Shackleton: An Irishman in Antarctica

by Jonathan Shackleton

A mesmerizing new biography of explorer Ernest Shackleton, lavishly illustrated with over a hundred photographs, maps and engravings, some of them appearing in print for the first time. Eighty years after his death, the extraordinary story of Endurance South Pole expedition still holds a compelling grip on the public imagination. Trapped in drifting polar pack ice for ten months, Ernest Shackleton and his crew fought for survival against all the odds. When the Endurance was finally crushed, they were stranded on the ice for more than a year, before reaching Elephant Island. Two weeks later Shackleton and five companions embarked on the most remarkable rescue mission in maritime history, sailing to South Georgia over eight hundred miles of the roughest seas in the world in a small open boat. This book probes deep into family history to reveal the profound influence of Ernest Shackleton's Irish Quaker roots in the making of a great leader. The fruit of intensive research, Shackleton: An Irishman in Antarctica paints a vivid portrait of a man whose ambition was always tempered by his humanity and egalitarianism. Here too are the untold stories of Shackleton's upbringing in Kildare; his time in the Merchant Navy; his marriage and love affairs; his life as public man and politician; and the haunting story of his final - and fatal - expedition on the Quest. Drawing on family records, diaries and letters - and featuring hitherto unpublished photographs and archive material - this mesmerising book takes us beyond the myth to Shackleton the man, showing us a hero who eschewed imperial hierarchy and whose greatest triumph was that of life over death.

330 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 15, 2003

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shackleton’s tale is one of intrigue, excitement, tension and despair. A great story to tell. Unfortunately, the writing left a lot to be desired, and that great tale could be somewhat tedious.

[Marianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a "the man behind the legend" alternative narrative of Shackleton. The title needlessly makes reference to Ireland, as this isn't particularly focused on Shackleton's Irish heritage or even life (I put off reading this book because I was worried about it being only nominally about the explorer). I will warn readers that it (fairly, given the intent of the book) TOTALLY glosses over the cool, exciting, unbelievable stuff of Antarctic exploration. So you also need to read "South", "The Worst Journey In The World", etc. to really appreciate the Shackleton legend.