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Shackleton's Heroes
The figure of Sir Ernest Shackleton, inflated by time and celebrity, has come to personify the heroic age of Antarctic exploration. Whilst the story of his ill-fated 1914–18 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition and his crew’s narrow escape from death is legendary, less well known, and told here in its entirety for the first time, is the staggering tale of the men who worked in Shackleton’s shadow – the six members of the Mount Hope Party who risked their lives to ensure the safety of his. Sent to the opposite side of the Polar continent to lay life-saving food depots for his journey across the Great Ice Barrier, theirs was a vital mission: without it, Shackleton was destined for failure. Stitching together the previously unpublished diary accounts of these unsung heroes, Wilson McOrist traces the magnificent highs and extraordinary lows of the Mount Hope Party in intimate, often excruciating detail. Their words paint a shiver-inducing picture of the everyday hardships and insurmountable obstacles of life on the ice – exhaustion, starvation and crippling frostbite being just a few examples – whilst revealing the humour, camaraderie and emotional strength necessary for survival. Out of a sense of duty to Shackleton, the Polar adventurers struggled on through the ferocity of Antarctica, for months battling some of the most extreme conditions on the planet, convinced they were critical to his success. One hundred years after their mission began, this is their remarkable story.
364 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 27, 2016
This book tells the story of the Ross Sea Party, a group of men selected by Sir Ernest Shackleton to lay stores of food and other supplies at predetermined points inland from their base at McMurdo Sound to support Shackleton's Endurance expedition on the downside of his planned 1915 Antarctic journey. Shackleton's failed Endurance expedition and resulting trials and drama are fairly well known, not so the drama and trials of his support group. Not until now in Wilson McOrist's meticulously researched book, "Shackleton's Heroes."
This book is a tremendous achievement, the first and to date only full length book that relates the full story of the Ross Sea Party expedition from first hand accounts of the participants' own expedition diaries, writings and remembrances. Author Wilson McOrist further strengthened his research by searching through all available archives, research data, visiting the actual sites and conducting interviews with surviving family members and fellow historians.
If you are interested in the golden age of Antarctic expeditions, the era of Shackleton, Scott and countless others; of the courage and heroics of men who attempted to do the impossible in a relentlessly inhospitable landscape then this book should be on your reading list. The story is told in diary format from 1914 - 1916 with each diarist's writings shared so the reader is an eyewitness to each event but from differing points of view. The only time the author interjects his own words is to connect the writings or to advise the reader of knowledge integral to the narrative albeit unknowable at the time to the expedition members. The expedition story ends in 1917 but the author concludes the book by relating the surviving members' eventual outcomes.
The early chapters are filled with the details of supplies, planning, sledging, longitudes and latitudes and the short first season of the expedition a harbinger of difficulties to come. I enjoyed the diarists' descriptions of the amazing sights and their awe and wonder of the fauna and stark beauty and grandeur of the Antarctic landscape by veteran as well as first time participants. In addition, the reader begins to get to know the men as their words bring the story to life and we join them in their tents and walk alongside them as they struggle with the sleds in good times and bad, in fair and foul weather often wearing inadequate clothing and relying on outmoded (even for the time) instruments.
The book is a reminder of a time before modern convenience, when there were still places in the world where mankind had not yet tread. When good and brave men accomplished the seemingly impossible and did not in the doing lose their humanity. I very much enjoyed reading this historic testament to the memory of the courageous men who so endeavored. In particular the first six, whom Wilson christened the, "Mount Hope Party" because these six are the men who traversed 360 miles across the Great Ice Barrier to Mount Hope in the Beardmore Glacier to lay supplies and are those Shackleton justly praised in his book, "South" detailing his own ordeal. Messrs. Mackintosh, Joyce, Richards, Wild, Hayward, Spencer-Smith, Cope, Jack, Gaze and Stevens and the hardworking sled dogs who made all the difference. A solid four and a half of five stars.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a ARC for my unbiased review.
This book is a tremendous achievement, the first and to date only full length book that relates the full story of the Ross Sea Party expedition from first hand accounts of the participants' own expedition diaries, writings and remembrances. Author Wilson McOrist further strengthened his research by searching through all available archives, research data, visiting the actual sites and conducting interviews with surviving family members and fellow historians.
If you are interested in the golden age of Antarctic expeditions, the era of Shackleton, Scott and countless others; of the courage and heroics of men who attempted to do the impossible in a relentlessly inhospitable landscape then this book should be on your reading list. The story is told in diary format from 1914 - 1916 with each diarist's writings shared so the reader is an eyewitness to each event but from differing points of view. The only time the author interjects his own words is to connect the writings or to advise the reader of knowledge integral to the narrative albeit unknowable at the time to the expedition members. The expedition story ends in 1917 but the author concludes the book by relating the surviving members' eventual outcomes.
The early chapters are filled with the details of supplies, planning, sledging, longitudes and latitudes and the short first season of the expedition a harbinger of difficulties to come. I enjoyed the diarists' descriptions of the amazing sights and their awe and wonder of the fauna and stark beauty and grandeur of the Antarctic landscape by veteran as well as first time participants. In addition, the reader begins to get to know the men as their words bring the story to life and we join them in their tents and walk alongside them as they struggle with the sleds in good times and bad, in fair and foul weather often wearing inadequate clothing and relying on outmoded (even for the time) instruments.
The book is a reminder of a time before modern convenience, when there were still places in the world where mankind had not yet tread. When good and brave men accomplished the seemingly impossible and did not in the doing lose their humanity. I very much enjoyed reading this historic testament to the memory of the courageous men who so endeavored. In particular the first six, whom Wilson christened the, "Mount Hope Party" because these six are the men who traversed 360 miles across the Great Ice Barrier to Mount Hope in the Beardmore Glacier to lay supplies and are those Shackleton justly praised in his book, "South" detailing his own ordeal. Messrs. Mackintosh, Joyce, Richards, Wild, Hayward, Spencer-Smith, Cope, Jack, Gaze and Stevens and the hardworking sled dogs who made all the difference. A solid four and a half of five stars.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a ARC for my unbiased review.
September 9, 2022
Excellent coverage of the epic survival saga, however the broad details of the expedition were left out. Not being familiar with Shackleton’s expedition, I felt more context would have been helpful. I think this book is meant to supplement the existing literature with the riveting first-person accounts of the principals.
December 18, 2019
Wilson McOrist pushes us well beyond the 80th parallel. We can feel the cold, experience the frostbite, hear the howling blizzard, endure the hunger, suffer from scurvy and fight exhaustion.
If only they'd had decent mobile coverage, Shackleton could have sent a text to tell them not to bother. (Not a spoiler)
If only they'd had decent mobile coverage, Shackleton could have sent a text to tell them not to bother. (Not a spoiler)
December 28, 2016
A Thrilling Account of the heroism of the support team of the Shackleton Expedition
in 1915-1916:
As Wilson McOrist, the author, states, the drama that marked the rescue of Shackleton's men in the main transcontinental mission of 1915-1916 has often obscured the valour of those who were involved in the support project at Mount Hope which was intended to ensure the safe return of Shackleton and his team on the return section of their cross continent mission.
The book, based on contemporary sources (mainly that of the diaries of the Mount Hope team themselves) provides an insight into raw bravery when faced with unexpectedly severe Antarctic weather conditions. The conditions faced by the Mount Hope supply team were worse than those which were responsible for the death of Captain Scott and his team only a few years earlier.
The format of the book lends itself to easy reading. The diaries of the men involved are compared using a timeline as are other sources. This makes the book highly readable and interesting as we can readily compare the same events through the minds of the men involved and are able to note differences in emphasis and fact. The book reads as a fluent narrative.
The early 1900's saw exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Weather conditions faced by those explorers are almost unimaginable. The clothing and gear available to these early explorers was of the most primitive sort and tested their physical and mental attributes to the limit.
