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Cold Courage: Extraordinary Times
Cold Courage relates back to Willy Mitchell's grandfathers meeting with Harry McNish in Wellington, New Zealand and in exchange for a hot meal and a pint or two, he told his story of The Endurance. Flipping through the London Times, McNish had come across a classified advertisement for the crew to join a ship's journey to the Antarctic and on to the South Pole. It warned of low wages and high danger and at forty, he decided that he wanted a taste of adventure and set off to London to meet the rest of the newly recruited crew. On 6th August 1914, The Endurance set sail from Plymouth, England on its way to Buenos Aires, Argentina and meet with the entire 28-man crew. This is a tale of the great age of exploration and the extraordinary journey that these men endured, not only in Antarctica but upon their return to England amidst the Great War and their legendary lives thereafter. This is the story of Harry McNish and although set in a different era, continues the ARGUS series and a homage to those brave men and women who go to extraordinary lengths to achieve their goals.
364 pages, Hardcover
Published December 11, 2019
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About the author
Willy Mitchell
13 books6 followersWilly Mitchell was born in Glasgow, Scotland, with origins from the shipyards of the Clyde. He has spent many an hour in hostelries around the world and heard many a story - some true, some fiction, and some of legend.
After heading south of the border to work in the steel mills of Yorkshire he is now retired in California and has turned his hand to writing some of these tales that he had heard over the years, and now bringing those stories to life.
Willy Mitchell is an indie author, a writer, and a storyteller.
After heading south of the border to work in the steel mills of Yorkshire he is now retired in California and has turned his hand to writing some of these tales that he had heard over the years, and now bringing those stories to life.
Willy Mitchell is an indie author, a writer, and a storyteller.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 16, 2020
The book had me gripped from page 1.
The different personalities of the crew of the ‘Endurance’
was somehow kept under control by Shackleton + Wild.
Great camaraderie was shown by everybody and even when staring death in the face through true grit they made their destination.
Excellent.
The different personalities of the crew of the ‘Endurance’
was somehow kept under control by Shackleton + Wild.
Great camaraderie was shown by everybody and even when staring death in the face through true grit they made their destination.
Excellent.
April 16, 2021
One of my benchmarks for a good book is that it should tell me something new about a subject. Although I thought that I knew something about the Trans-Antarctic Expedition, I soon found out that this wasn’t really the case, and so this book (although it is not specifically a history book) did do that for me.
It described the main characters well, and added a lot to my understanding of what they did and the conditions in which they did them. The local connection is, of course, Perce Blackborow and I have read a bit about him in various places over the years. I was, in fact, in school with one or more of his later family in the 1960s / 1970s, although I’m not sure now what relation they were to him. Sadly, I’ve lost touch with them now, though, so I can’t ask them.
Another interesting thing was the connections between the expedition and what was happening elsewhere, in particular during the First World War. It must have been very difficult to carry on, knowing that the war was spreading but not knowing any details .. but they were different times, weren’t they?
I would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the subject in particular as well as anyone who wants to know what it was like to undertake an expedition like that.
It described the main characters well, and added a lot to my understanding of what they did and the conditions in which they did them. The local connection is, of course, Perce Blackborow and I have read a bit about him in various places over the years. I was, in fact, in school with one or more of his later family in the 1960s / 1970s, although I’m not sure now what relation they were to him. Sadly, I’ve lost touch with them now, though, so I can’t ask them.
Another interesting thing was the connections between the expedition and what was happening elsewhere, in particular during the First World War. It must have been very difficult to carry on, knowing that the war was spreading but not knowing any details .. but they were different times, weren’t they?
I would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in the subject in particular as well as anyone who wants to know what it was like to undertake an expedition like that.
January 9, 2020
Exquisitely written, Cold Courage teleports you to back in time, to the Imperial Transantarctic Expedition (1914-1917). Attributing to human resilience and endurance, Willy Mitchell’s authentic approach in describing the generational, familial, and friendly relationship with carpenter McNish’s is profound. Throughout Cold Courage, the spirit of this relationship illuminates a trove of intimate knowledge on the subject matter. It further serves to establish a tangible connection to what the world was like just before, and during WWI. Crafting the interconnectedness of the leader and crew’s physical condition, emotional awareness, and natural setting lays the foundation for this work. While Willy writes about the quest to traverse the icy continent, he compassionately reflects the dire circumstances endured. He creates awareness through his storytelling, which leads the reader through intricacies of the expedition. It feels as if Willy had the same view of one who stood with his boots on the ice, amongst the men, experiencing this journey, firsthand.
