What do you think?
Rate this book
Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite History & Biography (2021)13 hours, 28 minutes
The harrowing true survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly awry--with the ship frozen in ice and the crew trapped inside for the entire sunless, Antarctic winter
“Deserves a place beside Alfred Lansing’s immortal classic Endurance.”—Nathaniel Philbrick
“A riveting tale, splendidly told . . . Madhouse at the End of the Earth has it all.”—Stacy Schiff
“Julian Sancton has deftly rescued this forgotten saga from the deep freeze.”—Hampton Sides
In August 1897, thirty-one-year-old commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail aboard the Belgica, fueled by a profound sense of adventure and dreams of claiming glory for his native Belgium. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But the commandant's plans for a three-year expedition to reach the magnetic South Pole would be thwarted at each turn. Before the ship cleared South America, it had already broken down, run aground, and lost several key crew members, leaving behind a group with dubious experience for such an ambitious voyage.
As the ship progressed into the freezing waters, the captain had to make a choice: turn back and spare his men the potentially devastating consequences of getting stuck, or recklessly sail deeper into the ice pack to chase glory and fame. He sailed on, and the Belgica soon found itself stuck fast in the icy hold of the Antarctic continent. The ship would winter on the ice. Plagued by a mysterious, debilitating illness and besieged by the monotony of their days, the crew deteriorated as their confinement in suffocating close quarters wore on and their hope of escape dwindled daily. As winter approached the days grew shorter, until the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, condemning the ship's occupants to months of quarantine in an endless night.
Forged in fire and carved by ice, Antarctica proved a formidable opponent for the motley crew. Among them was Frederick Cook, an American doctor--part scientist, part adventurer, part P.T. Barnum--whose unorthodox methods delivered many of the crew from the gruesome symptoms of scurvy and whose relentless optimism buoyed their spirits through the long, dark polar night. Then there was Roald Amundsen, a young Norwegian who went on to become a storied polar explorer in his own right, exceeding de Gerlache's wildest dreams by leading the first expeditions to traverse the Northwest Passage and reach the South Pole.
Drawing on firsthand accounts of the Belgica's voyage and exclusive access to the ship's logbook, Sancton tells the tale of its long, isolated imprisonment on the ice--a story that NASA studies today in its research on isolation for missions to Mars. In vivid, hair-raising prose, Sancton recounts the myriad forces that drove these men right up to and over the brink of madness.
The harrowing true survival story of an early polar expedition that went terribly awry--with the ship frozen in ice and the crew trapped inside for the entire sunless, Antarctic winter
“Deserves a place beside Alfred Lansing’s immortal classic Endurance.”—Nathaniel Philbrick
“A riveting tale, splendidly told . . . Madhouse at the End of the Earth has it all.”—Stacy Schiff
“Julian Sancton has deftly rescued this forgotten saga from the deep freeze.”—Hampton Sides
In August 1897, thirty-one-year-old commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail aboard the Belgica, fueled by a profound sense of adventure and dreams of claiming glory for his native Belgium. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But the commandant's plans for a three-year expedition to reach the magnetic South Pole would be thwarted at each turn. Before the ship cleared South America, it had already broken down, run aground, and lost several key crew members, leaving behind a group with dubious experience for such an ambitious voyage.
As the ship progressed into the freezing waters, the captain had to make a choice: turn back and spare his men the potentially devastating consequences of getting stuck, or recklessly sail deeper into the ice pack to chase glory and fame. He sailed on, and the Belgica soon found itself stuck fast in the icy hold of the Antarctic continent. The ship would winter on the ice. Plagued by a mysterious, debilitating illness and besieged by the monotony of their days, the crew deteriorated as their confinement in suffocating close quarters wore on and their hope of escape dwindled daily. As winter approached the days grew shorter, until the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, condemning the ship's occupants to months of quarantine in an endless night.
Forged in fire and carved by ice, Antarctica proved a formidable opponent for the motley crew. Among them was Frederick Cook, an American doctor--part scientist, part adventurer, part P.T. Barnum--whose unorthodox methods delivered many of the crew from the gruesome symptoms of scurvy and whose relentless optimism buoyed their spirits through the long, dark polar night. Then there was Roald Amundsen, a young Norwegian who went on to become a storied polar explorer in his own right, exceeding de Gerlache's wildest dreams by leading the first expeditions to traverse the Northwest Passage and reach the South Pole.
Drawing on firsthand accounts of the Belgica's voyage and exclusive access to the ship's logbook, Sancton tells the tale of its long, isolated imprisonment on the ice--a story that NASA studies today in its research on isolation for missions to Mars. In vivid, hair-raising prose, Sancton recounts the myriad forces that drove these men right up to and over the brink of madness.
Audiobook
First published May 4, 2021
2098 people are currently reading
36962 people want to read
About the author
Julian Sancton
6 books319 followersJulian Sancton has written for Vanity Fair, Departures, Esquire, The New Yorker, Wired, and Playboy, among other publications. He spent most of his childhood in France and attended Harvard University, where he studied European history. He lives in Larchmont, New York, with his partner, Jessica, and their two daughters.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,353 reviews
February 28, 2022
Fascinating non-fiction that offers analysis of a little known voyage undertaken by The Belgica at the end of the 19th century to do research of then still unchartered Antarctica. A powerful tale of stamina, determination, endurance and weaknesses.
For some inexplicable reasons I am into tales of men whose courage and determination allowed the cruellest places on our planet to be described and defined ....
A definite must for readers interested in polar exploration.
A big thank-you to Julian Sancton, Random House UK, and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
For some inexplicable reasons I am into tales of men whose courage and determination allowed the cruellest places on our planet to be described and defined ....
A definite must for readers interested in polar exploration.
A big thank-you to Julian Sancton, Random House UK, and Netgalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
January 31, 2024
4 for the author and his writing skills
3 even 2 even 0 for several of the so-called heroes of the tale 👎🏼
It is a dark but impressive book of survival. You definitely go back to a world and an Antarctica 🇦🇶 that is over 100 years in the past.
[No love here for LeCointe who threw a beautiful cat into the sea to drown in a fit of temper which was his problem not the cat’s. Imagine making it die that way! A pet! And LeCointe wasn’t in dire straits! Just mean! No love for Raold Amundsen either. Imagine deliberately bringing dogs along with the plan to kill and eat them as a routine food supply (no, not because there was no other food, he was a cruel man and that was his plan). The dogs ran their hearts out for him on the ice and he killed and ate them when he felt like it.]
It is a book about solitude and isolation that is being used by NASA, as is information about that entire Antarctic expedition, as they make plans to explore Mars and place humans there to live.
The men on this expedition get severely depressed. Some really do go mad when their ship is trapped in the polar ice.
It actually is something of a horror story 💀
3 even 2 even 0 for several of the so-called heroes of the tale 👎🏼
It is a dark but impressive book of survival. You definitely go back to a world and an Antarctica 🇦🇶 that is over 100 years in the past.
