Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton

"One of the most harrowing survival stories of all time"—Sebastian Junger, author of The Perfect StormVeteran explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton's excruciating and inspiring expedition to Antarctica aboard the Endurance has long captured the public imagination. South is his own first-hand account of this epic adventure.As war clouds darkened over Europe in 1914, a party led by Shackleton set out to make the first crossing of the entire Antarctic continent via the Pole. But their initial optimism was short-lived as ice floes closed around their ship, gradually crushing it and marooning twenty-eight men on the polar ice. Alone in the world's most unforgiving environment, Shackleton and his team began a brutal quest for survival. And as the story of their journey across treacherous seas and a wilderness of glaciers and snow fields unfolds, the scale of their courage and heroism becomes movingly clear. First time published as a Penguin Classic Includes a selection of Frank Hurley's famous photographs* Features a new Introduction by Fergus Fleming

He is a biographer's dream: Ernest Shackleton was ruthless and ambitious, an unabashed adventurer, an inspired leader, a glorious failure. Also, for much of his life, he was beset by financial and romantic entanglements. Huntford, author of Scott and Amundsen (basis of the recent PBS series The Last Place on Earth), has written a superb account of heroic adventure, of ineptitude and disappointment. Shackleton left a career in the merchant marine to join Robert Scott's expedition on the Discovery (1900); sent home for reasons of health after the first season, he determined to try for the South Pole on his own. The bitter rivalry with Scott had begun. Shackleton's charm and powers of persuasion enabled him to raise money for his 19071909 expedition that came within 100 miles of the Pole. Back home, he was a national hero with financial troubles (he always sought instant fortune). Again, he found backers and planned the "last great journey" across the Antarctic continent. This produced epic adventure: the loss of Endurance in the ice and the long, open-boat journey to safety and rescue. It is one of the greatest survival stories of all time, and Huntford gives it full treatment. Readers interested in polar exploration will find this book hard to put down.

This book was written and printed during the Nimrod Expedition to Antarctica (1908-09) by Ernest Shackleton and his crew whilst "over-wintering" during the 24 hours of darkness at their hut on Cape Royds, Antarctica. Around 100 copies were produced, using an Albion printing press they had brought with them, along with a case of type and reams of paper. The covers were made using the Venesta board (an early form of plywood) from the packing cases of the food supplies they had brought with them. The book features contributions from Ernest Shackleton (writing under the pseudonym 'Nemo'), Douglas Mawson, James Murray along with illustrations from George Marston, the expedition artist. The original copies were distributed to friends and funders of the expedition upon its return, and several are held in libraries and archives. There are also several facsimile editions.

From Library Journal: "Shackleton here tells the quite remarkable story of the British Antarctic expedition of 1907 to 1909. Shackleton and his men made it to within 97 miles of the South Pole, experiencing along the way every hardship possible, then returning to their wooden ship before the ice crushed it. The text is buttressed with many original monochrome photos. Just reading this will make your toes fall off."