken by crewmember Frank Hurley), the beauty and detail of which is lost on the Paperwhite’s screen. This is certainly a volume to read in physical form, as the included photographs add tremendously to the work’s depth and emotion. Others have remarked on the impeccable print quality of the physical book, and I strongly recommend seeking it out in lieu of an electronic copy.
The 1914 Trans-Antarctic Expedition, lead and organized by Ernest Shackleton, has captivated scholars and adventurers alike. Even now, a century on, it remains one of the greatest stories of human survival. The journey of the 27-man crew is canonical and especially unusual for its extensive crew documentation: virtually all the members maintained detailed journals, and a filmmaker-photographer accompanied the expedition with the intention of making a documentary. Numerous books have been written about the expedition, including Shackleton’s own South, and Edward Lansing’s Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage.
Caroline Alexander is a deft storyteller, efficiently and seamlessly merging excerpts from crew members’ diaries with photographs and independent research. She contextualizes the events of the expedition against the world arena, providing a rudimentary social and political framework upon which to build the story. She had access to sources previously unavailable to other researchers, and skillfully unifies diary entries and independent research. The result is a comprehensive, thoughtful, and thorough recollection of the expedition. With unexpected intimacy, Alexander reconstructs both the physical voyage and the burgeoning relationships between the men. She has an acute sense for the social dynamics on the ship, and is skilled in her candid nuanced portrayals of the individual men.
The story is, too, one of profound individual and shared loss: the destruction of the ship, Endurance, the abandonment of the intended goal, and the elimination of the final shreds of human comfort. In the spare, unforgiving Antarctic landscape, every minute comfort is integral morale – and the loss of any part is devastating. Dogs were brought on the expedition, with the intention of using them for sledging across the ice floes and tundra. After the expedition’s original intent is abandoned, the dogs are no longer needed (and become a burden: consuming valuable resources). Ultimately, the necessary action is to cull the sled dogs: in the crewmen’s journals, this event is detailed as one of the most difficult tasks ever undertaken. Similarly, Harry McNish’s beloved cat, Mrs. Chippy (brought onboard as an unofficial mascot and ship-pet), is also killed: the personal loss suffered never quite heals and alienates McNish from the other crew members.
With these events, especially, the remaining artifice of humanity in the Antarctic is destroyed: the affection and caretaking for the crew’s animals. The elimination of the dogs and cat is one of the most final and damning demonstrations of nature’s detached, dispassionate brutality in the expedition. And yet, it is a testament to the mental and physical fortitude of the men that despite the setbacks, losses, and constant dangers, they remain generally good-humored and civil, publicly and privately. The characteristic English stoicism is present as the men to recount their brief descents in madness and near-annihilation in the elements: diary entries are terse (though often dryly humorous) and even clinical.
The chronology is also notable: Shackleton and his men left in 1914 and were outside radio contact for the majority of World War I. As the War progressed, the public perception of heroism, too, shifted dramatically. At the outset, the individual, affluent English explorers gleaned tremendous public attention and support; the advent of World War I re-defined heroism as military members, serving as a force of benevolence overseas. The wealth and aristocracy that had cultivated Shackleton’s celebrity, then, became another relic of the Romanticized Colonial past – eroded by the wartime effort and displaced by new icons and values.
In many ways, the Shackleton expedition marked the end of the great Romantic period of English exploration (resurrected dramatically, if briefly, by Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hilary in their ascent of Everest). The mechanized destruction of World War I, its revolt against the dreamy, Romantic ambitions of the late 19th century, left little space for the decadence of financed exploration. Alexander notes the difficulty Shackleton had in procuring rescue vessels for his men, in part due to the Great War. The British government provided funding in 1914, but (by 1917) was consumed with the war effort and unable (and unwilling) to devote additional resources the expedition: the PR value of rescuing the men didn't offset the manpower and cost necessary for such action. National attentions were turned elsewhere: to faltering economies, the war effort, post-war reconstruction.