[No love here for LeCointe who threw a beautiful cat into the sea to drown in a fit of temper which was his problem not the cat’s. Imagine making it die that way! A pet! And LeCointe wasn’t in dire straits! Just mean! No love for Raold Amundsen either. Imagine deliberately bringing dogs along with the plan to kill and eat them as a routine food supply (no, not because there was no other food, he was a cruel man and that was his plan). The dogs ran their hearts out for him on the ice and he killed and ate them when he felt like it.]
It is a book about solitude and isolation that is being used by NASA, as is information about that entire Antarctic expedition, as they make plans to explore Mars and place humans there to live.
The men on this expedition get severely depressed. Some really do go mad when their ship is trapped in the polar ice.
It actually is something of a horror story 💀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2022
One of the best books I've read about polar exploration, Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a fascinating non-fiction story of a little known event. The Belgica was a Belgian ship on an adventure to Antarctica, before Ross and Amundsen's race for the South Pole. In 1897, the ship set out with a small crew who were already in contention. The Belgian leader wanted a Belgian group to achieve immortality, but he had to take the men he could get, making this one of the first international explorations.
Two of the best men on his team were the later, world renowned, Norwegian, Roald Amundsen and Dr. Frederick Cook, the American who had traveled to the Arctic with Perry. Both became fast friends, because of their toughness, their inventiveness, and their buoyant spirits. Cook, especially, was able to perform superbly under pressure. And there was a lot of pressure. If they were made of coal, both men would have come out diamonds.
Two of the best men on his team were the later, world renowned, Norwegian, Roald Amundsen and Dr. Frederick Cook, the American who had traveled to the Arctic with Perry. Both became fast friends, because of their toughness, their inventiveness, and their buoyant spirits. Cook, especially, was able to perform superbly under pressure. And there was a lot of pressure. If they were made of coal, both men would have come out diamonds.
May 10, 2025
Another bone-chilling and riveting history lesson about the passion, grit and resilience of the men brave enough to take on the unknown and groundbreaking world of polar exploration.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
November 28, 2020
It took a chapter or two to get into it but then I was hooked. Fascinating story.
December 2, 2021
This is not just a book on early exploration of Antarctica (1897 ) but also a psychological and terrifying study of the men aboard the Belgica who ventured into the hell at the bottom of the world.
Arctic exploration was becoming widespread near the turn of the 20th century and became somewhat of a race to be the first to reach the poles. A young Belgian, Adrienne de Gerlache, had exploration fever and was determined to join in that race to reach the magnetic South Pole, even though he was less than experienced as were many of the men which comprised his crew. Luckily he had three men who had polar experience, one being Roald Amundsen who later became legendary.
Due to de Gerlache's driving need to reach the Pole, he made some major mistakes and the ship ended up trapped in the ice flow during the months of darkness. The book concentrates on those months in which men went insane while others suffered from that terrible disease that struck most sailors, scurvy.
The author's style is so readable and keeps the reader on edge throughout. It reads like a thriller and not knowing the history of the Belgica, I never knew what to expect.
I highly recommend this thrilling and disturbing book. It is a true gem.
Arctic exploration was becoming widespread near the turn of the 20th century and became somewhat of a race to be the first to reach the poles. A young Belgian, Adrienne de Gerlache, had exploration fever and was determined to join in that race to reach the magnetic South Pole, even though he was less than experienced as were many of the men which comprised his crew. Luckily he had three men who had polar experience, one being Roald Amundsen who later became legendary.
Due to de Gerlache's driving need to reach the Pole, he made some major mistakes and the ship ended up trapped in the ice flow during the months of darkness. The book concentrates on those months in which men went insane while others suffered from that terrible disease that struck most sailors, scurvy.
The author's style is so readable and keeps the reader on edge throughout. It reads like a thriller and not knowing the history of the Belgica, I never knew what to expect.
I highly recommend this thrilling and disturbing book. It is a true gem.
December 21, 2020
I love reading about the Arctic, so I decided to venture southward and learn more about its polar (ha) opposite. Madhouse at the End of the Earth is a detailed, gripping account of the Belgica expedition in the late 1890s. Julian Sancton has deftly recreated the unforgiving Antarctic landscapes the crew encountered, using excerpts from the sailors’ diaries to bring the ship’s fraught tensions to life.
It took the story awhile to get to the southernmost continent, and I wasn’t as captivated by the backstory as I was by the time spent in Antarctica (though it was helpful groundwork for certain decisions and dynamics). I was especially intrigued by the ship surgeon (Frederick Cook, who later became an infamous huckster after oil schemes and widespread doubt over his purported discovery of the North Pole). Cook’s innovative tactics and keen observations saved the Belgica and her passengers more than once.
4/5: An entertaining (and stressful) story of polar exploration gone awry. Perfect for fans of other survival stories and anything Arctic/Antarctic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
It took the story awhile to get to the southernmost continent, and I wasn’t as captivated by the backstory as I was by the time spent in Antarctica (though it was helpful groundwork for certain decisions and dynamics). I was especially intrigued by the ship surgeon (Frederick Cook, who later became an infamous huckster after oil schemes and widespread doubt over his purported discovery of the North Pole). Cook’s innovative tactics and keen observations saved the Belgica and her passengers more than once.
4/5: An entertaining (and stressful) story of polar exploration gone awry. Perfect for fans of other survival stories and anything Arctic/Antarctic.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 30, 2023
I will never understand how or why anyone would want to do extreme things such as be the first to visit the magnetic South pole, but it sure is rewarding to read about the people who do.
This book is a fascinating and harrowing story of polar exploration in the late 1800s. Never a dull moment.
Unfortunately, there is some description of hunting because otherwise the men would have starved so I had to skip a page here and there.
Otherwise, this is a fantastic read, and one I finished on a day I had to take my morning walk on the treadmill rather than outside in cold, wet snow.... I'd never have survived the Belgica's journey.
If you read the book, and it's very well worth reading, be sure to check out the photo section in the back. That really brought the men and their journey to life, to see them in black and white.
This book is a fascinating and harrowing story of polar exploration in the late 1800s. Never a dull moment.
Unfortunately, there is some description of hunting because otherwise the men would have starved so I had to skip a page here and there.
Otherwise, this is a fantastic read, and one I finished on a day I had to take my morning walk on the treadmill rather than outside in cold, wet snow.... I'd never have survived the Belgica's journey.
If you read the book, and it's very well worth reading, be sure to check out the photo section in the back. That really brought the men and their journey to life, to see them in black and white.
October 10, 2023
Dancing to the Beat of a Different Drum
The Belgica caught in the Ice Pack (1898)
This work presents a thoroughly researched account of the expedition of the Belgica (1897-1899), first ship to hivernate in the ice pack by Antarctica, those manning it escaping death by a whisker (or not...), the whole occurrence opening what came to be called the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration', lasting from 1900 to 1922.