On their departure, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew had insight into what was awaiting them. Many had experience in the Arctic, or the Antarctic. Blunt words of an advertisement seeking crew, could possibly, in hindsight, be seen as a foreboding of what eventually transpired. These tough men came from all walks of life. Through the unparalleled leadership of Shackleton and his officers, the Weddle Sea party did not suffer any loss of life. Unfortunately the Ross Sea party sadly lost three members. Using lapsed days since their departure from England, up until their ultimate recue and return, Willy Mitchell positions anyone to easily understand the timeline, and how it unfolded. This lasted 939 days! The writing style is as gripping as the ice, which captured the expedition vessels. While Shackleton mounted the rescue of the Aurora party, most of the Endurance crew, upon return to England, immediately enlisted to serve in WWI. Additional useful information is provided, which instantly help the reader fathom unfamiliar concepts associated with this inhospitable environment.
Valuable lessons contained in this well-appointed book will speak to readers’ own lives. The young stow-away resonates with younger folk, seeking life’s answers. Because of that, it renders this book a perfect gift! Willy Mitchell penned this historical account describing real people, with real events, who had real courage! A compilation of short biographies of all the men frames their post expedition lives. The men in this book, having survived treacherous times, furnish perspectives on the meaning of honor, and sense of duty, which were ingrained in all of them. Relevant to today’s world, where we are facing survival perils comparable to the magnitude of the Transantarctic Expedition, this book will profoundly inspire and benefit all who read it. Embrace lessons learnt and attitude acquired here, for it will be beneficial moving ahead in uncertain times, and uncharted territories, real or imagined.
You will be gripped by this timeless account of human resilience, and may find it impossible to relinquish it, until you have read the very last, well-chosen word. Having read the penultimate, and final release, Cold Courage presents value, far beyond its pages!
On their departure, Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew had insight into what was awaiting them. Many had experience in the Arctic, or the Antarctic. Blunt words of an advertisement seeking crew, could possibly, in hindsight, be seen as a foreboding of what eventually transpired. These tough men came from all walks of life. Through the unparalleled leadership of Shackleton and his officers, the Weddle Sea party did not suffer any loss of life. Unfortunately the Ross Sea party sadly lost three members. Using lapsed days since their departure from England, up until their ultimate recue and return, Willy Mitchell positions anyone to easily understand the timeline, and how it unfolded. This lasted 939 days! The writing style is as gripping as the ice, which captured the expedition vessels. While Shackleton mounted the rescue of the Aurora party, most of the Endurance crew, upon return to England, immediately enlisted to serve in WWI. Additional useful information is provided, which instantly help the reader fathom unfamiliar concepts associated with this inhospitable environment.
Valuable lessons contained in this well-appointed book will speak to readers’ own lives. The young stow-away resonates with younger folk, seeking life’s answers. Because of that, it renders this book a perfect gift! Willy Mitchell penned this historical account describing real people, with real events, who had real courage! A compilation of short biographies of all the men frames their post expedition lives. The men in this book, having survived treacherous times, furnish perspectives on the meaning of honor, and sense of duty, which were ingrained in all of them. Relevant to today’s world, where we are facing survival perils comparable to the magnitude of the Transantarctic Expedition, this book will profoundly inspire and benefit all who read it. Embrace lessons learnt and attitude acquired here, for it will be beneficial moving ahead in uncertain times, and uncharted territories, real or imagined.
You will be gripped by this timeless account of human resilience, and may find it impossible to relinquish it, until you have read the very last, well-chosen word. Having read the penultimate, and final release, Cold Courage presents value, far beyond its pages!
May 1, 2020
four stars for content, the writing isn't the best but the story is amazing. love anything about the polar explorers.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews