Heart of the Antarctic / South

by Ernest Shackleton

Ernest Shackleton led two Antarctic expeditions, and died shortly after the beginning of a third. His first expedition was not a total success (they did not reach the South Pole), and the second was, in some senses, a total failure (they never reached the Antarctic mainland at all). Yet it is the second for which he is remembered. His expedition ship Endurance was trapped, then crushed in the ice, before his party could be landed, leaving his men in a hopeless situation. For months Shackleton held his party together before taking to boats and bringing everyone safely to Elephant Island. His open-boat journey to South Georgia and the eventual rescue of the party left behind are now legendary. Visitors to Shackleton's grave in South Georgia, stepping over the lounging elephant seals that keep the dead company, pay homage to the man who had the vision, bravery and strength to open up Antarctica for all who followed. Shackleton showed the flame of leadership as few in the history of exploration have done, and nowhere does this come through more clearly than in the two accounts in this volume.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Adventure, Travel, Biography

768 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2007

About the author

Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1922) was an Anglo-Irish merchant naval officer who made his reputation as an explorer during what is known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, a period of discovery characterised by journeys of geographical and scientific exploration in a largely unknown continent, without any of the benefits of modern travel methods or radio communication.

Reviews

[Jakob Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing adventure and fantastic first hand account of Shackleton’s First Antarctic Expedition in 1907-1908 and his Second Antarctic Expedition in 1914-1918. Both story’s of true leader ship and survival. Overcoming the greatest forces of nature and learning what it is to truly be an explorer. A very detailed book that shows aspects from the entire expedition. From climbing Mt Erebus, to coming short of the South Pole, discovering the location of the South Magnetic Pole and much more just from the first book “The Heart Of The Antarctic”. The second book “South” is the first hand account of Shackleton and his disastrous expedition with the Endurance and Aurora. Nothing went to plan. Everything made up as they went. Yet I have never read a more captivating or anxiety inducing journey where all of the members survived. I loved the other stories from all the other crew members and the parts where Shackleton wasn’t involved and things happened and were decided without their leader. Shackleton’s writing feels as though he’s talking to you, without using super difficult dialogue and explaining even some of the most simple decisions he made. A true leader and a true explorer.

[Sébastien Picard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished The Heart of the Atlantic.
It becomes a bit monotonous around the middle. Well written but too bad the pictures have been removed from this edition.

[Roger Morgan-Grenville · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read. Not quite as good as South, but close.

[Krysten]

I quit.

I am in love with all things Antarctica but for some reason I utterly CANNOT stand the first-person narratives of early 20th-century Antarctic exploration. too detailed, too technical. I can't do it. sorry Ernest, I still love you.l

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard going. But amazing tales of the human spirit.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read a long time ago (1990's?) on one of my adventure reading phases. Interesting.

[Ita]

hard to read