I have been driven to read it partly out of a personal interest for travel under extreme conditions, or life in unusually unforgiving places. If you feel the call of the wild, too, feel free to check:
Lost in the Taiga: One Russian Family's Fifty-Year Struggle for Survival and Religious Freedom in the Siberian Wilderness,
Таежный бродяга
Into the Wild,
Memoires Du Large
The Belgica Anchored at Mount William (1898)
Features:
=> A severe lack of discipline in the international crew & officer quarter for the get-go
=> Unreliable crews, inexperienced officers, frauds
=> A 'Belgian ring' (responsible for a near-mutinee near Punta Arenas, and growing restlessness on general)
"Souvenir cordial à mon amie Berthe. A. de Gerlache", Taken by F. Cook, 1898
Describes:
=> The scientific pretext for the exploration & the drive behind the expedition (cf imprisonment in the ice, an extra incentive for de Gerlache, to justify the journey?)
=> The harrowing effects of the extreme cold & confinement, the risk the ship ran of being crushed by the shifting sea ice pack.
=> De Gerlache's motives for hivernating in the ice pack roughly from February 1898 to March 1899. His concern for lampooning in the press, once they return to Belgium.
=> Countless incidents and accidents, some tragic.
=> The uncommon personalities of certain officers (Commandant Adrien de Gerlache, alpinist and explorer-to-be Roald Amundsen, jack-of-all-trades Frederick Cook, satirist/naturalist Emil Racoviță,...), the heroic tenacity of the crew in face of the polar night and scurvy, the future of certain members of the expedition: untruths from Cook, feuds between Amundsen and other explorers, others feats achieved by Amundsen: he discovered the Northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, reached the South Pole (1911) and the North Pole, this time by plane (1926), feuds between Amundsen and other explorers.
Itinerary of the Belgica Antarctic Expedition (1897-1899)
-------
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The KBR (Royal Belgian Library) narrative map, offering an extraordinary outview of the expedition!
Other recommendations:
Moby-Dick or, the Whale
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and Related Tales
Manuscript Found in a Bottle
At the Mountains of Madness
La Montagne morte de la vie / The Other Side of the Mountain
Besoin de mer
Into the Wild
-----
SUGGESTIONS FOR A MATCHING SOUNDTRACK:
Charon - Phonotek
Shadow of the Ferry - Phonotek
Je ne suis pas fou & Antarctica - The Great Old Ones
Uninvaded Sleep - Cryo Chamber
Below the Thunders of the Upper Deep - Cryo Chamber
Cold Journeys in Uninhabitable Lands Mix - Northumbria
The Night and Other Sunken Dreams (Part 1) - Underwater Sleep Orchestra
The Belgica caught in the Ice Pack (1898)
This work presents a thoroughly researched account of the expedition of the Belgica (1897-1899), first ship to hivernate in the ice pack by Antarctica, those manning it escaping death by a whisker (or not...), the whole occurrence opening what came to be called the 'Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration', lasting from 1900 to 1922.
I have been driven to read it partly out of a personal interest for travel under extreme conditions, or life in unusually unforgiving places. If you feel the call of the wild, too, feel free to check:
Lost in the Taiga: One Russian Family's Fifty-Year Struggle for Survival and Religious Freedom in the Siberian Wilderness,
Таежный бродяга
Into the Wild,
Memoires Du Large
The Belgica Anchored at Mount William (1898)
Features:
=> A severe lack of discipline in the international crew & officer quarter for the get-go
=> Unreliable crews, inexperienced officers, frauds
=> A 'Belgian ring' (responsible for a near-mutinee near Punta Arenas, and growing restlessness on general)
"Souvenir cordial à mon amie Berthe. A. de Gerlache", Taken by F. Cook, 1898
Describes:
=> The scientific pretext for the exploration & the drive behind the expedition (cf imprisonment in the ice, an extra incentive for de Gerlache, to justify the journey?)
=> The harrowing effects of the extreme cold & confinement, the risk the ship ran of being crushed by the shifting sea ice pack.
=> De Gerlache's motives for hivernating in the ice pack roughly from February 1898 to March 1899. His concern for lampooning in the press, once they return to Belgium.
=> Countless incidents and accidents, some tragic.
=> The uncommon personalities of certain officers (Commandant Adrien de Gerlache, alpinist and explorer-to-be Roald Amundsen, jack-of-all-trades Frederick Cook, satirist/naturalist Emil Racoviță,...), the heroic tenacity of the crew in face of the polar night and scurvy, the future of certain members of the expedition: untruths from Cook, feuds between Amundsen and other explorers, others feats achieved by Amundsen: he discovered the Northwest passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, reached the South Pole (1911) and the North Pole, this time by plane (1926), feuds between Amundsen and other explorers.
Itinerary of the Belgica Antarctic Expedition (1897-1899)
-------
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The KBR (Royal Belgian Library) narrative map, offering an extraordinary outview of the expedition!
Other recommendations:
Moby-Dick or, the Whale
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and Related Tales
Manuscript Found in a Bottle
At the Mountains of Madness
La Montagne morte de la vie / The Other Side of the Mountain
Besoin de mer
Into the Wild
-----
SUGGESTIONS FOR A MATCHING SOUNDTRACK:
Charon - Phonotek
Shadow of the Ferry - Phonotek
Je ne suis pas fou & Antarctica - The Great Old Ones
Uninvaded Sleep - Cryo Chamber
Below the Thunders of the Upper Deep - Cryo Chamber
Cold Journeys in Uninhabitable Lands Mix - Northumbria
The Night and Other Sunken Dreams (Part 1) - Underwater Sleep Orchestra
May 25, 2021
Madhouse at the End of the Earth revolves around an early polar expedition that went devastatingly awry trapping the ship’s crew on board and frozen solid for the entirety of the dark, frigid Antarctic winter. In August 1897, thirty-one-year-old commandant Adrien de Gerlache set sail aboard the Belgica, fueled by a profound sense of adventure and dreams of claiming glory for his native Belgium. His destination was the uncharted end of the earth: the icy continent of Antarctica. But the commandant's plans for a three-year expedition to reach the magnetic South Pole would be thwarted at each turn. Before the ship cleared South America, it had already broken down, run aground, and lost several key crew members, leaving behind a group with dubious experience for such an ambitious voyage.
As the ship progressed into the freezing waters, the captain had to make a choice: turn back and spare his men the potentially devastating consequences of getting stuck, or recklessly sail deeper into the ice pack to chase glory and fame. He sailed on, and the Belgica soon found itself stuck fast in the icy hold of the Antarctic continent. The ship would winter on the ice. Plagued by a mysterious, debilitating illness and besieged by the monotony of their days, the crew deteriorated as their confinement in suffocating close quarters wore on and their hope of escape dwindled daily. As winter approached the days grew shorter, until the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, condemning the ship's occupants to months of quarantine in an endless night.
Forged in fire and carved by ice, Antarctica proved a formidable opponent for the motley crew. Among them was Frederick Cook, an American doctor--part scientist, part adventurer, part P.T. Barnum--whose unorthodox methods delivered many of the crew from the gruesome symptoms of scurvy and whose relentless optimism buoyed their spirits through the long, dark polar night. Then there was Roald Amundsen, a young Norwegian who went on to become a storied polar explorer in his own right, exceeding de Gerlache's wildest dreams by leading the first expeditions to traverse the Northwest Passage and reach the South Pole.