After dispersing from the Falkland Islands , most crew members immediately entered military or civilian service to their respective countries. The book’s final act is devoted to the post-expedition lives of the crewmembers, ranging from abject poverty to business ownership (with one crewmember, not warmly viewed by his cohorts, finding profession as a spy). The eclectic crew, unsurprisingly, went on to equally disparate lives.
As an aside: I made the mistake of reading The Endurance on Kindle: the text is interspersed with photographs (taken by crewmember Frank Hurley), the beauty and detail of which is lost on the Paperwhite’s screen. This is certainly a volume to read in physical form, as the included photographs add tremendously to the work’s depth and emotion. Others have remarked on the impeccable print quality of the physical book, and I strongly recommend seeking it out in lieu of an electronic copy.
June 24, 2018
I read this book years ago before I ever joined Goodreads. I had worked several years in the Yukon and later a variety of assignmnets in the High Arctic including the Beaufort Sea. I was in no way an adventurer like Shackleton but my expereince in the high latitudes gave me a real appreciation of the extremes of Earth. And the beauty too. If you're ever going to buy one book about polar exploration I think this is the one. Not only is Caroline Alexander's text beautiful be the photos are just stunning. There is something about the black and white photos taken in this mysterious light that make each pic a gem.
January 8, 2023
4.75
Czasem gdy czytałam kompletnie zapominałam, że to wydarzyło się naprawdę. W niektórych momentach gdy na chwilę przerywałam siedziałam przez chwilę w ciszy i nagle docierało do mnie - hej, to było na serio.
Bardzo przyjemnie się to czyta, zdjęć jest dużo i to bardzo ładnych, które dodają tej książce.
Może były tam jakieś błędy, ale nie zwracałam na nie uwagi. Historia na tyle wciągająca i ciekawa, że można przymrużyć oko na wszelkie nieścisłości, których chyba nie było.
Lubię czytać o takich mroźnych klimatach.
Czasem gdy czytałam kompletnie zapominałam, że to wydarzyło się naprawdę. W niektórych momentach gdy na chwilę przerywałam siedziałam przez chwilę w ciszy i nagle docierało do mnie - hej, to było na serio.
Bardzo przyjemnie się to czyta, zdjęć jest dużo i to bardzo ładnych, które dodają tej książce.
Może były tam jakieś błędy, ale nie zwracałam na nie uwagi. Historia na tyle wciągająca i ciekawa, że można przymrużyć oko na wszelkie nieścisłości, których chyba nie było.
Lubię czytać o takich mroźnych klimatach.
January 26, 2023
3,5/5⭐
W swoim życiu nie przeczytałam wiele reportaży, ale ten wydał mi się intrygujący. Historia o załodze Shackletona wydaje się wręcz nieprawdopodobna i to jest najlepsze. Bardzo podziwiam oddanie przywódcy oraz jego gotowość do poświęceń dla załogi. Nie wiem czy można dostać lepszego kapitana. Dopuścił się niemożliwego, płynąc malutką łodzią na wyspę oddaloną o 1300km i sprowadził pomoc, a czas spędzony w niewoli lodu umilał, jak tylko potrafił. To niesamowite ile przeżyli. Byłam pewna, że im się nie uda. Jestem pod wrażeniem i ciezko mi uświadomić sobie, że to działo się naprawdę.
W swoim życiu nie przeczytałam wiele reportaży, ale ten wydał mi się intrygujący. Historia o załodze Shackletona wydaje się wręcz nieprawdopodobna i to jest najlepsze. Bardzo podziwiam oddanie przywódcy oraz jego gotowość do poświęceń dla załogi. Nie wiem czy można dostać lepszego kapitana. Dopuścił się niemożliwego, płynąc malutką łodzią na wyspę oddaloną o 1300km i sprowadził pomoc, a czas spędzony w niewoli lodu umilał, jak tylko potrafił. To niesamowite ile przeżyli. Byłam pewna, że im się nie uda. Jestem pod wrażeniem i ciezko mi uświadomić sobie, że to działo się naprawdę.
December 29, 2023
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