Shackleton's Heroes relates the story of the often unsung heroes who comprised the support team which laid necessary Food & Material stores for Shackleton's Cross-Antarctic mission on its return journey. Of the team of six who laid the final "drop" at Mount Hope only three were to survive: Joyce, Richards and Wild. Spencer-Smith, Hayward and Mackintosh were to perish. One as a consequence of illness and the other two arguably through folly. We learn how the men reacted under the pressure to survive and can be amazed by the lack of dissension and presence of unanimity amongst men of different nationalities and backgrounds. The book reads like a thriller and the freezing temperatures and lack of food faced by the men whilst laying stores for Shackleton's team is successfully conveyed to the reader. The irony is of course that their efforts and sacrifice were in vain as, unknown to them, Shackleton's mission had been aborted. But the events in this book took place at a time without easy access to communication or sophisticated cold weather equipment.
The further into the book you get the more compelling it becomes. The book is not as long as it might at first appear (for those reading on eBooks) as almost the final 10% is devoted to footnotes and references etc.
Along the way you learn the effects that lack of Vitamin C can have on the body in the form of scurvy, which all six of the team which reached Mount Hope were to contract, although to varying degree of effect on their health. The most important source of fresh food consisted of seal meat fortunately available in some abundance at the more temperate degrees of latitude.
Above all else this book is a record of heroism and camaraderie. Of a sort seldom found today. An excellent and exciting book, well written and researched, and innovative in presentation.
(My review was based on an eBook file provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley. My review is totally independent.)
in 1915-1916:
As Wilson McOrist, the author, states, the drama that marked the rescue of Shackleton's men in the main transcontinental mission of 1915-1916 has often obscured the valour of those who were involved in the support project at Mount Hope which was intended to ensure the safe return of Shackleton and his team on the return section of their cross continent mission.
The book, based on contemporary sources (mainly that of the diaries of the Mount Hope team themselves) provides an insight into raw bravery when faced with unexpectedly severe Antarctic weather conditions. The conditions faced by the Mount Hope supply team were worse than those which were responsible for the death of Captain Scott and his team only a few years earlier.
The format of the book lends itself to easy reading. The diaries of the men involved are compared using a timeline as are other sources. This makes the book highly readable and interesting as we can readily compare the same events through the minds of the men involved and are able to note differences in emphasis and fact. The book reads as a fluent narrative.
The early 1900's saw exploration of the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Weather conditions faced by those explorers are almost unimaginable. The clothing and gear available to these early explorers was of the most primitive sort and tested their physical and mental attributes to the limit.
Shackleton's Heroes relates the story of the often unsung heroes who comprised the support team which laid necessary Food & Material stores for Shackleton's Cross-Antarctic mission on its return journey. Of the team of six who laid the final "drop" at Mount Hope only three were to survive: Joyce, Richards and Wild. Spencer-Smith, Hayward and Mackintosh were to perish. One as a consequence of illness and the other two arguably through folly. We learn how the men reacted under the pressure to survive and can be amazed by the lack of dissension and presence of unanimity amongst men of different nationalities and backgrounds. The book reads like a thriller and the freezing temperatures and lack of food faced by the men whilst laying stores for Shackleton's team is successfully conveyed to the reader. The irony is of course that their efforts and sacrifice were in vain as, unknown to them, Shackleton's mission had been aborted. But the events in this book took place at a time without easy access to communication or sophisticated cold weather equipment.
The further into the book you get the more compelling it becomes. The book is not as long as it might at first appear (for those reading on eBooks) as almost the final 10% is devoted to footnotes and references etc.
Along the way you learn the effects that lack of Vitamin C can have on the body in the form of scurvy, which all six of the team which reached Mount Hope were to contract, although to varying degree of effect on their health. The most important source of fresh food consisted of seal meat fortunately available in some abundance at the more temperate degrees of latitude.
Above all else this book is a record of heroism and camaraderie. Of a sort seldom found today. An excellent and exciting book, well written and researched, and innovative in presentation.
(My review was based on an eBook file provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley. My review is totally independent.)
December 29, 2021
This is the story of the second, and oft forgotten, half of Shackleton's Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition--the Ross Sea Party. These men were tasked with landing on the opposite side of Antarctica from Shackleton's party, traveling towards the South Pole and laying depots of stores for Shackleton and his men to utilize in the latter half of their journey across the ice. Of course, Shackleton and his Weddell Sea Party never even landed, but the Ross Sea Party had no way of knowing this. In their minds, the lives of the Weddell Sea Party would be in jeopardy if they were unsuccessful in laying these supply depots for them. What followed was an expedition of incredible hardship and endurance. Other books have tackled this subject before, but McOrist has been able to gain access to previously unutilized documents/journals/letters.
Coming from the likes of Endurance by Alfred Lansing, I was a little disappointed at first with this book's rote reporting of facts and extensive copy/pasting of quotes from the journals of the men of the Ross Sea Party. It made the beginning go fairly slow for me, especially during the parts where they are preparing for the journey. However, as the expedition finally gets underway, and the party strikes out to begin laying supply depots, I began to appreciate the day-by-day accounts. The book lays out every single day as reported in the journals of these men, and McOrist gives a little summary of what is going on at the beginning of each day. Sometimes the men wrote a lot, sometimes just a few words. I can understand if many people find this book tedious, in some ways, but I also appreciate the fact that the frustration, impatience, and discomfort that one might feel reading about the repetition of cold, delays, and starvation is but a mere taste of the actual tribulations that the Ross Sea Party faced.
Then again, I find this topic incredibly fascinating, personally. So, if you too are interested in polar exploration, I do recommend reading this book.
Coming from the likes of Endurance by Alfred Lansing, I was a little disappointed at first with this book's rote reporting of facts and extensive copy/pasting of quotes from the journals of the men of the Ross Sea Party. It made the beginning go fairly slow for me, especially during the parts where they are preparing for the journey. However, as the expedition finally gets underway, and the party strikes out to begin laying supply depots, I began to appreciate the day-by-day accounts. The book lays out every single day as reported in the journals of these men, and McOrist gives a little summary of what is going on at the beginning of each day. Sometimes the men wrote a lot, sometimes just a few words. I can understand if many people find this book tedious, in some ways, but I also appreciate the fact that the frustration, impatience, and discomfort that one might feel reading about the repetition of cold, delays, and starvation is but a mere taste of the actual tribulations that the Ross Sea Party faced.
Then again, I find this topic incredibly fascinating, personally. So, if you too are interested in polar exploration, I do recommend reading this book.
February 5, 2021
Although a bit hard for me to get interested in originally, by about 1/3 of the way through the book I was thoroughly invested in these men who went to the McMurdo Sound to trek across Antartica and lay food and supply depots for Sir Ernest Shackleton for his planned expedition across the continent.
Of course, Sir Ernest never reached Antartica that time, as his ship froze in the ice, so all their hard work didn't actually help that expedition. These men did, however, epitomize endurance and bravery as they figured out how to tow their sick teammate over 300 miles of ice, how to find a depot in a blizzard, and how to find their way back to the men that they had to leave behind at times to be able to find food more quickly.
This turned into a truly exciting adventure, and I enjoyed pondering why the leader made the decisions he did. First, he decided to take his team of 3 men to the furthest southern point along with another team. One man on his team was limping and clearly not doing well, and neither was the leader/captain, however, he pressed on, causing hardship when the sick man could not walk and had to be towed.
The captain himself had to be towed as well, about 80 miles back to safety.
Then once everyone had returned to strength at the hut, the captain decided to take off across the sea ice with another man, in spite of warnings from their friends that inclement weather seemed to be in the near future. Two hours after they started their trek toward the better provisions 13 miles away, a blizzard blew in, and these two men were never seen again.
This is one of those classic books that makes you question motives and wonder whether yours would be the same in that situation.
I read this book as background information to begin reading "Endurance" with my school kids.
Of course, Sir Ernest never reached Antartica that time, as his ship froze in the ice, so all their hard work didn't actually help that expedition. These men did, however, epitomize endurance and bravery as they figured out how to tow their sick teammate over 300 miles of ice, how to find a depot in a blizzard, and how to find their way back to the men that they had to leave behind at times to be able to find food more quickly.
This turned into a truly exciting adventure, and I enjoyed pondering why the leader made the decisions he did. First, he decided to take his team of 3 men to the furthest southern point along with another team. One man on his team was limping and clearly not doing well, and neither was the leader/captain, however, he pressed on, causing hardship when the sick man could not walk and had to be towed.
The captain himself had to be towed as well, about 80 miles back to safety.
Then once everyone had returned to strength at the hut, the captain decided to take off across the sea ice with another man, in spite of warnings from their friends that inclement weather seemed to be in the near future. Two hours after they started their trek toward the better provisions 13 miles away, a blizzard blew in, and these two men were never seen again.
This is one of those classic books that makes you question motives and wonder whether yours would be the same in that situation.
I read this book as background information to begin reading "Endurance" with my school kids.
April 18, 2024
If I could give this 3.5 stars, I would.
This is the story of the men who laid the supply depots for the second half Shackleton's failed Antarctic trans-continental expedition 0f 1914-1917. It's a grueling tale of struggle and hardship told to a significant degree through the diaries of the six men involved.
The book is meticulously researched, and extensive use of diary entries gives us insight into the characters of the men and the daunting conditions that they faced. I initially had some difficulty warming to the tale as McOrist handled the necessary introduction of characters and early exposition, but once things got underway, the action was quite compelling.
My major misgiving: the story didn't require 384 pages (hardcover edition) to tell. Sometimes including each man's diary entry for the day gives us insight into how they perceived events differently; at other times, it's just needless repetition. A little editing could have streamlined the narration. I will grant, however, that McOrist does a good job of glossing over diary entries during long periods of inactivity and relative safety, focusing on the more riveting periods of action.
Whether someone will find this book interesting will depend a great deal upon their interest in history and early 20th Century exploration, but if that's in your wheelhouse, this could be a book for you.
This is the story of the men who laid the supply depots for the second half Shackleton's failed Antarctic trans-continental expedition 0f 1914-1917. It's a grueling tale of struggle and hardship told to a significant degree through the diaries of the six men involved.
The book is meticulously researched, and extensive use of diary entries gives us insight into the characters of the men and the daunting conditions that they faced. I initially had some difficulty warming to the tale as McOrist handled the necessary introduction of characters and early exposition, but once things got underway, the action was quite compelling.
My major misgiving: the story didn't require 384 pages (hardcover edition) to tell. Sometimes including each man's diary entry for the day gives us insight into how they perceived events differently; at other times, it's just needless repetition. A little editing could have streamlined the narration. I will grant, however, that McOrist does a good job of glossing over diary entries during long periods of inactivity and relative safety, focusing on the more riveting periods of action.
Whether someone will find this book interesting will depend a great deal upon their interest in history and early 20th Century exploration, but if that's in your wheelhouse, this could be a book for you.
October 13, 2018
I have mixed feelings about this book. Upfront is the fact that it is such an important book and everyone who is remotely interested in Shackleton's saga MUST read it. I have been an Antarctic tragic all my life; been to Shackleton's and Scott's two huts twice, and yet I was not really aware of the detail included in this story.
I found myself so often angry as I read it: the fact that these men are very seldom acknowledged when Shackleton's Endurance tragedy is talked or written about - so often it is said "he didn't lose any men during his expedition". WRONG. These six men were very much a part of the expedition, and three of them died (sorry if this is a plot-spoiler). I then felt angry that the two men Joyce, Wild and Richards risked their lives to save, and then nurtured to health, just walked off to their almost-certain death.
It is a stroke of genius using the diaries of the Mount Hope men, telling the story in their own words, HOWEVER, I feel that the passages written by Wilson McOrist really need a good and thorough edit. It is very clumsy in parts, with words missing, mis-spelt and generally not very well composed.
This is why I only gave it three stars. I feel that, in the hands of a good editor, it could well be a five-star ms.
I found myself so often angry as I read it: the fact that these men are very seldom acknowledged when Shackleton's Endurance tragedy is talked or written about - so often it is said "he didn't lose any men during his expedition". WRONG. These six men were very much a part of the expedition, and three of them died (sorry if this is a plot-spoiler). I then felt angry that the two men Joyce, Wild and Richards risked their lives to save, and then nurtured to health, just walked off to their almost-certain death.
It is a stroke of genius using the diaries of the Mount Hope men, telling the story in their own words, HOWEVER, I feel that the passages written by Wilson McOrist really need a good and thorough edit. It is very clumsy in parts, with words missing, mis-spelt and generally not very well composed.
This is why I only gave it three stars. I feel that, in the hands of a good editor, it could well be a five-star ms.
February 28, 2019
I've recently watched the horror miniseries The Terror, and then followed it with In The Kingdom of Ice. This is the final installment (for now) in my polar exploration experience.
I was roughly familiar with the Shackleton expedition from having seen (parts of) the Kenneth Branaugh miniseries. But this is a different angle on the proceedings. It's an almost day-to-day account, lifted from the journals of the various participants, of the struggle from the other side of the continent, where Shackleton's support crews were laying out supply depots for him and his men to visit as they traversed a course through the South Pole. There was a tough schedule to keep, a harsh climate to face, unpredictable weather and health issues, equipment and clothing failures, and unforgiving consequences of poor decisions. That the effort ultimately proved futile--Shackleton ended up locked in ice and unable to complete the journey, so the supply depots were useless--only amplifies the eventual tragedies.
Although not nearly as detailed and deep as In The Kingdom of Ice, this is much more personal, since we experience events through the eyes of those writing their journals. I'd recommend reading both in order to get a solid sense of what these men endured in order to complete the globe.
I was roughly familiar with the Shackleton expedition from having seen (parts of) the Kenneth Branaugh miniseries. But this is a different angle on the proceedings. It's an almost day-to-day account, lifted from the journals of the various participants, of the struggle from the other side of the continent, where Shackleton's support crews were laying out supply depots for him and his men to visit as they traversed a course through the South Pole. There was a tough schedule to keep, a harsh climate to face, unpredictable weather and health issues, equipment and clothing failures, and unforgiving consequences of poor decisions. That the effort ultimately proved futile--Shackleton ended up locked in ice and unable to complete the journey, so the supply depots were useless--only amplifies the eventual tragedies.
Although not nearly as detailed and deep as In The Kingdom of Ice, this is much more personal, since we experience events through the eyes of those writing their journals. I'd recommend reading both in order to get a solid sense of what these men endured in order to complete the globe.
March 16, 2024
Note: I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
It's a little strange that I've now read this book on the support crew for Shackleton's (unsuccessful) expedition, because I've actually never read anything about Shackleton, or Scott for that matter. It's always interesting to read about why people do some of the extreme things they choose to do, but this book is particularly so as it includes tons of diary excerpts from the six men. Usually after reading some kind of exploring/traveling/adventure book like this I'm left with some understanding of why people might choose to do the things they do. Unusually, after finishing this book, I still have ZERO desire to go to Antarctica.
It's a little strange that I've now read this book on the support crew for Shackleton's (unsuccessful) expedition, because I've actually never read anything about Shackleton, or Scott for that matter. It's always interesting to read about why people do some of the extreme things they choose to do, but this book is particularly so as it includes tons of diary excerpts from the six men. Usually after reading some kind of exploring/traveling/adventure book like this I'm left with some understanding of why people might choose to do the things they do. Unusually, after finishing this book, I still have ZERO desire to go to Antarctica.
October 6, 2019
This was a great read but I would advise you to read in larger chunks than I. If you read for am hour or so it allows you to get into the headspace of the individuals and their multiple perspectives. If you did any sort of cold travel than you have an appreciation of small group dynamics in hostile environment which enhances this aspect. I wish the book was a bit longer. The author could have set up the environment a little more at the beginning however he did a superb job at the end. For those of us who have to suffer a long grey life it at least gives a bit of joy to read of men who lived if but briefly proper lives.
January 1, 2025
This book is less comprehensive than "The Lost Men" which is the preeminent account of the Ross Sea Party; this one focuses mostly on the Mount Hope depot party. However, I enjoyed it even more than "Lost Men" because it leans heavily on the diaries, letters, and personal accounts of the expedition members. It is presented in a linear manner, so if you don't already know the history, you will not know who dies until it happens.
July 21, 2018
Really interesting narrative of the Mount Hope party told through the journals of the six men who were on a mission to support Shackleton on the other side of the continent. The book can get repetitive and has many typos, but overall is a solid history of a very specific and largely un-acknowledged Antarctic undertaking.
May 16, 2018
This was an amazing journey to the great Arctic. The men perservered under extreme conditions and unequaled isolation. The author based his findings from the actual diaries of the men who survived. Recommend the read!
November 18, 2024
I picked this book up in Oxfam and its a really interesting book.It is made up of curated extracts from all the mens diaries which are woven into the narrative as it unfolds .Not for anyone with a fient heart or dislike of very cold temperatures.
August 13, 2019
Author definitely laboured with love over this piece and I respect that.
For me, it went a bit long and at times repetitive. I was intrigued by the story and that kept me reading.
For me, it went a bit long and at times repetitive. I was intrigued by the story and that kept me reading.
October 1, 2016
Six very different men, setting the way for Shackleton, overshadowed by Shackleton's own harrowing journey - and yet no less heroic for so very much they were able to accomplish with so little in the way of resources. Compiled from previously unknown source materials - including all six men's journals - McOrist paints a vivid portrait of hardship in the most extreme of circumstances, and six men who refused to back down.
I'll readily admit that historical nonfiction isn't always my forte, and that I frequently find it too dry to hold my attention, but McOrist held my attention quite well, as did those six hardy men. That a full trans-Antarctic crossing wasn't in fact made until forty years later - with motors and much, much better gear - is a testament to the hardships through which the six not only persevered, but shone. Their tenacity awes, and this is a book I'll be thinking of for a long, long time.
[4 stars for incredible detail and research minus one-half star for sheer length (while I was entranced, I wonder at others' attention spans...) is 3.5 stars.]
I'll readily admit that historical nonfiction isn't always my forte, and that I frequently find it too dry to hold my attention, but McOrist held my attention quite well, as did those six hardy men. That a full trans-Antarctic crossing wasn't in fact made until forty years later - with motors and much, much better gear - is a testament to the hardships through which the six not only persevered, but shone. Their tenacity awes, and this is a book I'll be thinking of for a long, long time.
[4 stars for incredible detail and research minus one-half star for sheer length (while I was entranced, I wonder at others' attention spans...) is 3.5 stars.]
December 6, 2019
This was August's library book
This was a slow burner book. When I started it I was interested but not connecting with the people on the journey at all. However, as their ordeal continued their diary entries revealed a little more of their personalities and I began to connect with them more. I cannot imagine the conditions they survived in, and am in awe of their resilience and determination to complete the task assigned to them by Shackleton.
Obviously there is a sad end, else why write a book? It is also a shame that the skipper made some poor decisions that marred his place in history (and they were tragic decisions made on different expeditions).
This was a great book, and I learned so much. Definitely a great true story read about courage and the last true conquering of a distant land.
This was a slow burner book. When I started it I was interested but not connecting with the people on the journey at all. However, as their ordeal continued their diary entries revealed a little more of their personalities and I began to connect with them more. I cannot imagine the conditions they survived in, and am in awe of their resilience and determination to complete the task assigned to them by Shackleton.
Obviously there is a sad end, else why write a book? It is also a shame that the skipper made some poor decisions that marred his place in history (and they were tragic decisions made on different expeditions).
This was a great book, and I learned so much. Definitely a great true story read about courage and the last true conquering of a distant land.
November 9, 2018
It actually took a while to understand the nature of the story. The most interesting aspects dealt with the travels and care of the dogs. Far more interesting.
September 5, 2019
It was a good book
April 14, 2017
Shackleton's Heros tells the story of six men on a mission to support Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917. Specifically their task was to establish food and fuel caches at the far end of the expedition's planned route -- a distance of about 360 miles, at least parts of which the team covered more than once. Excerpts from diaries of the men involved are used liberally to tell the story. The story is well told and what these men accomplished with the technology of the day is nothing short of amazing.
I received a free review copy of Shackleton's Heros through Goodreads Giveaways.
I received a free review copy of Shackleton's Heros through Goodreads Giveaways.
April 24, 2017
I won this book through Goodreads. Really good. Exciting and heroic. Couldn't put it down.
June 24, 2017
4.5 star....I keep finding myself thinking about these men even a month later. While I've read a bit about Shackleton,I'd never heard the story of the men who set out stores for him on the opposite side of Antarctica. Crazy story....tough men...
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