This is an enthralling, fascinating and chilling read and drawing on firsthand accounts of the Belgica's voyage and exclusive access to the ship's logbook, Sancton tells the tale of its long, isolated imprisonment on the ice--a story that NASA studies today in its research on isolation for missions to Mars. In vivid, hair-raising prose, the author recounts the myriad forces that drove these men right up to and over the brink of madness. Some of the most crisp, icy descriptions are woven into the gripping narrative so much so that you can almost feel the chill emanating from its pages. An extensively researched, intricately detailed, captivating work of narrative nonfiction. Highly recommended especially to those with a prior interest in the expedition field.
As the ship progressed into the freezing waters, the captain had to make a choice: turn back and spare his men the potentially devastating consequences of getting stuck, or recklessly sail deeper into the ice pack to chase glory and fame. He sailed on, and the Belgica soon found itself stuck fast in the icy hold of the Antarctic continent. The ship would winter on the ice. Plagued by a mysterious, debilitating illness and besieged by the monotony of their days, the crew deteriorated as their confinement in suffocating close quarters wore on and their hope of escape dwindled daily. As winter approached the days grew shorter, until the sun set on the magnificent polar landscape one last time, condemning the ship's occupants to months of quarantine in an endless night.
Forged in fire and carved by ice, Antarctica proved a formidable opponent for the motley crew. Among them was Frederick Cook, an American doctor--part scientist, part adventurer, part P.T. Barnum--whose unorthodox methods delivered many of the crew from the gruesome symptoms of scurvy and whose relentless optimism buoyed their spirits through the long, dark polar night. Then there was Roald Amundsen, a young Norwegian who went on to become a storied polar explorer in his own right, exceeding de Gerlache's wildest dreams by leading the first expeditions to traverse the Northwest Passage and reach the South Pole.
This is an enthralling, fascinating and chilling read and drawing on firsthand accounts of the Belgica's voyage and exclusive access to the ship's logbook, Sancton tells the tale of its long, isolated imprisonment on the ice--a story that NASA studies today in its research on isolation for missions to Mars. In vivid, hair-raising prose, the author recounts the myriad forces that drove these men right up to and over the brink of madness. Some of the most crisp, icy descriptions are woven into the gripping narrative so much so that you can almost feel the chill emanating from its pages. An extensively researched, intricately detailed, captivating work of narrative nonfiction. Highly recommended especially to those with a prior interest in the expedition field.
November 1, 2023
Another fantastic voyage (and disaster)to the Antarctic. This time via the Belgica. I found this nonfiction different from my other expedition reads to the North or South Pole. MADHOUSE dived into the psyche of each of the crew rather than concentrating on the journey itself. Personally, I prefer hearing more about the hardship of the environment and what has to be undertaken to survive.
Another delightful buddy read with Barbara K. For a more detailed look at this adventure, read Barbara K’s review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4 out of 5 stars
Another delightful buddy read with Barbara K. For a more detailed look at this adventure, read Barbara K’s review.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
4 out of 5 stars
February 15, 2021
This book was incredible! Julian Sancton manages to include meticulous research and authentic scientific and maritime details while making the book read like a ‘ripping yarn’. I am so glad that this story has finally been told in English as it wasn’t an expedition I was familiar with. Having read fairly widely about John Franklin and Erabus and Shackleton it was breathtaking to read of a ship that survived a polar winter. Despite knowing the outcome of the expedition I was still on the edge of my seat, reading feverishly to find out if they would manage to free Belgica from the ice.
De Gerlache was a tricky ‘hero’ for me, clearly an incredible seaman but so driven by pride that almost every decision he made was the wrong one. Amundsen and Cook were my heroes but it was sad to see that neither lived up to their early promise. That said, both were leagues ahead of De Gerlache and the rest of the crew in terms of their ability to innovate and adapt to the conditions they encountered. I will forever wonder what would have happened had they gone ahead with their plan to find the pole before returning to Belgium in 1900. It was fascinating to read Cook’s hypotheses about the affects of lack of sunlight on the crew and how he single handedly saved the crew from scurvy by using knowledge gained from Inuits in the Northern Polar regions.
A must read book for anyone interested in polar exploration and geographic discovery.
De Gerlache was a tricky ‘hero’ for me, clearly an incredible seaman but so driven by pride that almost every decision he made was the wrong one. Amundsen and Cook were my heroes but it was sad to see that neither lived up to their early promise. That said, both were leagues ahead of De Gerlache and the rest of the crew in terms of their ability to innovate and adapt to the conditions they encountered. I will forever wonder what would have happened had they gone ahead with their plan to find the pole before returning to Belgium in 1900. It was fascinating to read Cook’s hypotheses about the affects of lack of sunlight on the crew and how he single handedly saved the crew from scurvy by using knowledge gained from Inuits in the Northern Polar regions.
A must read book for anyone interested in polar exploration and geographic discovery.
August 8, 2022
Wow, what a great story. The author definitely did their research. The book read as an adventure story instead of a collection of facts.
December 17, 2023
Demult nu am mai citit o poveste atât de captivantă. Faptul că este o poveste adevărată cântărește foarte mult. Am fost mereu interesant de cărțile de aventuri și aventurieri de tot felul. Despre Antarctica am citit mai puține (nume ca Amundsen și Shakleton îmi sunt cunoscute, totuși), dar albul nemărginit de la polul sud m-a fascinat și pe mine, la fel ca pe marii exploratori. În lipsa curajului și spiritului de aventură (uneori prea teribilist), eu m-am mulțumit cu imagini din Planet Earth.
Cartea de față spune povestea expediției Belgica. A fost prima expediție spre apele antarctice din ceea ce numim astăzi Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Nava Belgica a pornit din Belgia (evident!), cu tânărul Adrien de Gerlache la comandă și cu un echipaj plin de entuziaști, pentru a bate recorduri în cursa pentru marile descoperiri de la polul sud. Motivațiile lor au fost diferite. De Gerlache și câțiva alții își doreau gloria, unii, însă, s-au ambarcat din rațiuni științifice. Toți erau mânați de microbul aventurii. Printre numele cunoscute astăzi (din multe motive diferite), la bord s-au aflat Amundsen, Racovință, dr. Cook.
Ajunși, după un periplu mai lung decât și-au propus, la cercul polar de sud, membrii echipajului și-au început misiunea în apele din Marea Bellinghausen. Au făcut măsurători de tot felul, au catalogat specii, au observat și au descris ceea ce au văzut. Totuși, nevoia de glorie a lui de Gerlache a făcut ca nava să înainteze prea mult în prag de iarnă, până ce a rămas blocată, timp de aproape un an, în banchiză. Echipajul a petrecut acolo lunga noapte/iarnă polară. A suferit din cauza frigului, a mâncării proaste, a scorbutului, plictiselii, nebuniei. Titlul în engleză este sugestiv pentru starea de la bord: Madhouse at the End of the Earth.
Fiind prizonieri pe navă, unii au început să aibă simptome care la acea vreme nu puteau fi explicate. Doctorul, Cook, a făcut tot ce a putut pentru a le ameliora situația. I-a salvat chiar și de scorbut, prin intuiție. De nebunie însă nu i-a putut scăpa, decât atunci când i-a pus la muncă, redându-le speranța. Nu s-au lecuit în totalitate. Perioada de prizonierat la bord – pentru că membrii echipajului nu aveau posibilitatea de a se îndepărta prea mult, banchiza fiind în continuă mișcare –, într-un întuneric care părea fără sfârșit, ar putea constitui un scenariu de film horror. Aceștia au supraviețuit totuși (cu câteva excepții) și s-au întors acasă. Nu au obținut gloria sperată – cea care ar fi venit cu atingerea polului sud magnetic – dar au obținut o glorie de supraviețuitori, amplificată de contribuțiile științifice pe care le-au adus cercetătorii de la bord.
Sancton s-a documentat bine și a avut talentul și inspirația să scrie despre o aventură care ar putea fi ușor uitată, în lipsa unor mari descoperiri sau a unor recorduri sonore pe care să le fi atins/bătut. Reușește să inspire respect pentru acei oameni, foarte diferiți, cu ambiții proprii, cu caractere și mofturi distincte. A reușit să mă facă să-mi doresc să citesc mai multe despre astfel de aventuri (nu neapărat despre asta, povestea Belgicăi fiind spusă bine, de la un capăt la altul, fără loc de mai mult și fără să pară prea mult).
4,5/5
Am apreciat foarte mult și munca traducătoarei Alina Popescu, care a intervenit cu multe note de subsol care au completat întreaga poveste. Redactorului și editorului pot să le spun doar că nu-mi place titlul atât de diferit de original și faptul că există niște greșeli de redactare pe ci pe colo.
Cartea de față spune povestea expediției Belgica. A fost prima expediție spre apele antarctice din ceea ce numim astăzi Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Nava Belgica a pornit din Belgia (evident!), cu tânărul Adrien de Gerlache la comandă și cu un echipaj plin de entuziaști, pentru a bate recorduri în cursa pentru marile descoperiri de la polul sud. Motivațiile lor au fost diferite. De Gerlache și câțiva alții își doreau gloria, unii, însă, s-au ambarcat din rațiuni științifice. Toți erau mânați de microbul aventurii. Printre numele cunoscute astăzi (din multe motive diferite), la bord s-au aflat Amundsen, Racovință, dr. Cook.
Ajunși, după un periplu mai lung decât și-au propus, la cercul polar de sud, membrii echipajului și-au început misiunea în apele din Marea Bellinghausen. Au făcut măsurători de tot felul, au catalogat specii, au observat și au descris ceea ce au văzut. Totuși, nevoia de glorie a lui de Gerlache a făcut ca nava să înainteze prea mult în prag de iarnă, până ce a rămas blocată, timp de aproape un an, în banchiză. Echipajul a petrecut acolo lunga noapte/iarnă polară. A suferit din cauza frigului, a mâncării proaste, a scorbutului, plictiselii, nebuniei. Titlul în engleză este sugestiv pentru starea de la bord: Madhouse at the End of the Earth.
Fiind prizonieri pe navă, unii au început să aibă simptome care la acea vreme nu puteau fi explicate. Doctorul, Cook, a făcut tot ce a putut pentru a le ameliora situația. I-a salvat chiar și de scorbut, prin intuiție. De nebunie însă nu i-a putut scăpa, decât atunci când i-a pus la muncă, redându-le speranța. Nu s-au lecuit în totalitate. Perioada de prizonierat la bord – pentru că membrii echipajului nu aveau posibilitatea de a se îndepărta prea mult, banchiza fiind în continuă mișcare –, într-un întuneric care părea fără sfârșit, ar putea constitui un scenariu de film horror. Aceștia au supraviețuit totuși (cu câteva excepții) și s-au întors acasă. Nu au obținut gloria sperată – cea care ar fi venit cu atingerea polului sud magnetic – dar au obținut o glorie de supraviețuitori, amplificată de contribuțiile științifice pe care le-au adus cercetătorii de la bord.
Sancton s-a documentat bine și a avut talentul și inspirația să scrie despre o aventură care ar putea fi ușor uitată, în lipsa unor mari descoperiri sau a unor recorduri sonore pe care să le fi atins/bătut. Reușește să inspire respect pentru acei oameni, foarte diferiți, cu ambiții proprii, cu caractere și mofturi distincte. A reușit să mă facă să-mi doresc să citesc mai multe despre astfel de aventuri (nu neapărat despre asta, povestea Belgicăi fiind spusă bine, de la un capăt la altul, fără loc de mai mult și fără să pară prea mult).
4,5/5
Am apreciat foarte mult și munca traducătoarei Alina Popescu, care a intervenit cu multe note de subsol care au completat întreaga poveste. Redactorului și editorului pot să le spun doar că nu-mi place titlul atât de diferit de original și faptul că există niște greșeli de redactare pe ci pe colo.
June 3, 2022
Narrative non-fiction that tells the story of the Belgica, commanded by Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery, that set off for Antarctica in 1897 in an early attempt to reach the South Pole. Crew members included Norwegian Roald Amundsen, the First Mate, and American Dr. Frederick Cook, the ship’s doctor, whose future exploits would make them famous (or infamous). De Gerlache was seeking fame, adventure, and acclaim for his country, Belgium. He and Captain Lecointe had to decide, as winter closed in, whether to continue their quest or turn back.
“Floes parted and leads opened up, inviting the Belgica in and presenting de Gerlache with a fleeting opportunity to pierce deep into the heart of the Antarctic sea ice. The commandant was forced to make a decision. The ship had just passed the 70th parallel, and the newly formed avenues offered him the chance to blaze a southern course and perhaps set a new record. But penetrating this far into the pack this late in the year meant almost certain entrapment, not for hours or days but for months or possibly years.”
They proceeded and became the first ship to over-winter in the Antarctic ice pack. It is a survival story of overcoming significant mental and physical obstacles. These men faced perilous conditions. The ship was at constant risk of getting crushed. Food became scarce. They were beset by a mysterious illness and suffered from a monotonous existence. Several developed alarming mental issues. Two never returned.
“Cook expected a downward turn in the general mood, but he was surprised by the depth to which it fell in the days following the last sunset. The men walked the Belgica’s decks seized by despair—when they could even be roused to walk at all. The primordial gloom that all humans feel in darkness…was here compounded by total isolation and the ever-present fear that the ice could crush the ship or open up beneath one’s feet.”
The author does a brilliant job of transporting the reader back in time, adding appropriate historical context. It offers an example of people pushed to the limits of endurance. It portrays the importance of optimism and creativity in survival situations. The manner in which they finally escaped the ice is amazing. An epilogue provides an account of what happened to these people afterward.
“The Belgica entered the strait under a fairy-tale light. The sun had dipped behind the mountains to the west but was still catching their peaks and illuminating the sparse clouds above, forming a golden canopy that stretched over the darkened valley and reflected against the blue-black water. Icebergs glided silently along, like apparitions.”
I have read many non-fiction books about Arctic and Antarctic explorations but had never before read anything about the Belgica. Sancton has employed primary sources to reconstruct the expedition from long-forgotten diaries and journals kept by the officers and crew. His documentation is thoroughly footnoted. The photos are a wonderful addition, showing the people and the images taken during their journey. Their challenges are described in vivid detail. It is an impressive accomplishment, especially for a first full-length book of non-fiction.
“Floes parted and leads opened up, inviting the Belgica in and presenting de Gerlache with a fleeting opportunity to pierce deep into the heart of the Antarctic sea ice. The commandant was forced to make a decision. The ship had just passed the 70th parallel, and the newly formed avenues offered him the chance to blaze a southern course and perhaps set a new record. But penetrating this far into the pack this late in the year meant almost certain entrapment, not for hours or days but for months or possibly years.”
They proceeded and became the first ship to over-winter in the Antarctic ice pack. It is a survival story of overcoming significant mental and physical obstacles. These men faced perilous conditions. The ship was at constant risk of getting crushed. Food became scarce. They were beset by a mysterious illness and suffered from a monotonous existence. Several developed alarming mental issues. Two never returned.
“Cook expected a downward turn in the general mood, but he was surprised by the depth to which it fell in the days following the last sunset. The men walked the Belgica’s decks seized by despair—when they could even be roused to walk at all. The primordial gloom that all humans feel in darkness…was here compounded by total isolation and the ever-present fear that the ice could crush the ship or open up beneath one’s feet.”
The author does a brilliant job of transporting the reader back in time, adding appropriate historical context. It offers an example of people pushed to the limits of endurance. It portrays the importance of optimism and creativity in survival situations. The manner in which they finally escaped the ice is amazing. An epilogue provides an account of what happened to these people afterward.
“The Belgica entered the strait under a fairy-tale light. The sun had dipped behind the mountains to the west but was still catching their peaks and illuminating the sparse clouds above, forming a golden canopy that stretched over the darkened valley and reflected against the blue-black water. Icebergs glided silently along, like apparitions.”
I have read many non-fiction books about Arctic and Antarctic explorations but had never before read anything about the Belgica. Sancton has employed primary sources to reconstruct the expedition from long-forgotten diaries and journals kept by the officers and crew. His documentation is thoroughly footnoted. The photos are a wonderful addition, showing the people and the images taken during their journey. Their challenges are described in vivid detail. It is an impressive accomplishment, especially for a first full-length book of non-fiction.
October 14, 2023
I guess one reason I continue to enjoy books about polar exploration is that each voyage has a unique wrinkle. As you might imagine from the title of this one, the emphasis here is on the mental health of crew of the Belgica as they attempted to cope with being stuck in the ice during the long Antarctic winter. This was obviously not the only ship to have endured this fate, but there you go - each voyage has its own story.
One of the things that struck me most about what happened to the Belgica is the extent to which de Gerlache, the captain, repeatedly let his motivation to please his backers and the Belgian government overcome his common sense. Among other things, there was the initial selection of the crew (focusing on Belgians, regardless of their qualifications, or the lack thereof); dawdling along when they first reached the Antarctic so that the scientists aboard could collect samples; and intentionally getting stuck in the ice so that they would already be in place to pursue “furthest south” in the name of Belgium, come the thaw. To his credit, de Gerlache was brilliant at the tasks specifically related to captaining the ship, skillfully guiding them through some pretty harrowing situations.
The Belgica’s “madhouse” problems weren’t solely the result of the lack of sunlight for months on end. They also lacked Vitamin C, as a result of which many suffered from scurvy. Why, you may ask, was this still a problem in 1898? Hadn’t everyone figured out that daily doses of citrus fruit - lemons specifically - could ward off this horrific disease? Well yes, at least a hundred years prior. But gosh, limes were cheaper, and if you distilled them into a concentrate, wouldn’t that work just as well? Actually, no.
Enter Dr. Frederick Cook, probably most well known for his specious claim of having discovered the North Pole, and also getting himself imprisoned for an oil well scam. But that was later. While serving as ship’s doctor on the Belgica he recollected that the Inuit he’d encountered during a trip to Greenland with Robert Peary had no fresh fruit or veg but didn’t suffer with scurvy. Taking a cue from their diet, he insisted that the Belgica crew eat, not the canned food they’d brought with them (which was actually pretty unappetizing), but seal and penguin meat, cooked rare. This was helpful, but would it be enough?
Well, I’m not going to say because I appreciated the way Sancton structured the book, giving no hints in advance about who made it through alive except for Cook, and Roald Amundsen, who obviously couldn’t have discovered the South Pole some years later if he hadn’t survived this nightmare. Sancton paints pretty vivid pictures of both of them, warts and all. The book also benefits from the availability of many primary sources in the form of journals kept by a variety of crew members.
I’m glad to have added this to my polar exploration shelf, filling up that space right before the turn of the 19th century. Another excellent buddy read with Paula K.!
One of the things that struck me most about what happened to the Belgica is the extent to which de Gerlache, the captain, repeatedly let his motivation to please his backers and the Belgian government overcome his common sense. Among other things, there was the initial selection of the crew (focusing on Belgians, regardless of their qualifications, or the lack thereof); dawdling along when they first reached the Antarctic so that the scientists aboard could collect samples; and intentionally getting stuck in the ice so that they would already be in place to pursue “furthest south” in the name of Belgium, come the thaw. To his credit, de Gerlache was brilliant at the tasks specifically related to captaining the ship, skillfully guiding them through some pretty harrowing situations.
The Belgica’s “madhouse” problems weren’t solely the result of the lack of sunlight for months on end. They also lacked Vitamin C, as a result of which many suffered from scurvy. Why, you may ask, was this still a problem in 1898? Hadn’t everyone figured out that daily doses of citrus fruit - lemons specifically - could ward off this horrific disease? Well yes, at least a hundred years prior. But gosh, limes were cheaper, and if you distilled them into a concentrate, wouldn’t that work just as well? Actually, no.
Enter Dr. Frederick Cook, probably most well known for his specious claim of having discovered the North Pole, and also getting himself imprisoned for an oil well scam. But that was later. While serving as ship’s doctor on the Belgica he recollected that the Inuit he’d encountered during a trip to Greenland with Robert Peary had no fresh fruit or veg but didn’t suffer with scurvy. Taking a cue from their diet, he insisted that the Belgica crew eat, not the canned food they’d brought with them (which was actually pretty unappetizing), but seal and penguin meat, cooked rare. This was helpful, but would it be enough?
Well, I’m not going to say because I appreciated the way Sancton structured the book, giving no hints in advance about who made it through alive except for Cook, and Roald Amundsen, who obviously couldn’t have discovered the South Pole some years later if he hadn’t survived this nightmare. Sancton paints pretty vivid pictures of both of them, warts and all. The book also benefits from the availability of many primary sources in the form of journals kept by a variety of crew members.
I’m glad to have added this to my polar exploration shelf, filling up that space right before the turn of the 19th century. Another excellent buddy read with Paula K.!
May 22, 2022
A very good historical book. I only occasionally read historical books which are much different many of my fiction books(tend to be a lot less gripping). So, many kudos to this story that grabbed my attention, had a good amount of thrilling adventure moments as well as good characters(even with having being limited to factual events).
The story begins with a late 1800,s a Belgiium explorer who wanted to sail to the South Pole.
His name was Andrien de Gerlache.
He acquired the funding for the project and the imagination of the Belgium people.
He and his crew take an exploration trip to get as far south in Antarctica as possible. The trip takes 2 years. Some accomplishments including charting new lands and naming rights were claimed but failed in other ways like including reaching the South Pole.
They do end up trapped in the anarctic ice through an entire winter. Living trapped the crew had some serious mental and physical challenges. They have to keep occupied for months, no light, bad food, nothing to do which can wreak havoc on the mind. Then throw in physical challenges like scurvy, and possible toxic fumes. There was plenty of crazy stuff going on to keep your attention.
So in the end a very entertaining and interesting read.
The story begins with a late 1800,s a Belgiium explorer who wanted to sail to the South Pole.
His name was Andrien de Gerlache.
He acquired the funding for the project and the imagination of the Belgium people.
He and his crew take an exploration trip to get as far south in Antarctica as possible. The trip takes 2 years. Some accomplishments including charting new lands and naming rights were claimed but failed in other ways like including reaching the South Pole.
They do end up trapped in the anarctic ice through an entire winter. Living trapped the crew had some serious mental and physical challenges. They have to keep occupied for months, no light, bad food, nothing to do which can wreak havoc on the mind. Then throw in physical challenges like scurvy, and possible toxic fumes. There was plenty of crazy stuff going on to keep your attention.
So in the end a very entertaining and interesting read.
October 29, 2021
Absolutely SUPERB.
March 16, 2026
Listening to this whilst walking in a freak Spring hailstorm is some 4D cinematic experience.
I didn’t catch scurvy, loose shipmates, go mad, or face imprisonment though.
A non-fiction narrative of 1897–1899 Belgica expedition, the first to overwinter in Antarctica.
I read reviews saying this read like a thriller, a gothic horror. I was bored for the majority of it. The tone was so unengaing and monotone - unaided by the audiobook narrator.
And, after all that, it might be a case of accounting an unreliable tale.
Whilst very different, I’d recommend Society of the Snow instead.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
I didn’t catch scurvy, loose shipmates, go mad, or face imprisonment though.
A non-fiction narrative of 1897–1899 Belgica expedition, the first to overwinter in Antarctica.
I read reviews saying this read like a thriller, a gothic horror. I was bored for the majority of it. The tone was so unengaing and monotone - unaided by the audiobook narrator.
And, after all that, it might be a case of accounting an unreliable tale.
Whilst very different, I’d recommend Society of the Snow instead.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
January 31, 2021
368 pages
5 stars
This book has lengthy and interesting discussions about three of the key characters: Adrien de Gerlache, Roald Admundsen and Dr. Frederick Cook. Mr. Sancton talks about their childhoods and careers away from the Antarctic journey.
De Gerlache was a sheer novice, while both Cook and Admundsen had polar experience. De Gerlache was a terrible disciplinarian. His rowdy crew did what ever the heck they wanted and their behavior went unpunished. His expedition was underfunded, he avoided confrontation at all costs and this caused major problems among the crew. It was a disaster in the making.
Perhaps de Gerlache's biggest fault was that he was more worried about what his family and the “people back at home” in Belgium would think of him and his journey than the welfare of his men.
The book details the men's deteriorating behavior. The stories are taken from the journals and diaries compiled by the men. It talks for Admundsen's love of adventure, the search for a competent cook (this was almost amusing), de Gerlache's anxieties and Cook's sense of wonder and love of learning. The book also speaks of the tragedies and other stories about the men.
Descriptions abound about the flora, fauna and the vastness and colors of the sky and the ice. There is even a discussion on the difference between freshwater and seawater ice. The feelings of the men when they got trapped in the ice and had to winter over was heartbreaking. Tempers flared and as the men got more ill, the situation became dangerous.
The men joined together to make a last ditch heroic effort to escape from the ice. Cook, de Gerlache and Admundsen all agreed that they would not survive another winter in the ice.
This is a very well written account of the expedition and is very detailed. The hardships the men suffered were laid out in detail. I can't think of any aspect of the journey that wasn't discussed and told very well. This is an exceptional book. I will certainly look into other books written by Mr. Sancton.
I want to thank NetGalley and Crown Publishing/Crown for forwarding to me a copy of this very interesting and intense book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions stated here are my own.
5 stars
This book has lengthy and interesting discussions about three of the key characters: Adrien de Gerlache, Roald Admundsen and Dr. Frederick Cook. Mr. Sancton talks about their childhoods and careers away from the Antarctic journey.
De Gerlache was a sheer novice, while both Cook and Admundsen had polar experience. De Gerlache was a terrible disciplinarian. His rowdy crew did what ever the heck they wanted and their behavior went unpunished. His expedition was underfunded, he avoided confrontation at all costs and this caused major problems among the crew. It was a disaster in the making.
Perhaps de Gerlache's biggest fault was that he was more worried about what his family and the “people back at home” in Belgium would think of him and his journey than the welfare of his men.
The book details the men's deteriorating behavior. The stories are taken from the journals and diaries compiled by the men. It talks for Admundsen's love of adventure, the search for a competent cook (this was almost amusing), de Gerlache's anxieties and Cook's sense of wonder and love of learning. The book also speaks of the tragedies and other stories about the men.
Descriptions abound about the flora, fauna and the vastness and colors of the sky and the ice. There is even a discussion on the difference between freshwater and seawater ice. The feelings of the men when they got trapped in the ice and had to winter over was heartbreaking. Tempers flared and as the men got more ill, the situation became dangerous.
The men joined together to make a last ditch heroic effort to escape from the ice. Cook, de Gerlache and Admundsen all agreed that they would not survive another winter in the ice.
This is a very well written account of the expedition and is very detailed. The hardships the men suffered were laid out in detail. I can't think of any aspect of the journey that wasn't discussed and told very well. This is an exceptional book. I will certainly look into other books written by Mr. Sancton.
I want to thank NetGalley and Crown Publishing/Crown for forwarding to me a copy of this very interesting and intense book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions stated here are my own.
August 15, 2021
An incredible story of Antarctic exploration by the ship and crew of the Belgica. Memorable characters and events. Well researched and written. It also features two significant characters of polar exploration, Amundsen and Cook in their early years. To read how the journey shaped these men for their future exploits was fascinating.
Highly enjoyable read.
Highly enjoyable read.
May 1, 2021
This book is an amazing accomplishment. I am generally not a fan of adventure non-fiction, and I feel trapped as soon as I step aboard a boat. But the book is so well written, the story so compellingly told, and the characters made so real and multi-dimensional, that I completely fell in, and read it, breathlessly, in a weekend. Sancton not only does an excellent job explaining the technical, interpersonal, and psychological issues facing the crew of the Belgica, he makes the reader feel the intense sense of peril. I've never written a Goodreads review before, but I felt compelled to let people know about this book. Well done, Mr. Sancton! I can't wait to read your next book.
January 28, 2023
Another excellent polar exploration narrative. Other than Roald Amundsen, I was not familiar with the Belgica or any members of its crew. While the adventure of the Belgica is entertaining in itself, the best parts of the book were the character studies of Amundsen, Cook and de Gerlache, as well as Sancton's analysis of the crew's successes and the voyage's long term implications for polar exploration (and space exploration, for that matter). A worthwhile read for any fan of polar exploration.
September 17, 2022
An Antarctic expedition in 1897 starting in Belgium? I had not heard of this before. Belgium is famous as the country that is used to indicate the size of something on travel documentaries. This lake in Russia is about the size of Belgium. You can fit Belgium into this Iowa corn field. That type of thing. This being said you can probably bet that this expedition is not going to be plain sailing. King Leopold did not endorse it.
Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery is the expedition’s commandant. The 31-year-old is the one that got the funds for the expedition and bought the ship called Patria and renamed Belgica. He had the dream and it was quite something to bring this to fruition. The Belgica, a three-masted steam whaler, is re-fitted for its toughest sea voyage. It was also de Gerlache’s job to find the scientists and sailors to join the expedition. Finding Belgian sailors was not an easy task. ‘The Belgian crew members de Gerlache was able to wrangle over the course of a year were far from the cream of the crop.’ Then, get this, Roald Amundsen writes to de Gerlache asking if he can be part of the crew. This is way before Amundsen would reach the South Pole himself in 1911.
The story is captivating as the Belgica crew cause trouble as the ship rumbles on south. Way behind schedule de Gerlache knew that wintering in the Antarctic was suicide but he was on a mission. I have watched documentaries before where mountaineers have to know when to turn back. This is especially true on Everest. If it is too late, the weather is turning you cannot go on. Jon Krakauer’s ‘Into Thin Air’ is a great example.
How far will the get? Will they return? If they return, what state will they be in? Victorian exploration always amazes me. Never a two week trip but years into unchartered territory. That is another sort of madness altogether.
The photos are very good. They really bring life to the story. I read this on Kindle so the photos were at the back. Actually seeing the crew and having images of them working and sawing through the ice was quite amazing after reading the book.
Adrien de Gerlache de Gomery is the expedition’s commandant. The 31-year-old is the one that got the funds for the expedition and bought the ship called Patria and renamed Belgica. He had the dream and it was quite something to bring this to fruition. The Belgica, a three-masted steam whaler, is re-fitted for its toughest sea voyage. It was also de Gerlache’s job to find the scientists and sailors to join the expedition. Finding Belgian sailors was not an easy task. ‘The Belgian crew members de Gerlache was able to wrangle over the course of a year were far from the cream of the crop.’ Then, get this, Roald Amundsen writes to de Gerlache asking if he can be part of the crew. This is way before Amundsen would reach the South Pole himself in 1911.
The story is captivating as the Belgica crew cause trouble as the ship rumbles on south. Way behind schedule de Gerlache knew that wintering in the Antarctic was suicide but he was on a mission. I have watched documentaries before where mountaineers have to know when to turn back. This is especially true on Everest. If it is too late, the weather is turning you cannot go on. Jon Krakauer’s ‘Into Thin Air’ is a great example.
How far will the get? Will they return? If they return, what state will they be in? Victorian exploration always amazes me. Never a two week trip but years into unchartered territory. That is another sort of madness altogether.
The photos are very good. They really bring life to the story. I read this on Kindle so the photos were at the back. Actually seeing the crew and having images of them working and sawing through the ice was quite amazing after reading the book.
May 22, 2022
4.25
This book really at times reads like a horror. You can absolutely FEEL the decent into madness for some of these sailors. You can HEAR the rats rummaging around on the ship. You can SMELL the animals, etc.
Julian Sancton does a tremendous job with this book, highlighting a journey to Antarctica….
Really a tremendous read
This book really at times reads like a horror. You can absolutely FEEL the decent into madness for some of these sailors. You can HEAR the rats rummaging around on the ship. You can SMELL the animals, etc.
Julian Sancton does a tremendous job with this book, highlighting a journey to Antarctica….
Really a tremendous read
September 4, 2023
4✚🥶🥶🥶🥶
Read
January 6, 2026dnf
finished part 1. its not a bad book, i think im just saturated with polar explorations which kinda have the same pattern overall. i might come back to this eventually but for now i wanna read something else.
finished part 1. its not a bad book, i think im just saturated with polar explorations which kinda have the same pattern overall. i might come back to this eventually but for now i wanna read something else.
May 14, 2021
much more soon.
for now: I liked this one. The Belgica expedition seemed destined for failure even before the ship arrived in Antarctica, but somehow made it there and back.
on the personal side:
I feel so stupid. I bought this book because I couldn't remember reading anything about The Belgica expedition, then realized after the author brought it up that I've had Frederick Cook's Through the First Antarctic Night sitting on my shelves forever (still unread). I really need to stop buying new books and start reading the old ones.
for now: I liked this one. The Belgica expedition seemed destined for failure even before the ship arrived in Antarctica, but somehow made it there and back.
on the personal side:
I feel so stupid. I bought this book because I couldn't remember reading anything about The Belgica expedition, then realized after the author brought it up that I've had Frederick Cook's Through the First Antarctic Night sitting on my shelves forever (still unread). I really need to stop buying new books and start reading the old ones.
June 11, 2021
The title of the book caught my attention. The wonderful writing and incredible research kept me to the end. The prose is tight, colorful, and dramatic.
I'd never heard about this Beligica or the journey to the Antartic. It is not even the type of non-fiction I would typically read. It was getting good reviews, so I checked it out.
The writer effectively juggles a large cast of colorful and quirky real-life characters, as he documents the incredible journey of these brave explorers. The sheer amount of research that went into this book is truly impressive.
Five stars.
I'd never heard about this Beligica or the journey to the Antartic. It is not even the type of non-fiction I would typically read. It was getting good reviews, so I checked it out.
The writer effectively juggles a large cast of colorful and quirky real-life characters, as he documents the incredible journey of these brave explorers. The sheer amount of research that went into this book is truly impressive.
Five stars.
October 18, 2021
I thought this book was just fascinating!
One of my favourite reads in a long time.
Such an incredible adventure and told like your reading a thriller!Never a dull moment!
So exciting and riveting!
I was so amazed at the strength and determination of these men.
Such hardships that were really frightening at times.
I have read a few polar explorer books before but nothing as exciting as this book.
I hope this writer comes up with more books in this style with a historical element.
Just great.... Highly recommend.
Next book might be a bit boring compared....
One of my favourite reads in a long time.
Such an incredible adventure and told like your reading a thriller!Never a dull moment!
So exciting and riveting!
I was so amazed at the strength and determination of these men.
Such hardships that were really frightening at times.
I have read a few polar explorer books before but nothing as exciting as this book.
I hope this writer comes up with more books in this style with a historical element.
Just great.... Highly recommend.
Next book might be a bit boring compared....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,353 reviews